BENGALURU: There’s a certain timelessness to childhood memories. This Children’s Day, as the country pauses to celebrate youth, we’re reminded of the freedom, discovery, and simple joys that define those early years.
For some, it was the thrill of a game of street cricket; for others, it was watching a favourite cartoon or savouring a family meal. These small, almost ordinary moments from the past continue to echo in the lives of some of the city’s best-loved personalities, shaping their passions, relationships, and even their life’s work.
The streets and parks became playgrounds for a young Ramesh Aravind, where the boundaries of imagination were endless. “One of my fondest memories is playing on the road outside our houses. All kids would come back from school, quickly freshen up, and land on the road to play,” the actor remembers fondly. “Someday it was cricket; other days, I-spy or mara-kothi or lagori. Entire days during school holidays were spent playing.”
Fellow actor Sakshi Meghana recalls a moment of early independence that sparked her creativity. In her first year of school, she decided to participate in a fashion show dressed as a ‘mad woman,’ with whatever she could find around the house. “Both my parents were working, so I put on a saree however I could, grabbed some bangles, and created the character myself. I won first prize and was thrilled because I’d done it all on my own.”
For actor and environmental activist Samyukta Hornad, entertainment took ‘a wilder turn.’ “My dad was strict – no TV or computers – so animals became my friends!” she laughs. “I spent summers at my uncle’s farm, playing with cows, dogs, and even insects. One day, a baby fox wandered in, and we thought it was a dog until later.” Her love for animals, sparked by these early days, would later grow into her work with the Praana Animal Foundation.
Family bonds and traditions
Chef Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar, founder of the city’s popular Bento Bento, remembers food as her family’s shared language. She recalls a birthday when every child got their own bowl of chilli chicken. “It was a big deal back then – to not have to share!” she says. “I grew up in a big joint family, and food was always part of our joy. My love for cooking started there.” Even then, her curiosity was strong; at five, she organised her cousins to make pakoras, leading a team of young chefs as if it were her first kitchen brigade.
Similarly, Asma Tajuddin, a city-based events organiser, found her happiest memories in the simplicity of shared activities. Playing board games with her family or borrowing her older brother’s toys brought a quiet joy, later rekindled by organising puzzle nights and community events. “’I’m trying to relive those feelings of playing without having to be productive, without having an end goal – just enjoying yourself and having a nice time. That’s what drives me,” she shares.
Lifelong inspirations
For some, childhood joys didn’t just fade into the past but laid down roots for the future. Rishab Narain, a singer-musician, spent his early years at Sunday Bazaars with his father, collecting used electric motors and tool kits to fuel his curiosity. Music filled his home, too, from Country to Classic Rock. “The first song I learned was Jamaican Farewell by Harry Belafonte. I remember singing it at gatherings and later learning it on guitar. It still brings nostalgia,” he says.
Similarly, screenwriter Pooja Sudhir finds herself returning to cartoons and films that inspired her love for storytelling. Shows like The Powerpuff Girls and films like Kuch Kuch Hota Hai have left a lasting impact. Today, she recalls those influences that brought her into the world of filmmaking. “Somewhere, all these shows and stories helped me decide what I wanted to be,” she says.
Neha Shetty, an artist known for her illustrations and zines, treasures memories of simple summer joys – eating mangoes straight from the trees, racing after the ice-cream man, and playing with neighbourhood friends. “We never cared about who anyone’s parents were or where they came from. It was just about joining in for the fun,” she remembers. Now, as an artist, she draws from these early experiences, inspired by the boundary-less friendships of her youth.