Jasmine Plant

In the summer of 1989 we left Bhilai and shifted to Durgapur. The house that we lived in Durgapur was a dilapidated one without any boundary walls. 

It was in a miserable condition. So there was no chance of any gardening. But there was a small fertile patch near the tap where clothes were washed and vessels were scrubbed. So I managed to plant some jasmines there which were given to me by someone.

 

Luckily those jasmine bushes grew quite well in that tiny patch of land as they got full sun as well as a partial shaded area. Needless to say it was my pride!🤗

But again it was time to relocate! This time to Vasai. In Vasai we lived on the second floor of the building. Though I managed to put some potted plants, there would be constant fights with the first floor people because the water from the plants fell on their clothes. So one day my dad threw away all the pots. That was the end of my gardening in Vasai. Sadly, I don't even remember the plants I grew there!☹️

 

Then recently in 2018 again I tried growing Jasmine as a houseplant when I came to know that it is one of the plants rich in antioxidant. It survived for few months and I even got clusters of starry, pure-white flowers in the summer but then it dried up – I guess because of the air conditioner duct!☹️

 

This deciduous plant has always been one of my favourite plants because of its exotic fragrance in the summer season. Even though I am not a lover of flowering plants, I quite like jasmine plants because of their white sweet-smelling flowers in the summer. They are graceful to look at and have quite an appealing scent. Who knows I might try growing them again!🤗

Guava Trees

Today’s trees are the two not-so-tall guava trees that we had towards the rear of the quarter in Sector 5, Bhilai. The same house I have been writing about. I don’t remember whether those trees were single or multi-trunked, but those two guava trees were again easy to care trees. I don’t even remember watering them - ever!

 

But their leaves and flowers were mildly fragrant and attractive and yes, I ate those as well. Sometimes we could see guavas too! But much more than the fruits and leaves, I used to play "kitchen kitchen" underneath those two guava trees – especially the one next to the white vinca plant! 

I had my doll house under that tree and I used its leaves as the food that was cooked in my kitchen – that’s why I ate the leaves! 

I also remember climbing on the tree once or twice!😂

EMMS School, Sector 5, Bhilai

I am so very happy today. And also so very nostalgic!!! Few minutes back I joined EMMS Sector 5 School in Bhilai on Facebook. It is the second school that I attended. In my entire school life, I have attended four schools as my father kept relocating from one city to another. Never mind! Actually I was searching for something else in Bhilai when I happened to come across the school. I was so very happy to see the old black and white class photographs – of other students – none from my class…but still I felt so very happy just looking at them. I saw photographs of the school compound, cycle stand and the stage where in my fifth standard I had danced during the Annual Day on the song “We welcome you to EMMS 5….” I used to participate in each and every activity in the school. Just like Jemimah and Jewel. My eyes were getting filled with tears when I saw the old pictures. The entrance gate and the classroom….oh, they all look just the same. I saw the pictures of my PT teacher and headmistress Mrs. Ahuja. I wish to find some of my old classmates like Renuka, Pinky, Moumita, Paromita, Pratibha, etc, etc, etc, here online. Some teachers like Mrs. Ghera, Mrs. Ghatak (my fifth standard class teacher), Mrs. Iyer (used to teach Maths), Mrs. Narang and my most favourite Archana Miss. And also our Sanskrit sir whose name I have forgotten. I hope I am able to do that soon.

I also have found EMMS Sector 6 school but unable to join the group as my computer is giving some technical error. This is the first school of my life. I was in I ‘B’ and my class teacher’s name was Mrs. Sharma and the name of my class teacher in the second standard was Mrs. Pali. I remember only one girl from this school – Shweta Dey – whose fingers were bitten by a monkey during her childhood (that’s what she used to say). I am still feeling nostalgic today and want to know where everybody is from my school.

I used to be Jubilee Mukherjee at that time.... :)