There are millions of flowers each with different colour,shape and fragrance.
There are millions of women each with different figure and character.
Women play many many roles.
Of all these,motherhood, either biologically or by adapting an attitude is the best.
A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.
So it is natural that I declare my mother as the best. it is the only category in which comparison is not possible.No one has the right to comment or compare 'mothers' .So everyone can shout in chorus "my mother is the best."
Yes. from the day she started singing with her sweet voice (it is always sweet as a nectar when she sings a lullaby as it is soaked with so much love) till today she(80 years old) keeps watching us, her middle aged children, waiting with concern for us to improve
I realised that I had wasted many years by not bothering to know her likes and dislikes only when my children pampered me by trying to please me all the time.Now I compensate by visiting her frequently.
Yesterday there was a call from her. She asked me and my sister whether we could visit her.She stays with my brother.
She was as always very happy to see us. Like a small kid, she took out the boxes of sweets and nagged us to eat.
Then she told us that she wanted our help to pack her things as she would be attending the wedding of my brother's son which would be held in Bangalore.
The full 2 hours session was filled with nostalgic memories and interesting details.. She brought out all the saris from her almirah and described who bought them for her and when.If we admired any she immediately said 'You like it...then take'.
But we would always tell her, " Ma...if you can give 4 saris we are ready to take. My brothers wives should be included." To our surprise she would say," i know both of you would say that. So i have kept 2 saris for them already.' Never partial. Thus we helped her pack and clean(!) her almirah also!
She had a lot of dark blue and dark puple coloured saris with checks. Most of them were not even out of the wrapped covers. She is so kind , generous and affectionate that all my cousins, buy and give her saris for Diwali.Some saris had blouse material attached. So my sister jokingly commented,"Amma...cut the blouse and keep it carefully so that next time when you offer the sari to us we can use the matching blouse."
But the most interesting part was the small and cute items she dug out and showed us. A string of pearls, a crystal shiv lingam from Hrushi kesh , old family phtographs ,....... It was like a treasure hunt. She was so happy that day and when we took leave she asked "When will you come again?" Typical longing of a mother.
We really admired the enthusism she evinced in selecting dresses for the occasion ( a simple cotton sari and a white blouse is her attire) at this age. Her enthusiasm passed on to us which made us rush to the tailor's shop to give our blouses for stitching as our brother had bought saris for us to be worn for the wedding.
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Thank you Indu
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Holiest thing alive.....well said Nargis. Thank you
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Treasure hunt indeed , Kala.
A delightful read.
Indu
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Hi Kala..............
So it was a baby's day out? A child however grown up will always be a baby for a mother. And a mother will always be a mother.....'the holiest thing alive!'
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Thank you NK Ravi for visiting and recommending the post.. Nowadays the father and mother play both the roles. So worship thai and thandhai and listen to their advise.
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Mothers are friend,philosopher, guide to their daughters in our tradition.
Avvaiyar was very right when she said " Thayir Sirandador Koilum Illai - Thandhai sol mikka Mandiram Illai " ( Translation : No better Mantra than father's words of advice; no better temple to visit than mother " ).Very often in today's world Mother plays the dual role of giving mantras and be worthy of worshipping like a Goddess.
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Thank you Sowmya.
I think tilll the last decade, in our custom the elders blessings were sought for any occasion. The children greeting the elders were not common. But now things have changed.
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Kids tend to take mothers for granted till they become parents. I think nature intended it like that (my way of rationalising).
A wonderful blog Kala.
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Hi Melody
Thanks. We failed to know their likes probably due to the joint family system where the mothers were not allowed to express by their inlaws(some were good some were bad).There was mom in law who poured hot water on the jasmine plant just because the DIL palnted and loved it.
We have better freedom of expression.
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Kala
.
Written with feeling. Enjoyed your treasure hunt with your mother.
I realised that I had wasted many years by not bothering to know her likes and dislikes. I realized these words hold good for me too. I haven't bothered to find out about my mom either. Was busy with studies and then got married. Never really took the trouble to know her tastes etc
Regards
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