I like to start with Jamnagar’s Hindi High school when we used to wait for the school lunch
bell to ring and then rush to our lunch boxes for the food from home prepared by mom. We
used to play games with our buddies to find out what was packed in those
beautiful boxes with just a tantalizing hint of the scent wafting through them.
Opening the lids and finishing not just our lunch but the food of our
classmates was a different kind of joy altogether. I often remember the tiffin
of my friend Khalida. Her mother was a great cook, she always put variety of food stuff in her, daughter’s box,
although her house was just stone’s through from school but Khalida used to sit
and eat with her friends and class mates.
Then came those days
when we used to go home once in a while during our vacations from college and not just ask, but demand the
dishes that we wanted and our mom used to lovingly cook them, indeed going that
extra mile and cooking for us those favorites that even we had forgotten.
Burgers, pizzas, gourmet food from up class restaurants and the bland tasteless
food of messes and canteens were forgotten as soon as hot, missi rotties,
bajra rotties , fluffy phulkas,
parathas, dal and sabzi warmed our bellies. Not to forget that we
used to shamelessly and even gleefully ask our mom to feed us and she used to
do it, despite having toiled for hours in the kitchen and at agricultural field.
And then came the service era, we sit
in our offices, our cubicles hunched in front of our laptops, files and
portfolios wondering which new restaurant or cafe we are going to try out today
we can’t help but feel a nostalgia tinged with a sadness, missing our mom and
wishing that she were with us to calm us, pace us and always be there with her
love, solidarity and rock-hard strength.
When I retired the time came my mom accompany to live with
me till she went off to my father in heaven, but don’t know why she never
cooked even once , instead she used to chop vegetables and peel lahsuns
etc.etc……
There are some things in life which we express easily and
there some which we never speak out like your love towards your mom. It feels
very awkward to say ‘Thank you, mom for everything’. But once in a while you
have to do it, because deep down we know that these five words barely skim the
tip of the iceberg that is the respect, awe, gratitude and love we feel for our
mom. I love you mom.
xoxo
