Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu...

It’s a beautiful Friday.

Yesterday, the little girl was all “decorated” for Navratri celebrations in school. And my mind was decorated with loads of happiness, thoughts & musings.

Why?? Well, it’s that time of the year again – when I head home to join in the frenzy of Durga Pujo.

Some things have changed, some have not… And I see the sprouting of my reflection…

Mahalaya

Today is the day

·         The Mother Goddess is invoked to descend on Earth

·         which was always marked by a holiday in school/college

·         that indicated that the wait for the days of fun & festivity is about to get over

For me, this special day has always been heralded by my favourite baritone introducing us to the Mahisasuramardini legend on AIR at 4 a.m.

The mesmerising chants & the beautiful songs resonate in my sub-conscious throughout the year & reach a crescendo as Pujo draws near.

Even after I left the city, it was a habit to plug in the earphones at 4 am.

My daughter has designated these songs as “granny’s songs” & she often asks me to repeat some for her. I feel a secret thrill each time she hums one of them. And a secret thrill yet again when she suddenly chants “Ya Devi sarvabhuteshu….”.

So did I listen to the iconic programme at 4 am today?? No.. are you kidding me? I need that sleep. And now with the benefit of mp3, can listen to it during the day.

The TV shows depicting the entire good-evil battle have become more technically enhanced & garish – but it’s still nice to watch the compositions.

The pre-Frenzy…

ü  Local newspapers scanned for latest fashion trend

ü  Shops identified for making the desired purchases – clothes, shoes, accessories

ü  Days meticulously designated with family for shopping in specific locality

ü  Some years, a fervent prayer to the rain God to hold the downpour so that “quick” (mmm…. only 11 am to 6 pm) shopping can be completed without getting the new acquisitions drenched

ü  Purchased the latest “Western” wear in addition to the traditional wear

ü  Getting clothes stitched months in advance – enough time for the tailor to deliver after alterations

ü  Stocked up on band aids to deal with foot blisters – but can’t not wear new shoes

ü  Planned out days with friends & cousins – so day “a” with family, day “b” with cousins group A, day “c” with cousins group B, day “d” with school friends, day “e” with college friends… not to forget the morning plans & the evening plans

ü  Planned the outfit for each morning & each evening

ü  Ready for Pujo

How exactly does it pan out now?

Simply head to the inviting stores in the malls (A.C. needed in this heat) or even better, contribute to the burgeoning e-commerce economy in India.

Am more excited about the little one’s new outfits. And how I would, as I earlier said, “decorate” her (thankfully she has the patience for most of my idiosyncrasies).

Pujo

Hysteria would start with the cousins much before the 6^th day – to go “Pandal Hopping”.

For the uninitiated, that’s a super dooper craze here where you shortlist the pandals you want to see with your group, hire a vehicle & disembark on a relentless pursuit of Art – a sort of cross-city race with the crowd to see the best pandals & idols in town. And the creativity is only expanding year on year.

Oh yeah, sometimes instead of hiring a “vahan”, we would decide to test the load capacity of one of our vehicles. So we would all cram into one small vehicle (smaller the better – for ease of parking) & tumble out at each pandal.

The lighter cousins got the advantage of sitting on the well-cushioned laps of the plumper ones (& the disadvantage of getting their heads knocked around as the vehicle manoeuvred the bumps & craters on the roads).

Newspapers listed out (still do) the most innovative & famous Pujos with proper sequential route maps. And even though we would be sapped out of energy (night time + heat + crowd + traffic + distance +….) we would not give up till a tick mark had been placed next to each designated pandal.

And till the birds chirped early in the morning – indicating it’s time for us to catch up on our sleep before we embarked on next night’s battle.

We would be aided by intake of chilled beverages & packets of junk food.

One day would be dedicated for the Northern part of the city, one for the South. And one for the deserving miscellaneous ones. Of course there would be the visit to family pujos (with yummy food on offer - whether veg or non-veg) & ancient rajabari pujos.

Has anything changed?? Yes a LOT !!

The crowds have swelled & going to pandals has become lot more suffocating. With a little one in tow, the all night cross-city spree is not feasible. But did take her out, for a while, in her waking hours last year.

I miss my “mad loveable” cousin who accumulated those special “VIP” passes & tried to use them even where we weren’t acknowledged as VIPs. Hoping she initiates my little one to this madness soon.

I miss the bunch of friends who would mandatorily congregate at my place each year. We would then visit the famous pandal near our house & then go for the mandatory “papdi chaat”. The friends have now spread worldwide; the chaat place has made way for a new age cake shop. But there are a few friends who do come by each year.

So looking forward to meeting all the friends & cousins who can make it to the city this year. Some with their little ones to add to the cheer.

Memories…

Will miss some who were there last year but now will never be with us in person; but will always remain in our hearts & fond memories.

I miss the serene atmosphere that once prevailed in the pandal in front of our house & has now been taken over by loud music (half of which I can’t understand) jarring to the ears.

My little reflection

It’s evening & I am lazing around in the comforting home zone.

The humid heat is somewhat unbearable & I am all set to do… NOTHING. But the folk tunes wafting in from the performances at the nearby Park have got my little one all charged up.

“Quickly get ready, let’s go to the park. They are singing. We must go. Durga Thakur must have come & is waiting for me”, she urges the ever obliging granny & the reluctant me.

Her enthusiasm is infectious. And there I am, accompanying my mom & her granddaughter to the Park.

The first year, daddy had introduced her to the mini moths lining up the pandal wall. She was giggling away seeing them flutter away. I remember her staring with those teeny eyes, perched on her daddy’s shoulders, mesmerised as the priest performed the evening arati.

Last year she indicated she’s prepping up to join the pandal hopping gang - she wanted to see “more Thakur” & refused to sit in the waiting car. And she pointed out that each Durga idol was wearing different coloured saree!!

Safely perched in her mama’s arms, she danced away like crazy to the drum beats during the evening arati. And then she took her performance to the floor.

It’s amazing how each day before today, she reminded me that I need to pack so that we could quickly go to granny’s place because Durga Thakur is coming there… and then she would rattle off names of all the accomplices. And how Ashur Mama (Mama!!.. well… her call) makes “biiiig” eyes at her.

As I soak in her excitement, I remember my childhood & how I would simply wait for this part of the year to come. And yet again feel the thrill at her developing enthusiasm for Pujo.

Am sure the day is near when she would want to taste the unhealthy grub on offer – but that’s what adds to the fun n frenzy.

I see her absorbing everything in wonder – indifferent to the crowd – the huge idols, the lighting, the colours, the sounds, the balloons, the drum beats.

And she enjoys meeting everyone.

This is the beauty of Durga Pujo – it enthralls the kids & grown-ups alike.

P.S. So deeply is this festival embedded in our psyche, it's no surprise that our half-Bengali daughter was given a "daak naam" or "pet name" that is an alternate name of the Goddess; instead of the usual mystifying Bengali endearments :)

Nappy Birthday

Me back after a month (grin grin grin).

What was I doing?? Mmmm… Lazing around?! :)

You see, it’s that special month of the year when I love to “pamper” myself.

Have always harboured a special love for this month – so crazy was this love, that I would think that the best picture in any calendar was the one in September.

(And the father indirectly aided this by hanging multiple picture calendars in empty spaces on the walls around the house & adorning each table with the smaller table-top versions).

And even if it really wasn’t, I would still make myself believe - this is THE best image amongst the 12 (or if the folks were conserving funds, then 6) images.

Anyways, coming to today. Guess which day is it? Yes, yes, yes… it’s a Saturday.

Last night, before turning in, I told myself… “Tomorrow you can sleep in a little more”. Hubby doesn’t have office to rush to & little lady doesn’t have to be woken up for school.

Alas! The mommy body clock woke me up at what I would once sneeringly deem as “unearthly” hours. So there I lay, with eyes shut, but wide awake.

And then the call from the one who gifted me to the world (imagine a devilish laughter here.. hee ha ha) ;)

“Happy Birthday!!”

Hearing me whispering a beaming “Thank You” she asked, “Were u sleeping?”

“No”, I whispered back. “Remember, I am now a mommy too. Your darling is fast asleep, hence me whispering. Wait lemme get out of the room…..”

B.I.R.T.H.D.A.Yaaayyyyyy.

Aahh, let me reminisce about those school days when I would count weeks to the birthday, waiting for the surprise (and sometimes not-so-surprise) goodies to be gifted.

And one new dress, mostly custom stitched (yeah… am talking about those pre-historic times when readymade was secondary).  

And there would also be a special made to order cake with theme selected by yours truly (oh my, and I complained I was not pampered!!)

And most years, a nice little birthday party with the cousins and friends creating a happy pandemonium.

Party games would be thought out in detail – like passing the parcel, pin the tail, memory game & so on. Music would usually be manned by a responsible elder cousin on the precious cassette player.

"Return gifts"/ "Back prsesnts" would be carefully selected & packed & duly handed over to each guest.

As we grew, I would wait for the friends’ phone calls on the now endangered landline before going to school. Yes, we would meet in a couple of hours in school… so what?

We remembered everyone’s birthdays without the help of reminder aids.

Graduating through different celebration styles

When I was teeny weeny bit younger than now, we graduated to going out - “giving a treat to friends” is what the activity was termed. Had to painstakingly think of the coolest newest yet pocket-friendly eatery in the vicinity.

Let me add here – a dear friend of mine once hosted her birthday treat at the zoo. And let me tell you – that was the best funkiest treat ever [this deserves a dedicated post].

Maybe throw in a movie, especially during the college days.

By the way, what continued was

• the excitement of waking up to phone calls from friends
• the delight at being quickly wished by family first before taking the phone call
• a new dress & the gifts & the cards [Oh I have always loved cards] 

Cake transformed to cakes – an off the shelf one brought by the friends & one back home by the family (note: no more theme cakes and not selected by the birthday girl).

Post-graduation added the the wait for the call in the morning from parents & bro back home and the midnight hostel rituals like dunking with water, cake cutting, tiny but precious gifts & the joy of basking in the glory of being THE B’day girl.  E-cards got added to the physical ones.

Then came along hubby – and his family & friends added to my celebrations. Surprise parties were enjoyed and wishes multiplied. Lovingly thought out gifts from the man would make the day so much more precious.

New Mommy

Now as I peek into the room to check if little one has woken up and see that little sleeping face, I know I got some more time to loll around on the sofa with a cup of tea.

Flashback to a couple of years.

Yes my special day – and there I was looking so-not a peppy B’day girl:

• dripping with oodles of post preggy fat which I was in no hurry to shed (who doesn't like being pampered at Mommy's place)
• large dark circles threatening to take over my plump cheeks - totally sleep deprived
• wearing the most comfy loose maternity top
• answering calls in a daze
• sometimes remembering to check & respond to the wishes on social platforms

Daddy surprised us by flying down – an awesome birthday gift from the man.

But this little 6 month old, did not care two hoots about mommy’s precious day (forget month). Her demands remained just the same!!

So daddy and her mama (my bro) decided to arrange a little “party” for me.

I was floating in & out of dreamland. Had I ever been this eager to sleep on my birthday ?!

Umm… where’s that new stitched dress?? Oh gone is the tailor, energy is dipping. Oooh wake up… So I put on my best readymade blue top (yeah one from the maternity days), put on some matching earrings & bracelet.

And then thought of dressing up the little one. I don’t even recall what she looked like that evening. So I turn to my photo bank - a cute cotton dress, 2 tiny silver bangles, a thin crown of hair sprouting, lower lip chewed by the upper one – impending teeth, tiny eyes absorbing all that’s happening around (must have been wondering what’s all the fuss about)!! Anyways, I got a peck on the nose J

Dream time. Now for the special theme cake. Oh but I had been too busy tending to the little one to even spare a thought for my cake. But my oh my, what’s this? My bro had thoughtfully got “Happy Birthday Ma” piped on the cake :)

Wow… I was celebrating my first birthday as a mommy. This would be the best cake ever.

Oh and the grandparents had called for my favourite food items – what a spread !!

No fancy party, no fancy outing, no fancy outfit, no fancy cake… Just simple happiness…

And a very yummy chocolate cake – bring on the calories…

Me out of dreamland. As I was about to bite into a chocolate loaded piece… the “carefully” selected top felt a little different… oh that’s my little one wishing me …. A very Nappy Birthday Mommy… :) :)