Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, January 23, 2009
Monday, November 24, 2008
Mother-in-law Vs Daughter-in-law
Now a days most of the TV channels are fond of showing “Saas-Bahu (mother-in-law – daughter-in-law)” sitcoms and I am sure the noontime and the prime time slots are exclusively reserved for them and without fail episode after episode the serial continues eternally. This relationship has got mythological roots too. The famous Telugu Vaggeyakara Tallapaka Annamcharyulu also got enticed into penning one kirtana on Lakshmi and Saraswati, the consorts of Lord Vishnu and his offspring Lord Brahma respectively!
During 1960s my father got a house constructed in Chemmumia Pet, a small hamlet about 5-6 km from Cuddapah (Kadapa) town on Cuddapah – Rayachoti route. Our house was on the roadside, away from the village, very near to the railway level crossing. It is Bombay-Madras railway at that time in the jurisdiction of Southern Railway. We moved to the new house in February 1965. There was no electricity those days and we were being ducked into bed by our parents a little after 8 pm. Ours was an isolated house as the village was a little far away. Our pastime happened to be watching the trains chugging on the rails and counting the number of railway bogies of the running train. We used to walk to Sri Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School.
My father was Inspector of Schools and the elementary school in the village also was under his jurisdiction. Over a period of time the villagers became acquaintances. And slowly the lady folk also started befriending mother. One summer evening we were about to retire, when we heard a ‘thud’ outside the house. We were scared. Father opened the front door ajar and there , sitting in the veranda, was a lady crying. Mother recognized her as one of the villagers and asked her what was the reason of her crying. Between the sobs the woman blurted out her sob story. It was the usual family skirmish. The woman more often than not used to declare that she would not take this ill-treatment meted to her either by her husband or by his ‘attamma(mother-in-law)’ any further and the only resort she had was to fall under the running train and commit suicide! Our parents used to listen patiently and offer sympathies. We, the children used to get scared and used to visulaise the husbands or the attammas as the devil incarnates out to torture the innocents! After sometime, either the husband, or the children used to come and there used to be further crying and cajoling. After much persuasion, the woman used to go back home along with the people. These instances, later on, became quite common and there used to be these ‘suicide’ attempts by many a daughter-in-law and the entire situation became notoriously familiar and repetitive. Every time the story used to end peacefully.
One evening there was again this ‘thud’ and sure there was this usual sight of a wailing woman. Mother went out and started the usual sermon and discourse offering her sympathies now and then. This time the woman was adamant and firm on committing suicide! She began recounting all the ‘inhuman and barbarous’ treatment meted to her by her in-laws and how the ‘the most useless husband that ever was born’ stood and watched! She would never go back to that hell again! “That narakam (hell) up there is heaven compared to this living narakam here!” she declared. The sobbing and harangue continued. But this time even after one hour or so nobody came in search of her!
We, the children were getting ennui and were thinking that if she were really that adamant on dying, why stop at our house instead of directly heading towards the railway crossing?
Presently there was a booming voice of a virago. It was like thunder released with full blast. There was this instant silence from the wailing woman! The old lady (apparently mother-in-law), no sooner she appeared on the scene, than began hurling choicest abuses at her daughter-in-law. “If you were so particular about dying, why did you stop here? You should have gone there! ” Indicating the railway track, she caught her by the neck and began pushing. Come on, I will help you. “You people should not entertain these cowards” she advised our mother. We were all dumbstruck. Suddenly the daughter-in-law broke free of her attamma’s clutches, bolted out and ran away, not toward the railway track but toward the village!
Now a days most of the TV channels are fond of showing “Saas-Bahu (mother-in-law – daughter-in-law)” sitcoms and I am sure the noontime and the prime time slots are exclusively reserved for them and without fail episode after episode the serial continues eternally. This relationship has got mythological roots too. The famous Telugu Vaggeyakara Tallapaka Annamcharyulu also got enticed into penning one kirtana on Lakshmi and Saraswati, the consorts of Lord Vishnu and his offspring Lord Brahma respectively!
During 1960s my father got a house constructed in Chemmumia Pet, a small hamlet about 5-6 km from Cuddapah (Kadapa) town on Cuddapah – Rayachoti route. Our house was on the roadside, away from the village, very near to the railway level crossing. It is Bombay-Madras railway at that time in the jurisdiction of Southern Railway. We moved to the new house in February 1965. There was no electricity those days and we were being ducked into bed by our parents a little after 8 pm. Ours was an isolated house as the village was a little far away. Our pastime happened to be watching the trains chugging on the rails and counting the number of railway bogies of the running train. We used to walk to Sri Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School.
My father was Inspector of Schools and the elementary school in the village also was under his jurisdiction. Over a period of time the villagers became acquaintances. And slowly the lady folk also started befriending mother. One summer evening we were about to retire, when we heard a ‘thud’ outside the house. We were scared. Father opened the front door ajar and there , sitting in the veranda, was a lady crying. Mother recognized her as one of the villagers and asked her what was the reason of her crying. Between the sobs the woman blurted out her sob story. It was the usual family skirmish. The woman more often than not used to declare that she would not take this ill-treatment meted to her either by her husband or by his ‘attamma(mother-in-law)’ any further and the only resort she had was to fall under the running train and commit suicide! Our parents used to listen patiently and offer sympathies. We, the children used to get scared and used to visulaise the husbands or the attammas as the devil incarnates out to torture the innocents! After sometime, either the husband, or the children used to come and there used to be further crying and cajoling. After much persuasion, the woman used to go back home along with the people. These instances, later on, became quite common and there used to be these ‘suicide’ attempts by many a daughter-in-law and the entire situation became notoriously familiar and repetitive. Every time the story used to end peacefully.
One evening there was again this ‘thud’ and sure there was this usual sight of a wailing woman. Mother went out and started the usual sermon and discourse offering her sympathies now and then. This time the woman was adamant and firm on committing suicide! She began recounting all the ‘inhuman and barbarous’ treatment meted to her by her in-laws and how the ‘the most useless husband that ever was born’ stood and watched! She would never go back to that hell again! “That narakam (hell) up there is heaven compared to this living narakam here!” she declared. The sobbing and harangue continued. But this time even after one hour or so nobody came in search of her!
We, the children were getting ennui and were thinking that if she were really that adamant on dying, why stop at our house instead of directly heading towards the railway crossing?
Presently there was a booming voice of a virago. It was like thunder released with full blast. There was this instant silence from the wailing woman! The old lady (apparently mother-in-law), no sooner she appeared on the scene, than began hurling choicest abuses at her daughter-in-law. “If you were so particular about dying, why did you stop here? You should have gone there! ” Indicating the railway track, she caught her by the neck and began pushing. Come on, I will help you. “You people should not entertain these cowards” she advised our mother. We were all dumbstruck. Suddenly the daughter-in-law broke free of her attamma’s clutches, bolted out and ran away, not toward the railway track but toward the village!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Culture shock over a cup of tea
Our country’s first president, Babu Rajendra Prasad, who was also an erudite scholar once observed : “kos kos mein badale pani, char kos mein badale bani” Roughly translated it means for every distance of a kos (krosh, an ancient Indian measure of distance approximately equals 2.25 miles or 3.6 km), quality of water changes and the dialect of the region changes for every four kos (10 miles or 16 km).
We can extend that logic to different cultural ethos in our country. Given the vastness of the land and the almost antique nature of myriad cultures that have been coexisting since millennium places our country in a unique position. Confluence of different cultures that occurs as a result of constant migration and assimilation and adaptation to the new environment could, at times, results in a situation that would seem incongruous with respect to well accepted societal dogmas and social ethics. Even the mundane things like social practices and behaviour which we take for granted amongst ourselves would get metamorphosed and acquire different hues. Let me narrate an experience of one of my friends who left his native state Tamilnadu and reached Bombay (now Mumbai) in search of a job and married to a second generation Tamilian girl whose grandfather migrated and settled in Mumbai during early 1930s. The girl was also employed in a Government organization.
You see, even after a couple of months into our marriage, I was still searching for accommodation. I was staying as paying guest in Anushaktinagar and my wife was still at her parents in Sion (a suburb of Mumbai). On a Friday evening after work, I went to my in-laws. Thinking that I would have evening tea and snacks and possibly dinner there I skipped afternoon tea at office and leisurely reached Sion by 5 PM. My brother-in-law opened the door and said “hi”, shook hands and received me. Both of us entered the hall and from there he called out to say that bava has come. Mother-in-law greeted me. I was told that my wife was yet to come. After some pleasantries, mother-in-law went inside and presently she called her son to inquire if I would wish to have tea or coffee. You see I was still harbouring the good old traditional practices we used to observe in our homes in Madras (Now Chennai). You know what would be our usual response! Normally we initially say no, the other party would insist that we should have and this gets repeated a few times and at the end we reluctantly agree to have either coffee or tea!
Thinking that similar behaviour would be in order, I said I don’t want anything. I was eagerly awaiting a second round of requests. But none came. My brother-in-law went inside and told his mother that bava did not want and he came out holding his cup of tea. Presently mother-in-law also came out with her cup of coffee. Sitting royally in front of me they began sipping the beverages. Imagine my situation! Here I am, thinking that I would get sumptuous treatment at Sion, skipped tea at office. Now I was left high and dry. I was getting annoyed and tried to show my displeasure on my face. But no use! They did not even notice and began chitchatting about all the sundry things trying to draw me also into their conversation. I was feeling lost but at that time my wife came from office. ‘Thank God! Now that she has come I would get the proper treatment’. I smiled inwardly.
My wife greeted me and enquired if I brought the good news of any accommodation. I smiled at her. She went inside and after changing, she came back and sat beside me. She touched my shoulder and asked no one in particular if I was served. Before I opened my mouth, my brother-in-law blurted out that they enquired and I did not want any thing. My wife simply nodded and without speaking went inside and came out holding her cup of tea! Sitting beside me, sipping slowly and contentedly and enquired how long it takes to look for accommodation. I did not gather enough courage to ask for tea.
My friend told me that after a few years he got Departmental accommodation and set up the family. He recalled this incident in front of his wife. She sympathized with him and told that he should have been more open and indicated that he would like to have tea. None of them would have objected to it and gladly obliged. It was a perfectly natural behaviour. Or she should have known my predicament and would have acted accordingly!
We can extend that logic to different cultural ethos in our country. Given the vastness of the land and the almost antique nature of myriad cultures that have been coexisting since millennium places our country in a unique position. Confluence of different cultures that occurs as a result of constant migration and assimilation and adaptation to the new environment could, at times, results in a situation that would seem incongruous with respect to well accepted societal dogmas and social ethics. Even the mundane things like social practices and behaviour which we take for granted amongst ourselves would get metamorphosed and acquire different hues. Let me narrate an experience of one of my friends who left his native state Tamilnadu and reached Bombay (now Mumbai) in search of a job and married to a second generation Tamilian girl whose grandfather migrated and settled in Mumbai during early 1930s. The girl was also employed in a Government organization.
You see, even after a couple of months into our marriage, I was still searching for accommodation. I was staying as paying guest in Anushaktinagar and my wife was still at her parents in Sion (a suburb of Mumbai). On a Friday evening after work, I went to my in-laws. Thinking that I would have evening tea and snacks and possibly dinner there I skipped afternoon tea at office and leisurely reached Sion by 5 PM. My brother-in-law opened the door and said “hi”, shook hands and received me. Both of us entered the hall and from there he called out to say that bava has come. Mother-in-law greeted me. I was told that my wife was yet to come. After some pleasantries, mother-in-law went inside and presently she called her son to inquire if I would wish to have tea or coffee. You see I was still harbouring the good old traditional practices we used to observe in our homes in Madras (Now Chennai). You know what would be our usual response! Normally we initially say no, the other party would insist that we should have and this gets repeated a few times and at the end we reluctantly agree to have either coffee or tea!
Thinking that similar behaviour would be in order, I said I don’t want anything. I was eagerly awaiting a second round of requests. But none came. My brother-in-law went inside and told his mother that bava did not want and he came out holding his cup of tea. Presently mother-in-law also came out with her cup of coffee. Sitting royally in front of me they began sipping the beverages. Imagine my situation! Here I am, thinking that I would get sumptuous treatment at Sion, skipped tea at office. Now I was left high and dry. I was getting annoyed and tried to show my displeasure on my face. But no use! They did not even notice and began chitchatting about all the sundry things trying to draw me also into their conversation. I was feeling lost but at that time my wife came from office. ‘Thank God! Now that she has come I would get the proper treatment’. I smiled inwardly.
My wife greeted me and enquired if I brought the good news of any accommodation. I smiled at her. She went inside and after changing, she came back and sat beside me. She touched my shoulder and asked no one in particular if I was served. Before I opened my mouth, my brother-in-law blurted out that they enquired and I did not want any thing. My wife simply nodded and without speaking went inside and came out holding her cup of tea! Sitting beside me, sipping slowly and contentedly and enquired how long it takes to look for accommodation. I did not gather enough courage to ask for tea.
My friend told me that after a few years he got Departmental accommodation and set up the family. He recalled this incident in front of his wife. She sympathized with him and told that he should have been more open and indicated that he would like to have tea. None of them would have objected to it and gladly obliged. It was a perfectly natural behaviour. Or she should have known my predicament and would have acted accordingly!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
India’s national pledge : Height of honesty
Immediately after the war with China during 1960s, there was this patriotic fervour through out our beloved country. I distinctly remember there were many patriotic songs penned by famous poets through out the country and each one of us was so enthused with the entire environment prevalent at that time in the country. A national pledge was also introduced in schools and the schools used to start the daily work after reciting the national pledge during school assembly. I do not know the origins of the national pledge and its author. I believe it is embedded in our constitution. During 1964-68, I was studying in Sri Ramakrishna Higher Secondary School in Cuddapah (now it is Kadapa). If my memory does not fail me, it was in that school we started reciting the national pledge during school assembly.
The words of the National Pledge are:
India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders, respect, and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion.
In their well being and prosperity alone, lies my happiness.
Jayaram was also in my class. He was a very good cricket and ball badminton (not shuttle cock) player. During evenings, it was either cricket or ball badminton. We also used to do combined studies. On alternate weekends we used to meet at his house or mine for doing Maths. He used to call his mother as “vone”. Later he told me that that word was a short form for another Telugu word “vadina” meaning sister-in-law. We were surprised hearing this. Who would call his mother as vadina? He confessed that during his childhood, Jayaram‘s uncle (younger brother of his father) used to stay with them. On hearing his uncle calling vadina, Jayaram also picked it up to call his mother! That habit was continued.
During the school assembly all the students in a class were made to stand according to their heights starting from short students in the front to the tall students in the rear. Jayaram was tall and naturally his place was in the last row and I used to stand in the front line. Our drillmaster was the coordinator during school assembly. He used to be very strict and invariably we were always on time to the school assembly. One day I was late and after due punishment (two spankings on the palm) I was made to stand in the rear line beside Jayaram. He clucked sympathetically. I was massaging my hurting palms and suddenly recitation of the pledge started. I also joined the chorus of voices. After the first line of the pledge, Jayaram mumbled something under his breath before taking up the second line of the pledge. I could not get him and I looked at him quizzically but he avoided my looks. I was curious and next two or three days I managed to be close to him during school assembly. Every time, during the recitation, after the first line of the pledge he always mumbled something.
My curiosity became unbearable and I forced Jayaram to come out clean of his mumblings. He sheepishly told that there was something wrong in the wordings of the first line of the pledge and he was trying in his own way to recite the correct version! I was astounded that none of us including the teachers were in the know of this mistake and wondered as to how Jayaram could find out the mistake and what was the mistake any way?
At first Jayaram was very reluctant to open up. On persistent nagging he coyly told this: “you see the first line of the pledge is All Indians are my brothers and sisters. Don’t you see there is something wrong there? How can that be true? All of us are going to get married in future and my future wife and her relatives will never be my brothers and sisters. So I was always mumbling ‘except a few ’ after the first line to take care of the gaffe in the phrase”
The words of the National Pledge are:
India is my country and all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders, respect, and treat everyone with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion.
In their well being and prosperity alone, lies my happiness.
Jayaram was also in my class. He was a very good cricket and ball badminton (not shuttle cock) player. During evenings, it was either cricket or ball badminton. We also used to do combined studies. On alternate weekends we used to meet at his house or mine for doing Maths. He used to call his mother as “vone”. Later he told me that that word was a short form for another Telugu word “vadina” meaning sister-in-law. We were surprised hearing this. Who would call his mother as vadina? He confessed that during his childhood, Jayaram‘s uncle (younger brother of his father) used to stay with them. On hearing his uncle calling vadina, Jayaram also picked it up to call his mother! That habit was continued.
During the school assembly all the students in a class were made to stand according to their heights starting from short students in the front to the tall students in the rear. Jayaram was tall and naturally his place was in the last row and I used to stand in the front line. Our drillmaster was the coordinator during school assembly. He used to be very strict and invariably we were always on time to the school assembly. One day I was late and after due punishment (two spankings on the palm) I was made to stand in the rear line beside Jayaram. He clucked sympathetically. I was massaging my hurting palms and suddenly recitation of the pledge started. I also joined the chorus of voices. After the first line of the pledge, Jayaram mumbled something under his breath before taking up the second line of the pledge. I could not get him and I looked at him quizzically but he avoided my looks. I was curious and next two or three days I managed to be close to him during school assembly. Every time, during the recitation, after the first line of the pledge he always mumbled something.
My curiosity became unbearable and I forced Jayaram to come out clean of his mumblings. He sheepishly told that there was something wrong in the wordings of the first line of the pledge and he was trying in his own way to recite the correct version! I was astounded that none of us including the teachers were in the know of this mistake and wondered as to how Jayaram could find out the mistake and what was the mistake any way?
At first Jayaram was very reluctant to open up. On persistent nagging he coyly told this: “you see the first line of the pledge is All Indians are my brothers and sisters. Don’t you see there is something wrong there? How can that be true? All of us are going to get married in future and my future wife and her relatives will never be my brothers and sisters. So I was always mumbling ‘except a few ’ after the first line to take care of the gaffe in the phrase”
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Death of a crane: Paying price for progress
Long ago when the first node of new Bombay (now called Navi Mumbai) was being developed, the authorities decided on erection of prefabricated structures for constructing the apartments. City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra, a State Governments Agency had been given that responsibility. With the enthusiasm of a kid, CIDCO plunged itself to prove its credentials and had taken up the task of developing New Bombay.
According to the technology available during 1970s, in its wisdom CIDCO decided to invest substantial amount of time, money and manpower on these prefabricated structures. It was decided to construct four D type buildings using this technology. A gigantic crane was procured for this purpose. The crane was almost 4 storeys high (more than 20 meters) and one full block wide. One entire building of 15 meters height and 20 meters width and 10 meters breadth could have easily gone underneath it. It was being hauled on special rails and it was indeed a sight to see the crane being used to lift massive prefabricated structures like walls and erect them effortlessly.
At that time the entire New Bombay was a long stretch of marshy land and was almost deserted save the construction work undertaken by CIDCO. The movement of the massive crane was seen from far and It was quite novel at that time to see the crane movement from the city side of the Thane creek. Even CIDCO transport was special. The buses plied were small with a single door at front side. The driver used to double as conductor also. We used to pay 0.25 paise from Aunshaktinagar to reach Vashi. On Sundays it was a mission for us to visit the crane and marvel at it.
CIDCO constructed 4 D type buildings using the crane. For reasons best known to the corporation, it never used the crane for any type of activity. It was anchored firmly on the support along the main highway to Pune just at the entrance of Vashi Township. Subsequently all the four “legs” of the crane were cemented onto the massive logs. Personally I used to treat it as the threshold for the new Bombay standing majestically overlooking all of us.
CIDCO never used the crane for any subsequent construction activity. The Township had grown by leaps and bounds and extended beyond Vashi. We also moved out of Vashi to Konkanbhuvan, another node in the new Bombay. We used to see the crane during our daily travel to work place BARC in Bombay. Somehow I used to get the feeling that the crane was looking melancholy and dejected. If only could it speak, it surely would have taken the CIDCO to task for neglecting it. It was ever ready to be deployed and would have happily contributed in the construction of many a shelter. I never missed seeing it during my daily travels to and from office and it became a sort of obsession for me.
During the later part of 1980’s, CIDCO decided to dismantle the crane and develop a garden in the place it was standing. It was a sad day for all the old timers to see the slow death of the landmark of new Bombay. Perhaps that is the price for realizing the progress.
Long ago when the first node of new Bombay (now called Navi Mumbai) was being developed, the authorities decided on erection of prefabricated structures for constructing the apartments. City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra, a State Governments Agency had been given that responsibility. With the enthusiasm of a kid, CIDCO plunged itself to prove its credentials and had taken up the task of developing New Bombay.
According to the technology available during 1970s, in its wisdom CIDCO decided to invest substantial amount of time, money and manpower on these prefabricated structures. It was decided to construct four D type buildings using this technology. A gigantic crane was procured for this purpose. The crane was almost 4 storeys high (more than 20 meters) and one full block wide. One entire building of 15 meters height and 20 meters width and 10 meters breadth could have easily gone underneath it. It was being hauled on special rails and it was indeed a sight to see the crane being used to lift massive prefabricated structures like walls and erect them effortlessly.
At that time the entire New Bombay was a long stretch of marshy land and was almost deserted save the construction work undertaken by CIDCO. The movement of the massive crane was seen from far and It was quite novel at that time to see the crane movement from the city side of the Thane creek. Even CIDCO transport was special. The buses plied were small with a single door at front side. The driver used to double as conductor also. We used to pay 0.25 paise from Aunshaktinagar to reach Vashi. On Sundays it was a mission for us to visit the crane and marvel at it.
CIDCO constructed 4 D type buildings using the crane. For reasons best known to the corporation, it never used the crane for any type of activity. It was anchored firmly on the support along the main highway to Pune just at the entrance of Vashi Township. Subsequently all the four “legs” of the crane were cemented onto the massive logs. Personally I used to treat it as the threshold for the new Bombay standing majestically overlooking all of us.
CIDCO never used the crane for any subsequent construction activity. The Township had grown by leaps and bounds and extended beyond Vashi. We also moved out of Vashi to Konkanbhuvan, another node in the new Bombay. We used to see the crane during our daily travel to work place BARC in Bombay. Somehow I used to get the feeling that the crane was looking melancholy and dejected. If only could it speak, it surely would have taken the CIDCO to task for neglecting it. It was ever ready to be deployed and would have happily contributed in the construction of many a shelter. I never missed seeing it during my daily travels to and from office and it became a sort of obsession for me.
During the later part of 1980’s, CIDCO decided to dismantle the crane and develop a garden in the place it was standing. It was a sad day for all the old timers to see the slow death of the landmark of new Bombay. Perhaps that is the price for realizing the progress.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
A letter of a teen’s mother
It was almost 20 years ago when I read this letter written by a teenage girl’s mother to editor of one of the women’s magazines. I neither remember her name nor the exact contents of the letter. But I do remember and even now am able to recollect vividly the gist of the contents. What is poignant about that letter is its contemporary valid contents. In my opinion, it should be read by each and every girl and would be mothers. I try my level best to capture the gist of the contents below and leave to the discerning readers to feel the urge of that mother who wrote the letter.
“My memory goes back almost 20 years when I was a young rebellious brat of teens. My parents gave everything for my wellbeing. Mother had been there in thick and thin and selflessly devoted her time and life to my welfare. During exams she was always available anticipating my slightest needs. She was keeping herself awake late into the night just to keep company with me. This despite the fact that she had to get up early to attend to the daily chores, where as I used to get up royally very late after 8’o clock. She was there with ever smiling face and saw that all my needs were met for going to school. I used to vile away my reading hours during evenings by watching all sitcoms on TV and take to study only beyond 9 PM. Just once and only once she observed that I could start my studies a little early so that we could go to bed early and she would also get enough sleep. But then I brushed aside her suggestion and even had temerity to declare that I never wanted to her to keep herself awake for my sake and I didn’t like such gestures. My mother smiled at me wistfully and did not utter a single word. But she was there all the time. On another occasion when I fell sick she insisted on carrying me to the doctor and I doubt very much if she had any sleep at all. The moment I was all right I just rushed out of the house to meet my friends without even bothering let her know. She mildly chided me for not taking care of myself, as I was still recouping. I looked at her disdainfully but she smiled at me silently and wistfully.
Now after these many years I am seeing the same abrasive and self–centered teenaged girl in my daughter. Minni has been alter ego of my younger avatar. The only difference is I became a mother and am in the same situation as my mother 20 years ago. I understood the wistful silent smile she used to give me. There were equivalent to myriad words of passionate reconciliation, forbearance and tolerance to the teenage brats.”
I forgot how that mother ended the letter. But I hope the text above bared the souls of a mother and a daughter. First time when I read it I felt like crying. I also recollected all those times in the past when I behaved just like that daughter. All of us deserve the same treatment we meted to our parents when we in our teens.
I do not know if at all any daughter read this letter and changed her attitude towards her dear mother!
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