“Aaj jab uthayi thi kalam maine, shabd kahin gaye the khoye .Us din pehli baar haath kaanp gaye the, jane kahan chaar saal beet gaye.”
Writing seems to have always calmed me down . So when emotions seep out of the eyes in the form of those tiny droplets, I resort back to what works best which is writing . Now anything other than English never seem to rhyme for me but today when I sat to write , those lines were the first that seemed to come out .
Why those droplets .. well to start , four years have passed since i lost my mother . The poem below reflects on the memories we shared, her role as my first teacher, and the unshakable love and support she gave throughout my life. Though she is no longer physically present, her lessons, kindness, and the impact she had on others continue to guide me. As I navigate the overwhelming sense of loss and loneliness, I find comfort in the belief that her soul has reunited with my father, and her love remains with me, always.
For non Hindi speakers, the first line roughly translates to
“As I sat to write for you today , the words slipped away . It was a day when for the first time my hands shook, don’t know where did the four years slip away”
So let the poem start just there …..
Dear Ma
As I sat to write for you today,
The words again slipped away,
Like the warmth of your hand that once held mine.
Memories all of which are still divine.You were my guide, my first, my light,
The one who taught me wrong from right.
In every hug, in every smile,
You made each moment feel worthwhile.No darkness scared me by your side,
For in your arms, I could confide.
I can’t run back, can’t say I’m scared,
No comfort found, no meals prepared.Four years have passed but your memory lingers near,
In every thought, in every tear.
You loved beyond all caste or creed,
Helping them specially who were in need.You taught me, “Do good, and good will come,”
Gray hair & the wrinkles sure showed me a little and then some
You were more than a mother to me,
A beacon of love for all to see.Though you’re gone, I feel you near,
Your soul with Baba, calm and clear.And though I grieve, and though I ache,
In faith, I know no bond can break.
For in the Brahmana, you reside,
Forever by my father’s side.
