Memories…

Her smiling face lit up with those bright eyes, as she journeyed into the corridors of her memory, silently… as if, to touch the distant horizon, where the sea of humanity meets the sky of spiritual luminescence. The sounds of the morning hymns rise up to the holy spires and send their echoes back to the heart.

She took me on her lap, placed my face gently against her palms and planted a wet kiss on my forehead. Sometimes I was amazed about her caring sensitivity for everyone. She always used to hold me and my sister close to her, eating her bread & tea in the morning, and narrated the same three stories over and over again. She started with ‘Kabir’, then followed a story of various Saints and the last story was always ‘Ihyo bi guzri vendo’(This also shall pass).
She also used to narrate us sometimes about her past, but that included only stories of her children.

I remember her peaceful face when she heard prayers and hymns early in the morning keeping her radio near her ears, with very low volume so that others might not be disturbed. And then mostly she sang along all the prayers and hymns. I remember her beautiful face filled with calmness… I was proud of her, of being her granddaughter.

I remember her 90th birthday very clearly. She was always so happy when all of us got together. Her contended face is still in front of my eyes. At 90 too she was a strong woman of mind. There was courage in her heart, determination in her veins. The look of her eyes with such intense care and love, made her eyes shine in an eternal bliss. Ah and she always used to keep in store Badam, Akhrots and Mithais for us. To me she always said; Meetu don’t be lazy in anything, just get up and jump! I used to enjoy learning so many things from her. I’ll never forget a sentence she told me once… “Meeta, any relationship is all about giving and taking, in which giving always has to be more than taking. You’ll find perfect people everywhere, only if you be the prefect partner to them!” It was amazing… so many things stored in her heart! She viewed the family as a circle of strength and love. With every birth and every union, the circle grows. Every joy shared adds more love. Every crisis faced together makes the circle stronger.

All the more it was painful for me to see her at the end. For me she was always a wonderful person conveying the quality of life. I felt so helpless when I saw her last. I felt sorry that I could not better it for her. I hope she has found relief and eternal peace at last. For me she will live forever in my sweet memories of her.

I miss you nani.
Yours Meetu.