One more example of life’s dramatic turns.
Sapna was with Akshay and Muskan, on 27th night,
enjoying a good wedding reception in Hydrabad, Vijay Bhagwandas Dodeja’s one
and only daughter Bhavni was getting married to Sapna’s relative. She informed
Akshay that Savitri Aunty was getting discharged from hospital in morning, her
stein has worked well and she is ok now. Flow of life turned, and suddenly Savitri
Aunty was no more in morning of 28th. I rushed to Santacruz for her
last rites, along with Mummy – Lali – Manju – Avi – Pinky. When Sapna meet me
at Santacruz, she remarked, just 12 hours back I was at wedding with your son,
and now I am with you, for Antim Yatra!
And to add more drama
Tulsidas mama is also hospitalized for sever Jaundice in same hospital. He was
also very critical.
Savitri Bajaj
My third number mami, third one to go.
Dad used to say that ‘she is most typical shikarpuri woman.
Even though not educated in modern terms, she is very modern, aware of her
surrounding socially, economically, spiritually.’ She was very good source of
information on sindhi relatives, well aware of happing in and around her.
One
of the very few families are connected with south Mumbai, and she was one of
them. And she will share hard facts without any biased or ulterior objective.
And after Dad, I replaced him in respect of gossiping and
exchanging notes with her on regular basis. But my range was at gossiping level
of immediate family. Just few weeks back I spoke with her for 42 minutes. And
this was norm. I had reduced my interaction with her, due to my other pressing
matters, earlier, one call in 15 days with her was necessary, more so for me.
My earliest memory of her is, she sitting with Nani, taking
stock of cloths with ‘Dhobi’. My tiny mind registered a picture of Two
Nani’s, one unnecessary scolding me for jumping on pile of cloths, accumulated for
dhobi. Nani will scold, saying ‘Lughi Vanday..’ [will get hurt] and aunty will
protect by saying let the kid play. And after death of official Nani in year 1972,
Savitri Aunty was defacto Nani for me. I used to tease her as proxy Nani and
she would enjoy that.
Laxman Nivas has seen
four Yugs. Satya Yug was when Laxman Nivas was one story building, our Nani
used to rule, I was ‘nikker walla’ small boy along with our gang of five. It
was totally chilled out period. Than came Tritya Yug. Family division bisected
Laxman Nivas, horizontally. Most of the edlers of Satya Yug were no more, the
young couples of Satyug were now elders. We ‘nikker – gang’ were married and
raising our own family. After two decades, in ‘Dwapar’ Yug, one story building
was replaced with 6 story tall structure. Our Nikker – gang was now counted in
(early) ‘elder’s’ stage. The kids of gang were now married and raising own
family, in simple words, turned into grandparents.
In all this turmoil, Savitri Aunty – Rajkumari Aunty and
Mummy are strong thread, bringing the culture of Satya Yugh to Dwapar Yugh. The
cultural transition, passing of ‘Sanskars’ and Values was through them only. And
I believe Savtri Aunty was torch
bearer of anchorage of the Bajaj family. Many will disagree with me but she
really had subtle influence and was more direct and verbal.
Today, she has left us, leaving Nikker – Gang as family
elders, [all are now grand parents]. How Mummy, Rajkumari Aunty, Jyoti, Kanika
etc will handle her loss, I do not know, but I will remember her laugher over
the phone line on my silly comments, her concern and gentle advise for others. She
will have always wise words in handling of DIL’s, raising children, solving
matrimonial issues.
I specifically remember, she saying, ‘Babloo, you are eldest
brother, so forgive and forget Sanjay and try to patch up with him.’ Mind you,
she did not have any soft corner for Sanjay neither he had requested her to say
such thing, it was her wisdom, her culture, her foresight.
by P G Dodeja
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