1986. That is when we shifted from a small city Fatehgarh to Lucknow. I remember the first day. The roads looked so big. And then seven of us ( 5 siblings and parents ) reach this nice looking house in Lucknow. We had rented out the first floor. A graceful lady attired in a Saree and always smiling was welcoming us. She was aunty in first few days but then in UP the tenant and landlord relations are not the usual relations. As time grew we realized more common things between us and you graciously transformed to Mala Mausi ji. And then as time went along I realized as a young kid that you and my mother developed a nice relationship. I got admission in St Thomas in class 8th although I had already completed that class just because I came from a small town and I could not speak English properly. And then you kept accompanying my mother to school to convince my principal that I was not as stupid as he thought me to be. And your effort did work out as I got a double promotion.
Lot of other sweet memories. Mala Mausi made one of the best khichdi you can eat. Lot of onion and garlic. How we used to wait for our next opportunity to get a chance to eat it. And then I used to play cricket, lot of times alone, and sometimes even when you had a severe headache. You will scold me, but with lot of love and affection mixed in it. And then one day when you told me to stop playing when you had headache I told you that your home is like a Tabla. How many times have we discussed and laughed over that.
Another memory I will always cherish is when me and my brother were preparing for engineering. We used to have rough papers in which we will solve math/physics questions and then make aeroplanes and they will be all over the lawn. I never remember you scolding us for that. Maybe you knew that we were working very hard.
And then approximately 3-4 years back, I was in Lucknow for a marriage and I decided to surprise for you and found you smiling and welcoming me to your home. And then just like a kid I asked you to make a khichdi for me and you did make it in a jiffy. It was after ages I was eating khichdi made by you and loved it. And then you told me with so much excitement that you had learnt about stock trading.
It is such a loss to lose you. Still can’t believe that you are no more. Life can be so cruel at times. It takes away people in the most unexpected ways. All I can say is that I loved you and you did make a difference to my life. And the blue sweater you knit for me is a memory I will cherish all my life.
Remembering you always.