CHAPTER 10 - MAA | MANSHI KHEMANI

STORIES FROM OUR BARI | CHAPTER 10 - MAA | MANSHI KHEMANI

I found my best friend in my mom!

 

Coming from a big joint family of ten meant guests flowing in and out of our home with mom multitasking endless chores and responsibilities like a champ. But amidst it all she would decorate my bed with jellies and room with barbie houses every birthday; dressed me like a princess in the evenings before Papa and Dadu came back home from work; or taught me history, geography, and science while folding clothes, I never realised the role her love was playing in shaping me as a person.

 

Her bindi, the way she would put kajal, and her love for dupattas would leave me besotted every time as I sat in her room seeing her dress up not realising how I would be wearing each of these exactly the same way some 25 years later! You know seeing my eyes brimming with love for her she would say, “Hatt Pagal! Tereko he lagta hai!” (Oh, you silly girl! Only you think I am pretty!).

 

Every night I would long to eat dinner in her arms while gazing at the moon from the terrace but not till she pulled out a new story for me from her very own world of tales. It’s still a mystery for me that how only her presence could soothe me in a dark room whenever I fell sick, which used to happen quite often as a kid, and she would patiently just sit there with me even when I would keep snapping at her saying, “Haath thoda niche rakho na mummy matha par, kitna left rakha hai” (Keep your hand a little lower na, mummy! It is too much on the left). Gosh!

 

There would also be days when I would scold her for being too nice to the not-so-nice relatives but years later now I realise that how there was greater wisdom in being polite as a way of holding onto her mental peace.

 

Well as the time flew past us, our relationship hit a new era altogether as I entered Class XI! The same mummy who had once slapped me hard for making a card for my first ever crush in class 9, was now asking me to make her meet my boyfriend! She would be the one now excitedly deciding which little black dress would look nice on a date, wanting to know all about it when I would come back, and even trying wine with me for the first and only time! While making her meet my friends, her being the ‘cool mom’ amongst all the mums, and encouraging her to go on a coffee date by herself, I thought I was the one teaching her to open up but now that I think of it then it was me who was learning how to truly experience everything in life from her.

 

Recently, we had an emotionally challenging time and I suggested therapy to her all the while stressing about how difficult it would be to not only convince her to go for it but to my surprise she wholeheartedly agreed and said, “Let’s go this Saturday!”. And just like so many other dates, this is how we went for our first Therapy Date together too!

 

Whenever I feel burdened by the life’s responsibilities and expectations, I always remember mom’s words as she would lovingly run her fingers through my hair, “Beta, ye sab bi bahut zaruri hai per sab ke beech khud ka khayal pehle rakhte jaana. Har cheez sulajh jaayega! Tum to angel hai meri!”. She always knows what my heart needs even when I don’t know it myself.

 

Today I know that if I ever choose to be a mom and if I manage to become half of what she has been to me, I will be happy and satisfied. But if I can ever be half the person she is then that’s a life lived well for me!

Manshi is wearing Gayathri saree styled with blouse and jewellery from her personal collection.