Summer Vacation: How it was then and how it is now

Eid holidays, Puja holidays, national holidays; every year we have many vacations to enjoy. But when it comes to excitement, nothing tops the thrill of summer vacation. Summer vacation was a sigh of pure bliss during our childhood. In this time of the year, mango and jackfruit become abundant and summer vacation becomes “The vacation of fruits”. We become reminiscent of the summer vacation memories of our childhood just like the representations from the poem “Mamar Bari” as those come face to face with reality.

আম-কাঁঠালের বনের ধারে
মামা-বাড়ির ঘর,
আকাশ হতে জোছনা-কুসুম
ঝরে মাথার ‘পর।

ঝড়ের দিনে মামার দেশে
আম কুড়াতে সুখ
পাকা জামের শাখায় উঠি
রঙিন করি মুখ।

Today we will find and talk about the stories from the past and the present of our summer vacation memories.

Summer vacation memories In The 90s

Back in the day, the warrant for the summer vacations would usually issue with the hit of the first summer storm. Summer vacation used to be quite long and frenetic. And there was no better place to spend the vacation than our uncle’s place to make the sentiment of the poem really come alive. All of our cousins would get together and engage in all kinds of banter. The sun would shine through the cracks of the old wall and as the sunshine buttered on the skin, the smell of kalbaishakhi would invade the senses. And just when the storm passed, we would run to the orchard to pick mangos that had fallen from the trees. And the competition of who can pick more mangoes would go on all day. After collecting the raw mangoes, eating them to our heart’s content, dipped in a chili pepper and salt mixture, was a totally different experience.

Meanwhile, a festival of making mango pickle would go on in the kitchen. The kids of the 90s were also deft in stealing those pickles. 

Another fun aspect of being at uncle’s place was freedom. We could do whatever we wanted; swimming in the pond, climbing trees, inventing new games with cousins, and so on. Playing games such as forehead tapping, ice water, bouchi, and ‘eeching beeching’ with our siblings were the ultimate experiences. At a rooster crowing dawn, as soon as we woke up, a plan would set forward as to what orchard to invade today; mango, blackberry, jackfruit, or litchi?

And this is how we passed the 90s – buttering the smell of mango, lichi, blackberry and jackfruit on our body and then we moved into the 21st century.

Summer Vacation In This Century

The summer vacation memories in this century are a little less colorful. Especially in the city, where a little bit of study is also involved with the holiday. And there is no exception to this rule, even for those who just stepped foot into school. Because exams will start as soon as school resumes. Still, life goes on. Watching TV shows with the siblings during breaks, decorating rooms, helping parents with household chores are some of the time-pass activities for this generation. And on that stormy day, standing on the veranda of their houses, this generation also becomes fascinated by the Kalbaishakhi. The whole sky becomes dark and sullen. And the youngest child in the house shuts the window closed in fear as he watches the rain dance in the strong winds. However, if it is rain without a storm, the children of today do not forget to run to the roof and get wet in a downpour as well.

Comfort lovers, on the other hand, spend their time reading books or watching movies at home. Sometimes the entire family plans for an excursion to enjoy the holiday, maybe a resort, hill or by the sea.

Whether it’s the 90s or the 21st century, summer vacations are always a little different. Like a kalbaishakhi in the middle of routine life. Enjoying the last childhood and adolescence before growing up with full throttle responsibilities is called a ‘summer vacation’. But today, when the whole world is suffering from illness, and summer vacation memories seem to have become lost with the rest of the ordinary holidays. Every day is now for keeping ourselves safe and sound.

Let us know if the golden incident of your summer vacation memories come to mind while keeping an eye on the windows of this prosaic holiday. And for more articles like this visit Bproperty blog.