Growing Up in Bangalore's Air Force Quarters

Life felt like a dream back then, when my biggest worry was whether I had a loose tooth. My sister and I would turn our apartment upside down whenever Mum or Dad tried to pull it out. Some days, the neighbors would come knocking on our doors to ask my parents why their children were always crying. But for us, those little battles over loose teeth were part of growing up

Sometimes, Mom used to wake up at 3 AM in the morning so that Dad could take his breakfast with him for his early morning shift. I would get up at 6 AM and still be the last one awake. We had a window right beside our bed. The sunlight would have started to seep into the room, yet the view outside remained a blank canvas. No, it's not just because of the dew that has condensed on the glass, it was due to the thick, chilly fog that greeted us every morning.

Yelahanka, as I remember it, was a peaceful suburb with very little traffic. We lived in the Air Force quarters. Mornings were usually a rush with Mum juggling to get my sister and me, who were five and four at that time, ready for school. We were always late since school started at 7:30 AM. She would hold our hands and run the whole 1 km to school. The fog would have started to clear by now revealing a distant hill bathed in a purple hue. To this day, I don't know why it's purple. Mom always bathed us in hot or cold water every morning and still wonder why we have a running nose. Sweater was part of the uniform. When I joined KV, we had a navy blue sweater to match the blue-and-white uniform. I still wore it whenever I was sick for as long as I could remember.

Sister and me at the Air Force school

I was obsessed with fighter aircrafts, and there used to be a whole bunch of them there. Every year, the Air Force held an Air Show, displaying our fighter jets in stunning formations. I'd sneak out of my apartment into the street just to catch these aircrafts making rounds during practice. Back then, I dreamed of being a pilot. I'd tie pillow covers as a cape and jump from the window to the table.

Mom, sister and me at the Air Force station

Phone calls were expensive back then, and I remember Mom making calls home in STD booths. Eventually, we did buy a mobile phone, which felt like a luxury. Every vacation, we traveled back to our hometown by train, with Mom always packing lemon rice for the journey. I used to hate it every time. The joy of seeing those familiar faces always made the long journey home feel worth every mile.

Dad had a scooter—blue, or maybe green? I can't quite recall. The four of us made so many memories on that scooter. I'd stand in the front while we went wherever we needed to go. It still amazes me that it's almost 20 years since we left Bangalore, yet these memories still flash vividly in my mind.