The wedding preparations
were in full swing. Kaaki was cheerful and perpetually had a beaming smile on her face.
She was a proud mother with her two fair ,tall ,fine-looking sons who were well settled. Her would be daughter in law belonged to a wealthy
family at Mahim in Mumbai where most of the affluent Gujaratis resided. It was
prestigious when a family owned an accommodation in central Mumbai or near about
for those mumbaikars who reside in western suburbs. Mrs Patel was addressed Kaaki
despite the fact that she wasn’t many years older than us as she got married at
the age of eighteen and was blessed with two sons before her twentieth birthday
and her life revolved around her family. She entered the family as a young
bride to take care of her husband and father in law as this was an elucidation
provided by nature when the lady of the house was no more. Kaaki treasured serving
people and executed her house hold chores with utmost sincerity. Her evenings
were spent meeting in the open expanse of the flat were most of the ladies
gathered. The younger ladies lingered for their husbands and the older ones
hung on for their sons and daughters. There were many who would bring their
little children to amuse themselves. Kaaki always had a recipe to share or a
household remedy for a common ailment which every one of us loved to know.
Her elder son Madhav was employed in a multinational and his fiancee was a
petite attractive girl working as a fashion designer. I remember the time he
brought the pretty girl home when she was a cynosure of every one’s eyes.The wedding
was fixed after Diwali during the auspicious
wedding period. One of the reasons for arranging the wedding early at an young age was that, of late Madhav’s
grandpa was not keeping well. Just a week before the wedding he developed a
stomach infection and had to be hospitalised. He recovered enthusiastically
within three days and was brought back home. Now there was nothing to dissuade
the spirit. There was a ritual of
smearing turmeric paste on the boy and and tying an amulet so that the on coming rituals were not impeded in any unforeseen circumstances. Relatives had assembled and
there was fun and frolic. Mothers were eventful in arranging things for the
rituals and ceremonies while fathers and cousins had gathered down and had begun bursting
crackers. First it was string of bombs
and then they got in to the doldrums. There were flower pots burnt but each
one waited for their turn to burst a laxmi bomb or a hydrogen bomb. In the stillness
of the night we could perceive loud sounds for a protracted time. Every one of
us was disturbed but didn't have the inclination
to communicate our exasperation. At around 11.30 pm there was silence and we
all went to slumber only to be woken by loud howls and laments . The heart rendering cries
dragged everyone to Madhav’s home. His grand father was still and lifeless. He was quickly
taken to the hospital only to be declared dead due to a massive heart attack.
The last rites were performed the same night .As the wedding couldn't be deterred, Madhav left for his marriage with his
brother and got married. It was deplorable. I was reminded of this happening
because of the callousness of the young who derive pleasure in loud
boomeranging sounds accompanied by clouds of smoke which are harmful to the
asthmatic , the old and ailing. Lets foster empathy , an
indomitable spirit and a deep concern to conquer desires which confer pleasure for self but destroys others peace , harmony above all subsistence of life.
“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” ― Mother Teresa ‘ A ayi ’ refers to m other in Marathi, but Lakshmi had graduated from a mother, to a grandmother. Her daughter and her grandchildren loved calling her ‘Aayi’ in Konkani. She was a native of the lush green Konkan. Aayi began her life with ‘ abu ’ Jagannath in the city of warangal in Andhra Pradesh. She was a tall, healthy lady and Jaggnath a good looking, lean and handsome man. Together they made a handsome couple not only looks wis e, but also mannerism wise. Lakshmi’s family was a large one consisting of seven sisters and the youngest one was the much awaited sibling brother. Her parents were ecstatic over the birth of a boy after seven sisters. The sisters treasured their kid brother. Lakshmi and her sisters got married early owing to the social norms and customs. Lakshmi was blessed with a daughter and a son. The daughter was a replica of Jagannath, the same chiseled features, fa
The youngsters won't even know what they have lost - nature's soft and pure sounds: birds chirping, rivers flowing, leaves rustling! Today's music is like crackers in Diwali - shockwaves and explosions.
ReplyDeletetrue sir, It will take them years by the time they realise the significance of life,and then it will too late understand these .
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