The 8th Cross market was so beautiful. We would walk around, go to the Krishna Temple, then walk around some more. We knew all the people who sold vegetables and flowers, even all the shop owners. It was like one big family. When I was 7 or 8, my sister and I used to go to the market, buy vegetables, and walk back home. We never thought about safety—it was never a concern. Everyone was like friends. There were some thefts much later, but when I was young, there were no problems with safety. By the time it became dark, everybody would be in their homes. Not many people were outside, not like today. Going out was rare.

Indulekha