In the passage, the author discusses his childhood experiences growing up in Rameswaram, a town in the Indian state of Madras. He describes his family, which was middle-class and not particularly wealthy, but nevertheless provided for all their necessities in terms of food, medicine, and clothes. Despite his father's austere nature, the author had a very secure childhood, both materially and emotionally.
The Second World War broke out when the author was eight years old, and he began collecting tamarind seeds and selling them to a provision shop on Mosque Street. He also became involved in catching bundles of newspapers that had to be thrown from moving trains due to a state of emergency declared during the war. Through these experiences, he earned his first wages and felt a surge of pride in earning his own money.
The author reflects on the characteristics he inherited from his parents, including honesty, self-discipline, faith in goodness, and kindness. He also discusses his friendships with three boys from orthodox Hindu Brahmin families, Ramanadha Sastry, Aravindan, and Sivaprakasan. Despite their different religious upbringings, the boys did not feel any difference among themselves and maintained a close bond throughout their childhood.
The author also recounts a formative incident from his childhood, when a new teacher in his school tried to separate him from Ramanadha Sastry, who was a Hindu Brahmin and asked him to move to the back row of the classroom because he was Muslim. The incident left a lasting impression on the author, who was saddened by the experience. However, the incident also brought his community together, as Ramanadha Sastry's father, the high priest of the Rameswaram temple, stood up for the author and taught the new teacher a valuable lesson about the importance of communal harmony.
Finally, the author describes his science teacher, Sivasubramania Iyer, who was a conservative Brahmin but also a rebel who worked to break down social barriers between people of different backgrounds. Although his wife was initially hesitant to invite the author, a Muslim boy, to their home for a meal, she eventually relented and served him. This experience further reinforced the author's belief in the importance of breaking down social barriers and working towards communal harmony.
