Who am I to correct someone who is just figuring out the world and almost every day is coming across something new and amusing?
Today was a crazy busy day. How technology has made sure everyone stays connected, is amazing. The only relief in the lockdown work from home scenario is, I can work all day wearing my shorts. For an online workshop today, I got dressed in a shirt and shorts. How peaceful and comfortable that is!
Right after the evening session of the workshop got over, as I was sitting on my terrace, I heard the sound of azaan. Hearing the azaan so clearly, my two year old asked me : mumma, gaana? (Song?)
I told her no, its azaan. She again asked : azaan gaana? Then again I told her no azaan. After the third time, I simply didn’t correct her again. Who am I to tell her what to make of the sounds that she hears? I love the pitter patter of the rain and to me, its music. I love the leaves of the trees ruffling and I feel that’s music too. The waves in the sea make their own music. Who am I to correct someone who is just figuring out the world and almost every day is coming across something new and amusing?
My daughter is just 2 and its too soon to explain to her the difference between music and songs (gaana) and she has no concept of religion or prayer since we are non believers and don’t pray at all.
I am looking forward to the day I would slowly introduce the different religions of the world to her. I try and remember how my parents did that. My earliest encounter with religion was not prayer or me being told there is a God. It was more on the lines of how a lot of people have different faiths and how the world functions.
I was never told what my religion is and I never saw my parents praying. For me, religion was more to do with the concepts, historical aspects and not superstitions and it definitely wasn’t something that I couldn’t question. The concept of God or Allah or Bhagwan was left on me to be understood. Whenever I asked my parents about God and its existence, they never gave me any answers as the final truth. They left that to me to figure out. By the time I was in 12th standard, i had read Quran, Bible and Geeta. I had zillions of questions and thats how my love for world history began.
The quest to find answers led me to the two most interesting parts of my life: World History and the Mysteries of the Universe.
The world history made me sensitive, helped me in understanding my present and the mysteries of the universe taught me to look at the bigger picture and see beyond religions and Gods and basically, made me an atheist.
That was my journey. I am curious to see how the journey unfolds for my daughter. All I intend to do is, give her examples of logical thinking and logically seeing life and help her in becoming a rational human being. Rest, it’s her journey. For now, yeah, azaan.. gaana.
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Earlier my husband would say, 'Arey! What is there in making dal-roti? It's so simple.' After he had to cook everyday when I was ill, he has stopped saying that to me!
“Arey! What is there to do in making dal roti? Put a handful of lentils in the cooker and let it whistle and make two rotis. After all, how long will it take?” A handful of dal (lentils) and two rotis! This is the story of every woman and no one seems to understand.
Some time ago, after a shopping spree, my husband and I entered the house, exhausted. I had just about kept all the bags aside, when my husband said, “I am very hungry, can you make something.”
I looked at my husband in amazement and thought, ‘He had just had food, how did he get hungry again so soon?’
My husband, as if he had read my face, said, “Arey! You know that my stomach is not filled with outside food. Just make dal roti. What is there to do in making dal roti? Put a handful of lentils in the cooker and let it whistle and make two rotis. After all, how long will it take?”
‘Is this the way dal (lentils) and roti are made?’ The thought came to my mind. ‘After all, I also went along and now I am tired too.’ I was also getting angry at myself that after all, I had spoiled the habit of everyone in the house.
Nirmala disconnected, and turned to speak to Amma. But she was long gone. Once more, the poor kitchen utensils were bearing the brunt of Amma’s temper.
The Muse of the Month is a monthly writing contest organised by Women’s Web, bringing you original fiction inspired by women.
Ujwala Shenoy Karmarkar is one of the winners for the October 2021 Muse of the Month, and wins a Rs 750 Amazon voucher from Women’s Web. The juror for this month, Himanjali Sankar commented, “The age-old connection between a mother and daughter is explored poignantly through an exasperated love, which is often seemingly angry and impatient, that a daughter feels for her mother and the way she comes to make peace with it. A story set in Covid times that puts us in touch with the importance of love, connections and gratitude in a non-preachy, very real way.”
Nirmala grimaced as she picked up her cup of tea. It was cold and had a greasy film over it. Her class had lasted two hours, and she had been talking continuously for most of it. Her back was aching and her throat was sore.
I sat on the bed all confused. I couldn’t get myself to reality. It was such a beautiful dream and it all seemed so real. I wanted to sleep again. At least that way I could hear her voice.
It was just another normal day. The bright midday sun covered the house in its warm light. I am occupied with office mails and my little daughter Aria is playing with her blocks and peppa pig toys. We got her the new doll house and she’s elated with it, keeps her busy for hours.
There is a beeping sound from my laptop and I realise I have to get back to work. Work from home in reality is very difficult. You have no time for yourself or for your family and you end up working upto 12 hours in a day. I think in my mind I need to spend time playing with Aria, being a lone toddler is difficult and there is not much that she can do the whole day.
It’s already lunch time; we both sit and have our favorite meal – lady finger with hot parathas and dal rice. Aria is just learning to eat and has already spilled dal on her light blue dress, she wants to change her dress right away. I tell her we can change after we are done with lunch as it’s just a small stain. She gets busy talking about Peppa Pig and her new toy house, “Daddy I love my new house, Can you take a picture on your mobile and we’ll send it to mumma on her phone, I am sure she will love it”. I tell her “Sure, let’s click it after lunch”.
I was lost for words and a bit ashamed that instead of greeting or talking to her I was taking stock of her room. What was she doing in this junk-room? Was she here for some chore or was it really her room?
Time hadn’t changed her a bit. Still pretty and petite! Although she had put on a bit of body mass and gained a few inches vertically in the decade I hadn’t seen or heard from her. I was able to recognise her instantly as a familiar quaint smile flickered across her lips.
The quaintness of her smile was comforting as well as reassuring. So I knew she had recognised me and therefore I didn’t need to introduce myself. We were childhood friends after all. And I had really no intention of introducing myself again after being treated to a curt welcome by an older woman, presumably her mother-in-law, who had been casting suspicious glances at me after I told her I was there to meet Lakshmi.
The woman was all smiles as she opened the door for me, and also courteously replied to my greeting, but after I uttered Lakshmi’s name and asked if this was her house, her demeanour changed. An expression of disapproval was writ large on her face and she clearly didn’t make any effort to hide it.