Happy Gonesh everyone

Ganpati bappa morya. Just a little bit of this and that as I sit in silence after Ganesh Chaturthi. The house is fragrant with agarbati, mogra and a little something called ugdaas.

This brass aarti paler is from Tulsi Baug, Pune. The idol is from Princess Street carved by a little boy we knew who grew up to be a gifted artist. And the fruit from distant places that made their way to Markham. The jasmine flowers are from Scarborough via who knows where. There's a website, I am told. The agarbatis from Ramji Vani in Naigaum bought in December 2010, my last visit there. And the holder is from Panaji, Goa bought from a gift shop near Fidalgo Hotel. Everything is a story.

Pujas and dosa evenings have something in common in my home: they both set off the fire alarm. Today, the camphor set off the hallway alarm and Rani dashed off to spend the rest of the Aarti upstairs in her bed in a huff.

 

Working alone listening to music of the day, I made shira, daali toi, rice, cabbage upkari and cucumber kocholi with rai chi phodni. Simple fare, special though.

 

I realised that I cannot have my Ganpati lunch without the aroma of cucumber kocholi with the crunch of mustard seeds. Go figure!

 

Record time lunch prep in an hour. Made cabbage bhaji as I had no time to chop phansi for gomti upkari.

 

No dabbya khana, I don't have time to make and no one eats more than a bite. I can't make patrado and don't like the store bought patra as its not amchi.

 

Whatever was missing today was felt deeply the heart.

 

All else was here, right where I am.

 

Making new memories is what life is all about nhavein? Else how can we move forward?

 

Happy Gonesh everyone. 

Montreal Home

"At home. Love you"

says a text message

 

following the rule of

Check In With Mamma

 

My heart leaps for joy

pounds a little and

a second later-stills

 

realises that there    

are now

many homes 

Sunflower Tuesday

He's started asking again

At 15 as he had when 5

Mamma, can we plant 

Sunflowers?

He cranes his neck

When we pass gardens

Or see a few lone, strong stems

Wild and glorious

Beside highway 7

Where few admire or even notice

Their brilliance

We must plant earlier, chelda

I explain

Dig deep, set the distance between,

Prep a rich soul

Next year, okay baba? I say

Next year after the last frost

Lets do this together

Sunflowers, life: same lessons

Yet he sighs

My son

When he sees sunflowers

And that sigh tugs at my heartstrings

And embeds its claws deep inside 

The list of

things left undone 

this summer

He doesn't ask for more you know

My son

He endures, rises above the new normal

He wipes down counters

Fills ice trays, takes out the trash

Watches me for signs of sadness

Pats my back like my grandfather did

Teaches me about popular culture

Computers and Broadway

Steers me away from pain

 

So I walked directly to a tub

And bought a bouquet

Had it wrapped in fancy paper

 

And gave it to him

For me! His face lit up

To see fat, golden sunflowers

 

From someone else's garden this year

Store bought

Sunflowers

 

A promise of shared sunshine

With his mother- me

 

Someday I hope

Two hands stronger than mine

Will dig deeper in rich soil

And plant sunflowers

My brother- life itself

Your success speaks

of many routes and roots.
And the price paid

In many places

Of names lost

And renamed

Of tears shed

And dreams 

Imagined joy

Lights at the end 

of endless tunnels

That shone in minds 

and hearts

Today, 

dear brother

Your name: Life itself

Shines for many

As do you

Everyday I have rejoiced 

this summer

To see that name 

glowing there

The board, the people 

and I

Have waited long for this day!

(Dedicated to J, my brother)