My memories about my Mom’s soul-mate sister Lachhmi Masi and her family.
On many Janamashtmi, I was in your house. After Nij Thaon celebration, all of us go to some hall and listen Katha and enjoy Janamashtmi. More than one occasion I was there in Rajinder Nagar.
As our summer vacations started when your finished. It was hard for Masi ji to convince her kids to take care of guest cousins as they were busy and we were free.
Masi ji will cook nice Parontha and tea for breakfast. We will sleep in the front yard on Manjees.
Surinder will take me to Radio Station on his bicycle. And one day I vomited while coming out of AIR and spoiled his cycle but he remained cool but I felt so bad. May be I could not stand the temp difference as AIR was too cool for me.
Nindi will take me Pussa Gate to study on the grassy side walks for whole day while I will loiter. Nindi will also take me to Ajmal Khan Road for an evening stroll like many teenagers will walk with fashionable clothes and Nindi will teach me new style of Pants with a fall on the shoes. Being from a small town, I was baffled to observe all this.
Off and on Prita accompanied me to local Shankar Rd Markets and Salwan School.
You taught me to recognize the street of Block no 6- pointing towards the street facing Taxi Booth on Shankar Rd. As all streets will look like same.
The younger cousins Guddo and Minna were with green school dresses.
Minna will mimic how I put fixer on my beared in my absence. One day Masi ji told her to display the same in my presence and she did it exactly how I fixed my beared. You know even after 60 years as I go for my dresser after the shower to fix my beared, I remember her mimickry.
I was excited to see you cycle down the lane which was rare in Panipat.
I remember Masar ji dressed as Chacha Nehru walking through the Panipat Bazar. People will start gathering to see him.
Finally about Masi Ji, she will Take Biji, me and my sibling walking through the street and stop on many places on the way and telling every friend ‘Meet here is my younger sister and not older’ and they will laugh to the sky in the street. Same thing she will repeat to all her friends on the street.
My memories I miss often.
I saw you cycling,
As you will take your cycle from the back door and I will run to the front to wait for you see cycling towards Shankar Road. Only boys/men will cycle in Panipat. It was amazing to see you riding ona lady cycle. I ll keep seeing you till you disappeared from my view.
You were a hero for me and sibling. You will write letters on behalf of your mom. We will be excited to see the letter. My Mom will say see she is my Pushpa who writes like ‘Motis’. And addressing us, you are fools if you have to do some thing in life, become like Pushpa my Super niece. We were in awe of you, frankly even till date. The moms always cast a lasting spell on ones life.
Then mom will tell a story about Mahatma Gandhi, he repented all his life for bad hand writing, and used to advise youngesters to learn writing beautifully because later in life you will never be able to improve it.
What ever I improved was because of you Bhenji and started painting by seeing you but alas I could not sing like you. You were our idol.
You guys will visit us in summer holidays in pairs; Pushpa - Nindi, Surinder- Prita. Smart Cousins from Delhi will uplift our morale among our local friends. So were the good times.
It was also mango time, being near to Sabzi Mandi, my Dad will bring ‘Chuuse Amb’ and will dip them in cold water and ate to our fill.
You guys will complain what is there to see in Panipat, Prita will be tired of seeing only ‘Killa’ everyday. Where as your pair had no complaints. While Surinder will bring some toy games to play with us.
I will appropriately add the above and other stories in my blog.
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