My childhood days...
I was born and brought up in a village. A village I mean a proper village, no proper communication, no shop or even a tea stall, no telephone, surrounded by forest, river, dam and agricultural lands. During that time, there was only one black & white TV and one Rajoot motorcycle in my village, those belong to two different families. Perhaps 2-3 radios were murmuring Odia news, music, Pala, daskathia (some Odia drama), etc. from Cuttack radio center. Though electricity came to my village only a few homes were connected. Rest families, more than 90%, had depended on kerosene lamps. Suddenly few families started illegal hooking for the electric bulb. But the rest of the families thought as if this electricity would increase indiscipline in their family, increase the mosquito, etc. Therefore, they, including my family preferred the kerosene lamps. I remember, before electricity to my home, we owned a Philips radio when I was in my 3rd or 4th class. Afterward, sometimes we thought to feel the light of electric bulb by illegal hooking a piece of wire and a 110V-100W bulb. This 110 bulb was very famous in those days, as the voltage was very low (even 80-100V in the 220V supply cable). Without an 110 bulb, you can not see the face of a person standing one meter away from you. Wah!! That light (110bulb) was pretty good and was an encouraging source for study and create joy within.
From my childhood days, I was more interested on technical work,
tried to understand how things are working, tried understanding the
concept of all the equipment or machinery at my home. Many times, I have
broken/ damaged few things as well for which got many rebuke from my
parents. Grant parents especially my grant father was a very encouraging
person and close to my heart. I tried understanding his techniques
while I go to our farm land with him.
Concisely I can say, I
was interested in understanding the technology and also the farming
methods from my childhood days. However, I was more interested on
technology and wanted to build me as Tech scientist! I was not aware of the way to be a scientist, instead only heard of studying science during +2. However, after the 10th there was a debate, what to study; +2 science will lead to more expense, +2 arts will be easier and if can join an ITI can get a job easily at a lower age! However, I was stubborn to study only science, and finally got selected and took admission. 2 years of my +2 was too tough for me, as I was new in the city, not aware to talk with people, had cook my own food when I was not even aware of cooking, sudden switch to English medium of study from a typical Odia medium, all the tuition and home work, task in the practicals especially the drawing in biological practicals etc!
I had very limited friends but too close to me and visited only specific places like my mess to tuition spot to college to my home, mostly by walk or by a 24' cycle!
While other friends were enjoying multiple ways, I was struggling to co-up with them. While they were focusing only with their study, I was struggling to do multiple tasks ! This was not the story of me, instead its the case of most of the students came from rural areas. While others got their demanded money from their home, I was back calculating everyday how to reduce my cost of living, so that I will bring less money from from parents! Because we were good in terms of land and had the food for the whole year, but we had no money as such to bring and spend. That means we had to sell some portion of rice or paddy stored for the whole year and got that amount as my expense. Science study was though prestigious those days, it was too expensive also.
updating......
