In my childhood and adolescent days, I would go to bathe in a village pond ___ widely known for its ancestral affinity with Zamindars ___ which attracted villagers from far and near as its ground was held in much reverence and every year a village fair was held.

There was a huge, imposing tree sprawling around the pond, affording shade, in the searing summer, to all and sundry who came to the pond _____ some would come to swim out the day, some others, to do the washing while others, to bathe their buffaloes. I along with my village friends sneaked out of the house and climbed up the tall tree and finding a convenient branch, leapt headlong into the muddy water of the pond with a loud splash, going down and down until I felt my feet hitting the muddy, spongy bottom. I stayed in the pond for long hours, swimming thorough the dense hyacinths, trying to catch hold of croaking frogs and occassionally stumbling upon tiny fish, which, when given a chase, darted away into the midst of Hyacinths.

When, finally _____ as the sun was at its zenith _____ I got back home from the pond, my mother would waite for me clandestinely at the door way with a cane, tucked away in her sari.

________ D. S.