AFVOA Newsletter 03 of 2020

Section 5 - Memoirs CV 2 No. 03 / 2020 Page 121 of 167 14 Knifed in Guwahati Siddarth Harsha Genre: Reflections ur earliest impressions and memories are shaped by the people we are surrounded by in the formative years. The parental unit and the extended family have a large role in moulding a human life and building the core values and belief system. My Dad is the embodiment of suave, cool and charm coupled with a philosophy steeped in Stoicism. The story below particularly shows how my Dad influenced my values and belief system. Background After a back breaking overnight bus ride from Jorhat, we had finally reached Guwahati. The marmalade skies during May were turning grey. Amma, Appa, Shreyas and I moved to 240 Transit Camp. The building is a colossal structure right next to the Guwahati railway station. Back in 1995, anyone from North-East India travelling to any other part of the country by train would catch a train from Guwahati. Officers from the Indian Air Force and Army posted in the Far East Indian states of Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Arunanchal Pradesh, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram had to pass through the city of Guwahati before heading to their respective units. The officers and their families stayed at the Transit Camp that had basic accommodation and served food. We checked into a room on the 8th Floor that gave me a splendid view of the city. Our train would start next morning. With over 24 hours on our hands, Dad decided that we should explore the city. The famous Kamakhiya temple would be our first stop. Amma said,” Go take a shower and then let’s go for breakfast.” Our room had one bathroom and to save time, I went to the common bathroom at the end of the corridor. After a quick shower, we all went to the dining area for breakfast. Dad had Shreyas tucked under his one arm and his bowl of Cerelac in the other. 18 months old Shreyas was a handful and he was loud. Other families sitting in the dining area were giving us steely glances from the corner of their eyes. O