Born in verdant surrounding of Almora 70 years ago, she was the little joy of bundle to her parents (In uttarakhand gender disparity doesn't exist to a large extent, birth of girl and boy both are celebrated with happiness and festivities.). She had lost her paternal grandfather before she even entered her mother's whomb and grandmother when she was just three months of age. She was lucky to have maternal grandparents alive till she herself became mother. Her Naana and naani (Maternal grandparents) were very loving and caring.
She was given name which meant moon light (चंद्रमा का प्रकाश). She grew up to a caring and loving child.
Let me tell you few incidents from her childhood.
It started when she was 2-3yrs old. When ever any member of family fell ill, she would sit with a hand held fan or a hand towel and would fan the sick person continuously with a firm belief that fanning by her will blow away the illness. She would stubbornly refuse to budge by the bedside of ill person. This continued till many years. Deep in her heart she was a nurse and when she grew older she was influenced by life and work of Florence Nightingale.
She nursed her grandfather, father, mother, father in law in their old age and sickness. She was the Florence Nightingale of her family.
Another incident which now I find hilarious is that her brother being elder to her started going to school before her. Convent school's session used to start in January. So on asking when will I go to school (she was desperate to follow her brother) she was told when January comes you will also start going to school. So each day she would wait for "Januar" to accompany her brother or father, or just knock knock knock at the door. It was disappointing for her to see her brother /father coming home without "January" and January was also not coming knocking at her door all by herself. At last the calender changed, January came (for that little child as if out of blue) and she was happiest child on earth. She had done her ABCD's and 1,2,3,4's at home, so straight to standard 1 in St. Maria Goretti convent school.
Cousins marriage that she remembers so well. When she was in 2nd standard, there was an festive occasion of her cousin sister's marriage. She so much wanted to have a gold earing with three red stones just like her mother had. Doting parents got it made for her. On the day of marriage she was flitting around like a butterfly in new frock and most precious thing The Earrings!.
While the ceremony was on the way she realised that one of her ear is without earing. She started crying inconsolablely. Some older girls started teasing her by singing film song
ओ ढ़ूंढ़ो ढ़ूंढ़ो रे साजना ढ़ूंढ़ो रे बालमा मेरे कान का बाला,
मेरा बाला चंदा का जैसा हाला रे,
जामें लालि लालि ललियन कि , हो लालि लालि ललियन कि लटके माला...(ओ my beloved find my earing,
Which is beautiful like moon,
Which has strings of red beads hanging...)
The earing could not be found. She was heartbroken. Next day new ones were ordered. Though she wore new ones for years, the old ones were her first love with special place in heart. She kept the lone survivor of the old pair as memento for a long time.
Even today when she sees something similar to her old earnings, hears that song or similar type song, she can picturise vividly the place where she lost her earing decades ago, while playing during marriage and a her heart flips. O my darling earing!
Do you know dearest children who that little baby girl born in uttarakhand in April 1956 is? Correct! You three are very intelligent. Indeed she is yours and only you three's (Vir, Mihika and Ajay's) grandmother 'Jyotsna (Meaning Moon light /चंद्रमा का प्रकाश)'
She plays with you, she prays with you, she has fun with you, she reprimands you all, she teaches you and also preaches a lot, you know why? Because she cares for you three. Last but not least she loves you three from the core of her heart. ♥️
I will came back to tell more about mischievous, naughty, patriotic, and many sides of myself.
Naani of Vir and Mihika
Daadi of Ajay.
😘😘😘
