23 rd July 1971 Friday.

I was ironing my uniform before leaving for school in the morning when I heard the newspaper delivery boy's cycle bell. I ran down the steps to read the news and note down the important news.

I noted down the news that West Pakistan's bombers were seen flying low over Srinagar and that 200 Pakistan spies were rounded up in Assam .

24.7.71 Saturday.

Yesterday before sleeping I read the story book' Mother' . After finishing it I switched of the the light and lay on the bed thinking how awfully bad it will be if I don't have a mother to look after me.
In the evening went to the market but sat in the car as I was wearing a red lungi, and red colour is supposed to enrage cows and make them butt people wearing such clothes.Even on days when I wear clothes that are not red in colour I never go inside the vegetable market as I am afraid of cows .The market is full of cows wandering around freely and boldly.
After mother came out of the vegetable market having completed her weekly shopping we went to cloth shop and purchased blue poplin cloth and gave it to a tailor having his shop nearby to stitch bell bottoms pant for me .The tailor whilst taking the measurement of the length ,pushed my lungi up a bit. Mom came and held my lungi.

Then lights went out . It was total black out . I was sure that there would be light in the Labs as it has its own generator. And for sure it was .
At night when I was helping mother to wash the vegetables in the kitchen sink before storing them away in the fridge ,she told me that I was too innocent and naive' because I allowed the tailor to lift my lungi when I should have done it myself and that I should'nt go off alone to be measured and so on .

25.7.71 Sunday.
Went to a Tamil film with Pop and Mom. brothers as usual went off to play a cricket match.
Tomorrow is my birthday!