Unforgettable events in Life - 2

It so happened when I was about 3 years old. I remember very well it was my LKG summer holidays (?!) Our whole family as a big group of nearly15 members went on a trip to south India. It included Velankanni, Nagoor etc.

To make the story more exciting, I should add more on the people in the group. Of course there were my parents, my brother. And my grandparents and cousins, uncle and aunt. Of these my thatha (Grandfather) was very strict and never liked mischievous kids. He was short tempered too. We had hired a Mahindra mini bus( my memory isn't bad) and had packed some food for the first day travel. We were listening to songs, particularly I remember, we were listening to a song..." Kal ellam manicka kal aagumaaa....", because my uncle's name was manickam.

Thus traveling we reached Velankanni Temple. We all went inside, did our prayers and were going around the temple. I was the youngest of all, ( of all the 6 children in the family, I am the youngest), was running around. Thatha got very angry, but didn't seem to put it out to me as we were in a temple, a public place. I was going in the front and didn't bother to look behind if all others were coming. Suddenly, after coming the whole circle back, as I was standing in entrance of the temple, I saw, to my surprise, no one was to be seen. Smart boy, I am, went neatly to the maingate and was sitting next to it, eagerly waiting for the arrival of my parents and others. Sometime passed by, but no one turned up. I was starting to panic...afterall I was some 3 years old at that time. After a ling time, my parents came running and were searching me. I saw them and went towards them, calling for them, announcing that I am here.

They had gone to some other adjacent temple, which goes thro a diversion. I hadn't taken the diversion and proceeded straight to the main gate. Then they had realized late that I was missing and started searching me. Poor mother, she was almost crying.
My thatha, was probably tolerating his anger till that point, but couldn't resist further. So he came running to me, and asked, "Kanna moodindu yenga da odi ponai nee? " (Where did you run away closing your eyes? ) I replied back, as coolly as possible, innocently, "Illai thatha, naan kanna thorandhundudhan thatha odinen !" (No Grandpa, I ran having my eyes opened.) Oops, I just cant imagine how everyone's reaction was. Everybody started laughing like anything. And my thatha's anger had vanished away. But I started crying, of fear, that I had just got lost. How cute were (am) I?

This is one of the most unforgettable event that took place in my life. Even today when all 6 of we cousins meet, this topic will surely be one among that is discussed.