"Children, please finish colouring the sheets given. Today, you'll have little less time," Sujata Ma'am told.

I looked at my sheet and took red colour from my pencil box. Sharvari and I were immersed colouring weird shapes on the paper when Manoj decided to snatch the crayons we were using. Sharvari cried, "Manoj, give clayon!"

He shook his head. His bench-partner and our friend, Nikhil tried to snatch it from them but in vain. I stood up and shouted, "Ma'am, Manoj took claylons!"

"Manoj! Why do you have to trouble your fellow classmates, every day?" Ma'am asked as she walked towards us.

"She hit me," he accused. Sharvari and I looked at him unbelievably. Sujata Ma'am looked at us and asked, "Is this true, girls?"

We shook our heads and cried, "No, ma'am. He is lying."

After an argument, it was settled that Manoj had lied and snatched our crayons. He is a bad boy! He was forced to apologize to us. But he kept eyeing at our dresses. I had completely forgotten that I wasn't wearing my uniform. We all were supposed to wear fancy dresses for some festival. Mummy had told me the festival's name but I forgot.

Soon it was time for us to eat our tiffin boxes. When we were eating our boxes, wily Manoj purposefully dropped water on our bench. Sharvari was quick to dash out of the bench but I was caught up. Getting up in my dress is very difficult and in that process the water spilled. I started crying for my dress was drenched and Mummy had told to take special care of it. He hit me on my back.

Before he could run away, I hit him on his back. He started crying too. I was scared. This dress wasn't my dress but Mummy had borrowed it from someone. She had made it clear that spilling on this dress would mean I am a bad girl. He is behaving like a bad boy.

Sujata Ma'am, who was solving a fight at the farther corner of the class, came running. After putting forth our views, Manoj and I were made to stand outside our respective benches. I was feeling angry for two reasons – for water spilling on my dress and then be given a punishment.

I skipped eating the upma from the tiffin box. Once the bell rang, we all were made to form a single line. As we started moving out from the classes, I saw similar lines from other classes walking next to ours. We were taken to a covered but open area. There were colourful strips of fabric running around the pillars and two entrances. Also, there were some huge black boxes at a corner, behind which was a person.

Almost everyone was wearing colourful dresses. The odd ones were wearing uniforms. Each class was made to form small circles including the teachers. Without any warning, blaring music blasted from the huge black boxes. This music was unlike the ones Daddy would play early in the morning. The circle started moving slowly with Sujata Ma'am showing us how to dance. It involved us clapping our hands in rhythmic pattern, which everyone seemed to be missing.

Some children, from other circle had brought a pair of sticks. Instead of them clapping their hands, they were hitting the two sticks against one another. In due course, after going around in a few rounds, the sticks accidentally hit some child's face. Music was stopped. This circle dance, or 'garba' was stopped. While everyone rushed to tend their wounds, I was secretly happy. I felt dizzy.

After sometime, the garba dance had commenced again. While everyone was dancing with complete energy, I was feeling mine was draining very quickly. I could feel my legs shaking. Then a bell went off and the music was stopped. We were taken back to the same class to collect our bags. Never was I happy to this extent on seeing Mummy. Before I could tell anything, she lifted me.

She asked, "Are you feeling tired?"

I replied, "Yes Mummy. Legs paining."

"Did you eat?"

"No. Upma was not good," I lied.

"I knew it!" Mummy cried. "No wonder you like you will collapse any second."

We hadn't even crossed half of the distance when Mummy huffed, "You've put on some weight which is good. But you've become heavy to carry."

I rested my head on her shoulder and sighed. The sun was at its peak. It was uncomfortably sweaty. Even though I was being carried, I felt my back was drenched. When we reached home, I drank two glasses of water in spite of Mummy's annoyance. As she had expected, I didn't eat lunch properly for my tummy was filled with water.

I must sleep now. Otherwise, my tummy will burst. Before she could finish washing dishes, I had dozed off. When I got up, the room was dark. Why can't I see Mummy? What happened? Scared, I started crying. Strange! She would come running if she heard me crying. Sobbing, I called, "Mummy! Mummy!"

No answer came back. I couldn't see the floor properly. Upon peeking outside the windows, I saw dark clouds. By the time I would get up, there would be children playing but I couldn't see them. My sobbing had increased. This is worst than Manoj stealing my clayons. No! This is worst than Sujata Ma'am punishing me.

I had cried to an extent that I was feeling short of breath. The next moment, I heard the clicking sound of door. Who is that? What if it is a bad person coming to take the computel? Frightened, I pulled the pillow over my head and sobbed. It was then I heard the voice, "Anu!"

Throwing away the blanket, I jumped down the bed. I hugged Mummy, rather her legs, with all my might. She consoled me and felt guilty. Taking advantage of this, I begged her to let me play with the computer. Sighing, she agreed. She then set up the game. It was one fine day when Daddy got this computer. He said it was office computer.

There is a game where I am supposed to collect colourful looking things while moving along a path. Sometimes, these paths can be blocked by stones and I will be stuck. Yet, I somehow figure out a way. Initially Mummy would help me. Now, I have learnt it.

I have never seen Daddy use his office computer except on some rare occasions. Least did I know, today was that day. When he came from office, I described him about today's events. Before concluding, I accused, "Mummy leave Anu. I clied. Then she come and put games on computel."

He turned his attention towards her. She started explaining, "I had gone to return the ghagra I had borrowed. She was sleeping nicely; I don't know how she got up early."

Then he got a phone call. Rushing, he switched on the computer. I was tempted to play some more games. But he removed some papers from his bag and started to work. I asked him, "Daddy, Anu play games."

"Anu, I am busy. Anyways, you played in the evening, right? Why do you want to play?"

"Anu likes to play."

"Not now beta, you can play tomorrow."

I tried convincing him but after a point he stopped responding. Angrily, I went to the living room and got my toys to play in the bedroom. I kept making loud sounds for he was working on the computer kept in the same room. He told me to lower my voice but I didn't.

Mummy came with my dinner and I insisted on eating in the bedroom. She had to agree with my insistence. Deliberately, I kept the glass of water of the table on which computer was there; next to the papers Daddy was referring. After eating every two bites, I would go near him, take a sip and keep it back. He warned me that I might spill it.

I refused to listen. Mummy took the glass and placed it on the floor, next to the bed. Annoyed, I started crying. "Keep glass on table."

"No Anu, you will spill the water on the papers."

"No Mummy, I be care."

"It's careful, not care. Yet, I don't trust you."

When she tried to feed me, I pressed my lips tightly. She glared at me but I didn't let her feed me one morsel. She asked, "Leave this stubbornness. This will take you nowhere."

I refused to listen to her. This time, I grabbed the glass. Before Mummy could hold me, I ran to keep it on the table. In the process, I tripped over and the water spilled on the papers. Luckily, I had managed to not let my face hit the floor. When I looked up, I saw Daddy looking at me angrily.

He then hit me on the back. I cried. Actually, I howled. I would constantly get hit by Mummy but Daddy had never raised his hand. The fact that he raised his hand was hurting me the most. I didn't eat rest of the food. I slept sobbing. In the morning, Daddy tried to cheer me up but I didn't respond to him. I would turn away my face away.

I don't know why Mummy is telling that school is closed. It would have been better if I had gone to school. Shalvali, Nikhil and I could have coloured and sang rhymes. Daddy tried to giggle me but I slipped out of his grip. I will not talk to him. He is a bad boy. After some more days, I had to talk to him as I would be bored to death while going to school.

Least did I know that this was the only memory that would be left of my nursery school. It was much later that I learnt that the human brain remembers bitter memories better.

***

Heya Guys! Hope you all are safe! So, how do you think this incident might affect Anika? It's not too extreme but of course getting hit by a parent is sad. I don't want to normalize it but sadly it is very common in Asian households.

Those who celebrate, wish you all a 'Happy Kannada Rajyotsava. For those who all don't know, today was the day when Karnataka State came into existence.

Thank you for reading!