Ambu with her only daughter Jasleen
Ambu is my second of the four sisters, born after me. My mother had a difficult pregnancy at the time of Ambu birth. My mom had to be shifted with complete bed-rest to Lady Hardinge Medical College Hospital in New Delhi from Panipat. In those days, getting an ambulance or even a stretcher was not easy. So, a makeshift arrangement was made, a narrow chaarpai was placed in the middle of a Private bus service known as ‘Ithad Bus Service’, balanced over the backrests of three or four seats and paying extra fare seats. That was how my mother was taken to the hospital from Panipat to Delhi.
I still remember clearly my Moms bed was on left row of multi-bed hall in the Lady Hardinge Hospital.
And so, on 1st September 1950, a beautiful child was born, our Ambu. She became quite famous among the hospital staff and children around. The nurses who cared for her were mostly Caucasian in those days, gentle, kind, and good-looking and everyone said that such a lovely baby had never been seen before.
The hospital wrought iron block gate haunts me even today. Bhagwant and me waited long hours along with Papa ji everyday and were too excited to see new baby rather mother for whom we had brought home made food prepared by Masees.
Every evening, my father, my elder sister, and I would go to Lady Hardinge College Hospital on Panchkuian Road. Long before 4 o’clock, when the gates opened for visitors, we would be waiting eagerly outside, ready to catch a glimpse of our mother and the new baby. That was how we first met and fell in love with Ambu.
My mom soon after the Ambu was brought home in Panipat.
As she grew, we noticed that Ambu was left-handed. Everything she did was opposite to what the rest of us did, but always with style and precision. Her handwriting, in particular, was beautiful, neat, rounded letters that looked like pearls on paper.
My four sisters: From left Bhagwant, Tipi, Ambu, and Bobi
Ambu was the first one to be guided by parents to address me as ‘Kaka ji’, a tradition in our Multani culture to address your older brother. Hereafter this became my other name among my younger sisters and their in-laws families.
My grandmother who turned around to get rid of her spitting habit.
Once, during her school days, she learned a poem titled “Don’t Spit Everywhere.” When she recited it at home, my mother immediately got an idea. My grandmother, though loving, had an unpleasant habit of spitting frequently, even in the corners of rooms with no ventilation, much to my mother’s distress. So, my mother asked Ambu to recite the poem for her grandmother.
Newly weds Ambu with her husband Amritpal Singh Dhir on Wedding Reception in elite Gymkhana club New Delhi
Grandchildren have a special charm, and Ambu’s innocent recitation worked like magic. Our grandmother listened attentively and took the message to heart. From that day onward, she stopped spitting indoors. If she ever needed to, she would go outside near the drain. This simple act by Ambu brought a small but lasting change in our household.
Ambu and Bhagwant on either side of Harvinder on our ‘Roka Ceremoney’ in Tilak Nagar New Delhi.
Years later, when the alliance for my marriage was being discussed, Ambu played an unexpected but important role again. At that time, I was living in Jangpura while the rest of the family was in Panipat. When our family visited Harvinder’s grandparents to finalize the proposal, Harvinder’s grandfather, my uncle Retd. Subedar Major Bhai Jagat Narain Kapoor, started clapping and singing joyfully,
“Sada kaam banaya Ambu Ne!”
meaning, “It’s Ambu who made this alliance happen!”
And truly, she had been instrumental in bringing our families together.
Another special thing about Ambu is her deep and continuing interest in medicine, especially organic, natural, and homeopathic remedies. She’s always researching through books or WhatsApp messages about how to stay healthy using natural food and simple methods. In fact, she was the one who introduced homeopathy to our entire family. She even gifted me an old reference book, saying, “You’ll find every remedy here, look up your symptoms and you’ll get the right medicine.”
Thanks to her, our family adopted homeopathic treatment. We keep a basic set of medicines handy for everyday health issues, and it has been a blessing, especially when our grandkids fall sick.
Recently, I myself experienced how accurate her knowledge can be. For some time, I had been suffering from persistent lower back pain, with my hamstrings and calves constantly tight. Despite consulting doctors several times, I couldn’t find the cause. Eventually, a physiotherapist diagnosed it as a pinched nerve in my back and prescribed a few exercises. When I told Ambu about it, she immediately said, “If it’s a weak nerve, I have the medicine, but for a pinched nerve, let me check and tell you by morning.”
Ambu and Amritpal hosted a pizza lunch for us in Secramento couple of years back.
True to her word, she went through her old books that night, researched thoroughly, and called me the next morning. She explained that for a pinched nerve there are no medicines, only exercises help. “One for the spine tail and the other near the neck; Just do these two,” she said clearly and confidently matching the advice of my Physiothrapic expert. I worked on those two exercises regularly, my back pain has started responding positively for the first time. After so many months of pain, I finally felt feeling some relief.
I must admit, earlier I never fully believed in her homeopathic wisdom, often thinking she was being too casual. But this time, her knowledge, precision, and concern proved me wrong. She was absolutely right, and her suggestions matched exactly with what the physiotherapist had said.
Hats off to Ambu. She has always been serious and sincere in what she believes, quietly helping us all stay healthy and happy in her own gentle way.
I thought of writing these memories so that our family remembers and cherishes how much she has contributed to our lives, with her care, her wisdom, and her love.
Ambu and me
And yes, many of my friends say she resembles me so much that we look like twins.
