I will always cherish the happiest 30 days of my life that I spent in my village.

Due to the Jana Andolan, I had been forced to spend time at our village, but I realised that even these forced vacations can add to be one’s happiest moments ever spent. Those 30 days were the happiest ones of my life because not one second was clouded by sorrow. It was just happiness and happiness and more happiness.

The happiness bubbling forth was due to the tension-free hours and environment — no school, no homework and no tension at all. I used to roam here and there on my bicycle, and visit to many places to India made the holidays more interesting.

I used to wake up at 8 o’clock, then have breakfast, go out and play cricket, come in for lunch at 2 o’clock, race on my bicycle, come home at around 6 o’clock, have dinner and have a good night’s sleep, only to wake up the next morning and do the things that I wanted to do. That was my life and I enjoyed it a lot.

I was involved in a lot of pranks too. These left many angry, but for me those were the best moments of my life. I was more than happy to ride the rickshaws with the other children around chautaras in the evening, share jokes, play cards, soccer, cricket. We used to talk about superstitions, look at the stars and sometimes even chat till around one in the morning.

Those days seem very far away now, but they will always be the best days of my life.