Few days ago my brother had come home for a week's holiday from his college.As he packed his stuff on the last day,my mother started loading his bag with as much eatables as she could.She had this desperate look of concern on her face as if her son was going to a famine struck city.After she was done with the home-made items she moved on to the ready-made ones.That's when my brother had to remind her that he could buy those things from shops too.
He helplessly tried to explain her that he was not being malnourished at his hostel,but to no avail.I was busy laughing at the whole 'typical Indian mom' scene when a thought faded away my smile.
If my mother was so anxious about her 23 year old son going away(despite knowing that he will be back again in two months)how harrowing it must have been for the Bhattacharya parents in Norway who have been away from 1 year old Aishwarya and 3 year old Abhigyan for such a long time.
When the toddlers arrived with their uncle and Norwegian foster parents on 24 April there was an atmosphere of euphoria all around.The trauma and ordeals that Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya have gone through for almost a year are every parent's worst nightmares.
I don't know what it feels like to be a parent but this episode reminded me of a few past incidents.
Last year when I went to pathology,among the several people who had come there for various kinds of tests was a 3 year old girl who had just been injected for a blood test.She now sat on her mother's lap wailing with all her might.After a while her plight and cries not only brought tears to her mother's eyes but to a few others sitting in the room too.
My 'Mama'(mother's brother)is one of the most emotionally strong people I have ever known.When his 2 year old son accidentally got his thumb pressed between a door and got gravely injured,that was the first time I saw tears in my Mama's eyes.
As I gear up for entrance examinations of colleges in cities other than the one in which my parents live,I can sense their anxiety.They have always tried to keep me safe and secure in the cocoon that they have created around me.And now the thought of sending their daughter to an unknown city is beginning to frighten them.But till then I am just glad that I live in India and not Norway and I thank God for reuniting those kids with their family again.
No comments:
Post a Comment