The First Gurugrammers: Four decades in the city – from a happy child to a fulfilled woman

Gurgaon: In Bani Mathur Yadav resides the spirit of Gurgaon, old and new. Bani was all of six years old when the Mathurs moved here, back in 1977. What she remembers most of those growing-up years is the companionship of nature, and the sense of freedom she got from chasing butterflies or rolling in the mud. That Gurgaon has disappeared, and more's the pity, for boys and girls can no longer experience the joy of communing with nature. Still, while the old town blessed Bani with a happy childhood, the new city has provided her fulfilment, her exploits in motorsport giving this mother-of-two deserved recognition and respect.

A stroll into nature's lap (and into the unknown)

My father took a gamble coming to Gurgaon because at that time there was nothing here, it was in the middle of wilderness. There were fields, and snakes running around the place. We'd find a snake in the bathroom almost every day - I don't know how many father must have killed! But he was sure this was where he wanted his kids to grow up - in the midst of nature. And I have such fond and happy memories of my childhood, running in the fields, running after butterflies, and climbing trees.

That journey to school...

From where we were staying, it was a walk of two-and-a-half kilometres to the bus stop on the main road, the Old Delhi Road where the Maruti factory was.

That meant leaving home at 5:30 am, to catch the Haryana Roadways bus, because we had to be in school by 7:30 am. We'd trudge along, taking our time - mother would pick up my brother and carry him all the way!

We'd all go together, since my mother was a librarian in the (Army Public, Dhaula Kuan) school. Then from the bus stop at Dhaula Kuan, we had to walk the distance to school.

Being shaped by struggle (and making do)

Walking to the bus stop all alone in the wilderness in the winters, in the fog, helped my brother and I become extremely strong and independent people - mother deserves credit for bringing us up this way. And dad being away the whole night - he worked with Pan American World Airways, and the airport was his office - also made us strong internally, able to deal with any situation.

And we were self-sufficient. We used to grow wheat around the house, and had a kitchen garden, where we would grow vegetables. I know how to grow vegetables, and can recognise vegetable plants, because I was in the garden most of the time, helping my parents.

Memory at first light

We moved to Gurgaon just two days before Diwali, and still hadn't put up the curtains, or rods for the curtains. The room I was sleeping in had windows facing east, and so it was for the first time I saw the sun rising, so clear. I asked my mother, 'What's that orange ball coming up?!' It was so amazing to see - 'Oh, so that's how it looks!' It's my most vivid childhood memory.

What Gurgaon has lost

What I could do - run around in the fields and roll in the mud - my sons experienced only half of that. I experienced nature and I wanted them to as well, so I made sure they'd spend two hours in the park. Today, it's not safe to let your kids stay out too long, and the next generation won't have any space to play. There are no parks, and those that are there are encroached on - we have encroached upon water bodies, green areas and animals' land.

My mother imbibed in me that you must take care of nature always, whether it's animals, birds or insects. And I try to plant trees - in our house, my garden is like a forest area! So many trees, plants and creepers, birds flying around and squirrels twittering.