Love And Grace of Mother

On Saraswati Puja 2022, the writer, Anita, felt blessed as she sat at her desk invoking Maa Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of knowledge, speech, wisdom, and learning.

Maa Saraswati, Pattachitra- art of Odisha

A fair beautiful woman, radiating beauty, holding a Veena... the face of her mother always came in front of Anita’s eyes whenever she thought of Maa Saraswati.  Her mother’s Sitar was in its place, but the Sitar-player was no longer there...

Her mother embodied the arts and learning with such finesse! She was an accomplished singer and Sitar-player, and was so talented that she could play any and every musical instrument! A voracious reader and a gifted writer, she pushed her children and others to pursue the higher ideals.

The focus-light was on memories.

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Anita remembered all the encouragement from her mother – words that had set the foundation for her writing journey:

“You must write a poem on this theme!”

“A journal/edition will be published- you write!”

“I have ordered/bought books and subscribed to magazines- you read and write!”

“Keep participating!”

“Do your best!”...

Anita felt lucky. 

Whenever Anita got her reviews and articles published with her name and city’s and state’s name in print in leading print-media, her mother was overjoyed! Visitors to their home, including her grandparents, made Anita loudly read all what she had written, with grandfather animatedly translating all the English for the benefit of her grandmother!

Anita’s mother was so dynamic and full-of-life that even as she was in the last stage, afflicted by a dreaded disease, those who knew and loved her, believed she would spring back to life with a spring in her step. The doctor’s ominous prediction came true. God called her early that fateful January 20, 2012, leaving Anita and her family-members heartbroken...

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Later that year, there was a contest ‘Soak No More’ organized by Femina magazine. Anita participated and was pleasantly surprised to receive a call that she had been chosen as one of the three winners! Her photograph would be published on the Femina-cover!

In January 2013, Team Femina invited Anita to Mumbai for the photo-shoot, arranged at the apartment-cum-studio of leading fashion photographer, Shri Jitu Savlani. The hairstylist, make-up artist, and the costume-designer gave their respective artistic touches. The photographer created magic with his lens.

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The pictures found publication in Femina magazine!

“Pictures speak more than a thousand words.” Inexplicable developments also speak.

Anita’s family was preparing for her mother’s first death anniversary celebration. It would be an elaborate affair at her native place, attended by members of both Anita’s maternal and paternal sides of the family and hundreds of guests. Though the calendar date was 20^th January, the tithi date was 8^th February, 2013.

Within a couple of days, Femina magazine’s latest issue was released. 

Anita admired how efficient their team was! She had not expected such quick publication!

Anita checked the issue date. On the cover page, it was clearly mentioned- February 8, 2013.

Anita felt overwhelmed realizing - It was the tithi date of her mother’s first death anniversary!

That Femina issue was an extra special gift as it was a loving mother’s grace, assurance, and stellar role for her child.

While death anniversaries are painful, there was something to cheer that day as the publication made all the guests happy. 

All marveled at the grace of Anita’s mother, who used to be the “life of the celebration” and the “light of the home” and always loved gatherings, feeding people, and making things easy and comfortable, and spreading smiles. 

Even after her death, she had succeeded in her primal mission in her super-efficient style... 

                                                                                 -*-

This 600 words story is written for StorytellersBlogHop FEB 2021 by Ujjwal (https://mywordsmywisdom.com) & MeenalSonal (www.auraofthoughts.com).

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A note to the reader-

This is the first time I have written a story with a character that has my name. :)

This is not fiction. This is a true story. 

Sharing it here as "Truth is stranger than fiction."

We celebrated the tenth death anniversary of my mother this year on 20th January, 2022.

This year was the first time I wrote a blog post and social media post regarding her death anniversary:  

Remembering Mom On Her Tenth Death Anniversary

The tenth death anniversary tithi date was last week on- 30th January, 2022.

The month of February reminds me of her first death anniversary and also the Femina magazine publication. So many years have passed. I have been planning to write about this real-life experience. Life is short and with this "Volatile Life" we do not know whether we will live to tell the stories we have planned. Yesterday, I felt blessed to have survived a near-death experience as a fast-moving bus whizzed past me by just a whisker. Had it decided to move one-two inches to its left, my lifeless body would be left. 

I had to share this cover-page story as I found it truly a sign of my mother's divine grace that the issue date should be dated- February 8, 2013- same as the tithi date of her first death anniversary. Some may argue that it is a mere coincidence. I feel there is a lot that we do not know and cannot explain. 

The pain of our mother’s loss and our loss to see our mother's happiness, witnessing our achievements, is still real. The joy is real too. The copy of the Femina still brings a smile. The realization is always there that such achievements are thanks to the grace of God and love of well-wishers. Mothers always earn and retain the number one spot in lists of unconditional love.

It is Basant Panchami or Saraswati Puja, today. 

Maa Saraswati, Pattachitra- art of Odisha

My mother used to celebrate in the traditional way by setting up and worshipping an idol of Maa Saraswati at our home. I remember her a little extra on such festival days.

May Maa Saraswati bless everyone with lots of knowledge, creativity and skills.