Returning to a normal daily life following a time porting travel experience is truly a euphoric feeling. As real as it was that I was with my dear family and my closest relatives and friends, it appeared dreamlike and illusionary. I did not have time to think. I felt immersed in a sea of emotions taking me as far back in time and as deep as I could have imagined within a short stay of nine days.
Here is one flashback that made me feel as if I met myself when I was 9 years old. We lived in a corner home with a big yard. From my window, I could see the full profile of Chamundi Hills. During Dasara, the night would glow with a Golden hue from the Maharaja Palace and the Chamundi Temple. Next to our home there was a beautiful park. We went to the park every day. My friends from high school would visit our home every evening. As kids, we played marbles, cricket and a local game called "gilli-dhandu." We spun tops and challenged each other to compete. In the end, someone always was the winner. Often, I lost because I was not good enough and also because I was lean and not as well built like my friends. My nice shiny top would get pock-marked with stabs of defeat carved all over by the opponents. It certainly took great skill in a champion top spinner to break the opponent's top. I do recall a friend of my older brother who held the championship for spinning tops and was the best gilli-dhandu player! I could only imagine having a friendly game with him but never actually compete with him! He was just too good! I found an inspiring Youtube video of the game that brought back memories from the past.
Here is one flashback that made me feel as if I met myself when I was 9 years old. We lived in a corner home with a big yard. From my window, I could see the full profile of Chamundi Hills. During Dasara, the night would glow with a Golden hue from the Maharaja Palace and the Chamundi Temple. Next to our home there was a beautiful park. We went to the park every day. My friends from high school would visit our home every evening. As kids, we played marbles, cricket and a local game called "gilli-dhandu." We spun tops and challenged each other to compete. In the end, someone always was the winner. Often, I lost because I was not good enough and also because I was lean and not as well built like my friends. My nice shiny top would get pock-marked with stabs of defeat carved all over by the opponents. It certainly took great skill in a champion top spinner to break the opponent's top. I do recall a friend of my older brother who held the championship for spinning tops and was the best gilli-dhandu player! I could only imagine having a friendly game with him but never actually compete with him! He was just too good! I found an inspiring Youtube video of the game that brought back memories from the past.
