Annika’s Witty Gems

Annika was 27 months when we visited India in February.  She was looking forward to meeting “Ammamma”(my mother) and Daada-Daadi (Seejo’s dad & mom) again – who she knew are in India. Here are some gems from Annika during the course of our visit

Is India Done?

We stayed the first night of our visit with Seejo’s parents. The next morning, we set off to visit my mom along with a suitcase full of gifts for my relatives. Looking at both of us and our huge suitcase, Annika asks us “Is India Done?”.

We found Santa Claus

My father’s younger brother was chauffeuring us in Trichur as we did some rapid-fire visits to a number of my paternal relatives.  My uncle was rocking long snow-white hair, a longish white beard and rimless glasses.  Early morning, when I first saw his new look, I had commented that it gave him a Santa Claus like appearance. Somehow Annika overheard that comment. She didn’t mention anything till late in the evening, when we were returning home from our final visit. Annika and I were already in the car waiting for the rest of the party to finish saying good-byes.  As soon as she spotted my uncle getting into the driver’s seat –Annika commented in a awed whisper  “Amma- we found Santa Claus!”

The train is broken. We have to fix it.

We spent an overnight journey in a train to visit my uncle & aunt & cousins in Bangalore. As we pulled the curtains around our seating area at night, Annika noticed a tear in one of the curtains.  She immediately informed her grandmother – Ammamma, the train is broken. We have to fix it.

I like bathtubs!

Bathtubs in India are better than the ones in US, according to Annika!

Ammamma Pick it up and put it back on the tree

My mom was quite excited to show Annika the mangoes that had fallen off the mango tree. She was talking about how the mangoes grow on trees, how they have fallen and asked Annika to count the mangoes.  After Annika counted upto 10 mangoes, she was tired of this new game.  So, she dusted her hands and told her grandmother “Ok, ammamma now pick it all up and put it back on the tree”.  My mother’s flabbergasted face was quite a picture.

I like the chechis

One of Annika’s enduring memories of the India trip is playing with my cousin Vipin’s daughters.  She enjoyed playing hide and seek with them. So much so that she locked me out of the terrace. On our way back, she confided to me “ I like chechis!”.  Even now she gets excited when she sees old pictures of her with the “chechis”

Hide & Seek, Catch-Catch & Shingle Shingle

One of my most enduring memories of the trip was my mother playing with Annika in a car-park below her apartment.  When asked what she wanted to play, Annika responded that she wanted to play Hide & Seek, Catch-Catch and Shingle-Shingle. While we both managed to understand and play (a version of) Hide & seek and Catch Catch, we were both stumped by what Shingle Shingle was.  Finally Annika decided to show us. Putting her hands up in air, she shook her hips from side to side and shouted Shingle Shingle, forcing her grandmother to do the same! The real funny fact is that she has never ever mentioned that game again!

Mango trees. Banana Trees. Coconut Trees and Goats

On our way back to US, I asked Annika what she saw in India.  Mango trees, Banana Trees. Coconut Trees and Goats, she replied confidently

Daada-Daadi on perennial vacation!

After our return to US, if anyone asked her where her Daada & Daadi were, her confident response was “They are on vacation”.