Lockdown Random Ramblings ! Some Diary notes and A Daughter’s Letter

A Daughter’s Letter –
(This was in June 2019 when Tanvi Dev had gone to her maternal uncle's home and I was alone in Delhi --- basking in Delhi heat all alone at home front !!
Pakhi means Bird ! -- this is how my mother-in-law is addressed by my daughter.
Pls bear with my fatherly emotion and but it shud be interesting read !

Love you papa, and missing you. Of course it is just one day, yet you know, I miss you.  Miss you among the crowd; and at times I miss you in loneliness also.

I was strolling along the river bank this morning. Life here is so different from our city life in Delhi.

Birds keep chirping, some of these birds sing perhaps along with the leaves movement making some rhythm. They make a good melody but I am unable to locate some birds. Or they are all hiding from me as I a stranger, a city girl?

You could have explained me this beauty better. Wish you had joined me for this trip.
Mother is still sleeping, but I started walking with Pakhi. Like the birds make noise .....but you know Pakhi is often just the opposite. Silent. Thinking. She keeps thinking.
But it is a wonderful place Papa. Pollution free, sky above is so blue. Like those snaps you took during your trip in Mizoram.

But you know, I have noticed the nature is so silent. It makes me talk to myself. Or am I sounding like a poetess! Shayed mein ek kavi ban jaoongi !
Hmmm, you must be sleeping late. Oh ! Your old habit. You have not changed all these years.
You know as I and Pakhi are walking along, I remember the song ‘Otho Otho Surjai rey....’.
She also had a good laugh and tried to sing ---- “sakal holey boley pakhi surjo phool photo, akashe tey jabo urey ghar je amar chhoto”.
But my Pakhi takes a sudden departure. Says, - “No, no now we must go. Chhoto Nati ta uthey jabey (She talks about new bro. in our life.)

He is so cute and stared at me for a while yesterday – as if he knows me from before.
I should give him a new name. On Annaprashan day, he will get a ‘bhalo naam’ – everyone was saying. Now enough, I have to brush my teeth also.....

Blogger's Imagination did work here:

Junior Journo’s Interview with ‘Delhi Di’

(a piece with creative liberty --- Tanvi Dev interviewed by her six-month old cousin -- Aratrik -- he is referred as Junior Journo) 

I am ‘Junior Journo’ this side. Actually, I am Junior Sambit....Today I present you an interview with my ‘Delhi Di’ – Tinni Didi or Tanvi Dev from Manas Apartment, Mayur Vihar.

She is a student of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan Mehta Vidyalaya in the national capital and is these days on summer vacation to her ‘Mamar Baari’ or rather I should say ‘Paakhir Baari’ in Kamalpur, Tripura.

With our special camera persons Ms Tanni and Mr Tirtho, we caught up with Delhi Di for this frank and candid interview.

Bro: Firstly, Ms Delhi Di; welcome to Tripura. You like it or not, it’s a good place. I am Junior Journo as your dad calls me and my question is what is so special about your 2019 Summer Holidays and visit to Tripura?

Didi: Interesting. But more than interesting your question is also funny. I am here this time to celebrate Anna Prasan of a smart cousin. He is sweet and at times over smart! That is a problem.

Bro: Why problem, what kind of problem?

Didi: That’s a stupid style of doing an interview. You start getting on my head. But it is okay. I don’t mind innocence of a kid. But remember, the point I am trying to make is to be smart is good, but to be over smart is much of a problem. You will understand these in few years time.

Bro: No need to repeatedly say that I am a kid and I need to grow. We all know that. Annaprashan is great occasion of family get together. I think everyone enjoyed that, especially the food. But I did not enjoy much. I am still depending on milk. Even Pakhi does not help me with fish, chicken, eggs etc.

Didi: So you are turning a non-vegie already. Have patience, you will get everything in due time. We all have come that way. If there is doubt, ask your Boro Pishi, my mother.

Bro: I am supposed to interview you here and not take your Didi giri. Only advice ! Can you tell me why Didis especially love to give advice.

Didi: As a rule, I don’t answer stupid questions.

Bro: See again, just because I am a young man, you should not show your Didi giri. My next question is how do you differentiate between life in Tripura and Delhi. Of course, I see you not studying here, so only fun?

Didi: Look, this is another stupid way to spoil an interview. You are too small to ask me about studies and all that. What do you know about studies? Do you know what is Mathematics and Geography? Do you know when was Akbar born, or who was Mumtaz and what’s Taj Mahal have to do with her?

Bro: See, this is again getting Didi giri only. It seems you love studies a lot and so when I ask you about studies you are getting angry. I must complain this to your papa.

Didi: No need to complain. This is again very funny. Anyway, one big difference between Delhi and Tripura is life is very simple and calm in Tripura. Also you are all very slow and lazy. Look at you ! You are either sleeping or enjoying life on this bed and staring at everyone as if you know everything. In Delhi, we have to work hard. My school time starts early, than dance, Maths Tuition and my father comes with his ideas of ‘make sentence’. You will not understand all these.

Bro: You mean, life is fun in Tripura. So I was right?

Didi: Look, this is your problem. Life can be fun for you when you come to Delhi as a tourist. But give up your ideas. Don’t visit Delhi in Summer. You man or kid, there is temperature as high as 48. You will make my Shanki’s life tough.

Bro: Oh it is all okay yaar, she is my mom. Sometimes she also gets angry!

Didi: Look here, firstly I am not your yaar. Call me Di or Didi. I am much elder to you. Start respecting elders. Your fun time will be over when you are four years old. Then you will understand what is A,B, C and what is red colour or blue colour. Life is tough man ! Stop staring at me. This is getting long.

Bro: Okay, I will have only one or two more questions. Why you call my grand mother ‘Pakhi’.  Pakhi means bird, and I never saw our Pakhi flying.

Didi: See, this is your problem. If I call you Narendr Modi, will you become Prime Minister of India and start addressing people saying ‘Mitron’.

Some names are given of out of love. Actually she came to Mumbai at our 4th floor flat.

Bro: Fourth floor, that is pretty high.

Didi: See, some buildings have 20 storeys also. You can sleep here and imagine. But the point I was trying to tell you, Pakhi came into our Hill View flat and started calling me ‘Pakhi’. So I loved that word and started calling her Pakhi.

Bro: Did you say Hill View, that’s a good name. I should give a new name to our Kamalpur House. What is your suggestion?

Didi: Well, it is not a bad idea. But discuss with all your elders first. You must respect your elders including all your Dadas and Dis. I am one, for example. Well, you can call your house Coconut Orchard. That would sound good. You can call it Bhalo Basha also. Now, don’t get ideas about your college days love! Plenty of time for all that. Bhalo Basha also means Good Home! Thank you. Interview is over.

Bro: Hmmm  again Didi giri. Anyways thanks for your precious time.

(So that was our interview with Delhi Di. She has been frank no doubt, but at her age, I would have given better replies....now enough....wan wan wan (sobbing music.....I think that’s No 2 at my pant)

(This is also from our bank in memory bank of 2019)

Master Aratrik

Ends

(This interview had Hindi translation also...but misplaced --- fyi please)

This year's Mother's Day passed off in melancholic mood.....we lost our Mother, Minati Deb in November 2019

Two ill fated siblings!

"My mother is a walking miracle” — ...they say. and we agree ! She was one Miracle...

Of course I don't agree  with the concept of Mothers day. In our Indian context everyday is mothers day...we salute Matri Shakti. .....with Ma gone ...i have all the reasons to feel bad and anguished.

We can share a lot about our mother !But this may not be the right occasion.

However, with Lockdown and 'Mahabharat' serial of Doordarshan --- also a 1980s and 1990s miracle, I have something to say.

Like most homes and mothers --- Mahabharat was first taught to me by Maa and needless to add...she used to say there is lot to learn from the epic.

She used to give focus on three to four characters - Bhishma, Vidyur, Kunti and of course Lord Krishna.

Incidentally as I grew up - I developed immense liking for Vidyur -- the uncle of Pandvas and Kauravas and who as Minister to the throne --- made things difficult for power mongers and even others by his candid one-liners.

As I recall after so many years -- my first acquaintance with Mahabharat was in Mokokchung in Nagaland where the knowledge was confined to comics and small Bengali volume.

The adoration for Mahabharat actually developed in Mizoram - Lunglei.

On some other occasions I will share on protagonists of Mahabharat and Maa had focused on character building in us. My siblings brother and sister were perhaps too young! And most of her lecture and dinner time talks went onto my head.

Scenic Aizawl: Mizoram