UGADI

                                                        UGADI

    

She wanted to spend Ugadi as happily and peacefully as possible because she always believed that the whole year will be spent much the same way as one spends Ugadi.

She started the day with a jubilant mood. 

But her maid did not turn up at the usual hour. The kitchen sink was full of dirty dishes as they had guests the previous night.

Then the milkman was late and her morning cup of coffee was delayed, adding to her headache. When she asked her husband to go across to bring the milk, he did not move. On top of that, he lectured on how to handle and manage the maids and milkmen! She restrained from shouting at him. 

Then she asked her teenage daughter to help with the dishes and cooking but she refused and settled before the TV watching some loud music channel. 

Her husband supported her, saying, “Don’t make her work on Ugadi”

She looked at him sharply, and said, “Then why should I? It's Ugadi for me too! Let’s go and eat outside.”

He shuddered. “Are you crazy? Do you want us to eat only junk food the whole year?”

She was furious and wanted to curse the maid and the whole world to her heart’s content. But she controlled herself. ‘Not on this day, no harsh words or ill feelings.’ 

Thus keeping her cool, she went back to dishes, sweeping, washing and cooking, all single handedly.

During lunch they went on passing snide remarks about the taste of the lavish lunch she so painstakingly prepared. Her blood boiled as the food tasted not only okay but delicious to her. But, ‘No, l should not argue or create a scene today.' She thought and kept quiet.

Feeling tired and frustrated, she went to the nearby temple in the evening, in search of peace. But, lo, it was crowded and noisy. The guards were very harsh and almost pushing and dragging the devotees, shouting, “move on, move on quickly.”

She felt disgusted and sat in a lonely spot, brooding. Then she saw a friend approaching. Sensing her mood-out, she enquired, “Why are you so upset? What happened?”

“I wanted to spend this day in an ideal manner.” She sighed. Then she described her day in detail.

Her friend shook her head. “No, no, why should you feel depressed? You spent today in a really good way. You avoided arguing, cursing or hurting the people around you, kept your temper under control, performed all your duties well, treated everyone with goodwill and overall, displayed a positive attitude. What better way is there to spend Ugadi or any day for that matter?”

Her words sounded convincing and soothing. And feeling light, she smiled and said.. 

“HAPPY  UGADI to you and the whole world”

TO MY CHILDREN IN THEIR YOUTH

                       TO  MY  CHILDREN  IN  THEIR  YOUTH
                                   
My  sweet  little  darlings,
The  two apples  of  my  eyes,
When  did  you  grow  up ?
You  gave  me  my  second  childhood  and  the  third,
My  second  teenage  and  the  third,
And  how  I  loved  it !
But, for  my  sweet  second  youth
You  keep  me  waiting  and  waiting.

Do  you  know -

Along  with  you  and  along  with  you  both -
I  reexperienced  my childhood
And  re-lived  my teenage.
Along  with  you  and  along  with  you  both -
I  re-learnt  to  stand  and  walk ;
To  utter  small  sweet  words
in a  language  very  much  unique ;
I  re-learnt  my  A,B,C and  rhymes;
My 1,2,3  and  sums ;
For  the  second  time  and  the  third  time.

Along  with  you - I  
Re-entered  the  wonderland  of  Alice;
Re-discovered  Ridinghood and Cinderella  ;
Cried  and  laughed  with  Snowwhite;
Re-enjoyed  Tarzan and  Sindbad ,
Robinhood  and  Alibaba ;
Re-met  Dennis  and  thanked  God  that
Neither  of you  were  such  a  menace ;
Re-read  Panchtantra  and  Amar  Chitra  Katha .
Oh, how  I enjoyed  and  re-enjoyed all  that !

Along  with  you - but  for  the  first  time -
I  was  introduced  to  many  more  joys
Which I never  knew  existed .
My  first Archie I read  with  you ;
My  first  ghazal I heard  with  you ;
My  first Jackie Chan I saw with you ;
My  first Jackson I listened  with  you ;

You introduced  me -
To  the  melodious  world
Of  Jalotas  and  Hassans ;
To  the  romantic  world
Of  Mills  and  Boons ;
To  the  adventurous  world  of
Heman , Batman and Superman;
To  the  thunderous  world  of
Rock and  Heavy  Metal ;
To  the  action- filled  world  of
Shaolins and  Schwarzneggers
And our own Nanas and Devgans ;

Oh, tiny fragments  of  my  heart  and  soul !
How  grateful  I  am  to  you  both !

For - along  with  you  and  along  with  you
I  learnt  and  learnt ;
Discovered  and  discovered
A whole  new  world  of  fun  and  thrill .

But -

When  did  you  grow  up ?
Where  did  I  lose  you ?
In  the dense and hectic jungles  of  life, or
In  the  perennial  flow  of  time , or
In  the  unending  process  of  

your  growing  up ?
Where  are  the  eager  pupils
And  the  enthusiastic  teachers ?
The  know-nothings  and
The  know-alls  rolled  in  one ?
Where  and  when  did  you  drift  away ?

You  shared  your  childhood  and  teenage  with  me -
Me, the  ever-loving  and  ever-supportive mother ;
But  when  youth  arrived-
Your  youth- oh, your  very  own  youth -
That  invisible wall between  you  and  me
Why did you deprive me
of a sweet second  youth and  a  third?

For- now, at  last -

I  am  at  a  loss  in  your  world-
Your  world  of  youth  and ambition ;
Your  world  of  Computers  and Software,
Derivatives and Securities;

Oh, lights  and  joys  of  my  life !

Did  you  outgrow  me ? or
Did  I  grow old?