Reminiscences of my childhood - PICNIC

 
Autumn Equinox for us as kids in high school, was a signal that the Autumn festivities would start soon. If you happened to have grown up in the eastern part of India, the major festival of Durga Puja preparations would have started or been getting started by then. In the hope that the soggy days would soon be replaced with sunny and cooler days, we would get started to plan for the annual picnic (we called it Bhanbhoj – meaning feast in the forest).

The Picnic for us teenagers was not only a day when we were not looking at our books but also a day when we could go out of home with our friends to the nearby woods for the whole day and act as responsible adults. Did I just say, adults? Yes! We had to watch out for each other and ensure that everyone was safe when the parents were not around, thereby taking their place as ‘adults’.

You may wonder (for those who may not have experienced) what might be involved or what is the planning all about for us.

1.   It started with a small core group of classmates/friends who typically met after school hours or during recess to pick a couple of tentative dates (a Sunday usually) and a couple of locations. The key challenge was that it could not be too far from our homes, yet far enough that it was not behind someone’s backyard. There was usually a lot of back and forth and the ideas would keep changing.

2.    Socializing the idea and trying to convince many other “like-minded” friends was no easy task. Many times, you needed the “right mix” of friends to ensure that everyone was comfortable and that it was a fun event.

3.    The daunting task was always to convince our respective parents about the picnic, when, where and who related questions had to have convincing answers.

4.    In those days, we collected a fixed amount from everyone based on our planned menu, expenses we may incur, what we had to buy and what we may be able to manage. You read it right, we used to buy ingredients and then cook our lunch at the venue. It wasn’t fancy and elaborate, but the pure fun of collaborating and cooking with friends was a different experience.

5.    There were always a few who knew how to cook, while most of the others would help prep, collect firewood, clean, chop etc.

6.    What made it special at times, was when someone got treats for all which were sent by their parents.

7.    Right from choosing the venue, shopping for the menu, preparing the makeshift stove, clearing the place, to getting all essentials, the tasks were distributed amongst us, based on what each one could do well.

8.    Oh, the best part is we didn’t have cellphones to connect with each other or track one another down in case someone was stuck. Albeit people were seldom late. Everyone knew that time was of the essence, and everyone wanted to make use of the day to the best.

At the end of the day, we would all be exhausted, but the spirits would be high, and everyone would wish that the next picnic could happen ASAP. We didn’t have a lot of means nor did we come from very affluent families to spend a lot, but we always wanted to do the best with what we had. I still remember that just to save a few rupees (in those days), some of us would cycle a few kilometers to get the best and cheapest ingredients.
 
When I look back to those golden memories, they taught me a few things, which I think are still applicable.
·       A ton of material resources does not proportionally increase your happiness. We had so much fun with little and no one complained.
·       Play to the strengths of your team. There are several activities that need to be completed prior to the start of a picnic and many more during that day. The activities were always shared between all of us. The work was given based on what each one did best. For example, the core cooking was given to the ones who knew it well or did a great job the last time.
·       When planned well and in advance, you typically reduce the last-moment jitters. We always planned ahead and, in many cases, had a backup plan.

Do you remember anything from your childhood that still holds true, and you cherish those beautiful moments?