Lazy Summer Afternoons ☀️🌾

Summer holidays in the heartlands of Telangana meant scorching sun outside, but cool, dark rooms inside. The smell of raw mangoes and sun-drying pickles filled the air. With the adults taking a post-lunch siesta, we children would sneak whispers, sharing local legends of the village. The soft whir of the table fan, the coolness of the red oxide floor, and the distant call of a koel created the perfect backdrop. We would weave our own stories, mixing reality with fantasy, building kingdoms out of pillows. Those slow, languid afternoons taught us the joy of simply being.