In Loving Memory of Amma & Baba

this post again originate from my laptop cleaning or better say disk space recovery. I have a mere 80 GB HDD

I came across a very short video of my Baba (Grand Pa) which was recorded by Bhola Bhaiya during his memorable Bangalore visit. And it brings a lot of sweet memories of my Amaa & Baba and my childhood

Both of them left me in last two years but their loving voices still echo in my ears, their caring faces comes in my eyes every now & then. Whoever i am today is because of blessings & selfless love of Amma (Grand Ma) and guidance & discipline of Baba.

My Dad passed away in a car accident when i was only 9 years old. I was too young to understand & realize the loss My dad was the eldest son in the family and a public figure. People used to admire him and looked upon him as a budding politician with good links in the state.

After his departure life has changed up side down for me. Baba & Amma never let us (me & my younger brother Shaishav) away from their eyes for a moment. We were their life and hope to live. I was Baba’s boy and my younger brother Shaishav was Amma’s dear son. I started sleeping beside Baba. He had a strict schedule of waking up early in the morning and going for a long walk to our fields & orchard in the nearby village with our black Doggy ‘Kalu’ . And i had to adhere with it I used to sleep beside Papa and he used to woke me up in the morning with his rough bearded chin:) But no more beard now as Baba used to shave regularly . No more playing & running around the street in heated June afternoons (pretending to be with Dad at his workplace ) Evenings were again a trip to our fields and orchard. An open air roof top dinner with him and sleeping under the moon while listening to his lines from great Hindi & English writers and from Vedas & Granths. In between there is school, homework & tutor.

He was a lecturer for humanities at local inter college and a good orator with loud and impressive voice. He used to manage Dussehra Mela singlehandedly in his early days and used to play Ravana in Ramleela . He was a crowd puller and people used to ask for his speeches in functions, festivals & political rallies. He was famous as Pandit Ji /Ma’saab (Master

Sa’ab). I had heard people saying “Pandit Ji kuch accha sa ho jaye” He wants me to be a good orator also and helped me in my school days with very good speeches. But with time i had converted into a book worm with cricket as the only extra curricular activity for next few years

For Amma, i was the sweetest boy in the world. I still remember her extra Rs. 100 note which he used to slip in my hand whenever i visited home for my monthly expenses Chachu (Uncle) se Mudra (money) lene ke baad Amma ka bo 100 ka note bahut accha lagta tha She was not very educated but life has given her enormous knowledge and intelligence. Whenever i felt low, i used to call her up or place my head in her lap. Her loving voice or gentle touch used to evaporate all the stress & worries. She gave me the confidence to win any hurdle in life. She is the real symbol of strength & wisdom in my life. She never asked about my studies but always make sure that i need not to worry about anything else but studies. Her delicious home made sweets & Namkeens were always part of my return baggage.

As years passed way and i don’t realize when i have grown up in a well placed & grown up engineer. Thanks to Chachu, Our family has progressed into a well known entrepreneur & politically influenced family in the surroundings My younger brother has become youngest ‘Member of Town area” and start writing for Danik Jagran as local correspondent. We have moved on from the loss of my dad. Both of them were happy to see us growing leap & forth. After the start of my professional life, an air travel to Bangalore for them was among one of the first few thing i did. We visited Tirupati Bala Ji , Mysore & Ooty. Amma never visited any shrine after my dad passed way. I am not sure about Baba but for Amma this was her first & last tourist spot trip. This was the most satisfactory spending after the start of my career Mom & my younger sister accompanied them . Those were the most memorable 5 days of my life Icing on the cake was the company of Bhola Bhaiya & Kapil Sir during the whole stay.

I will always miss Amma & Baba!!