She has called yet again... Ah Ma not again. I get annoyed as I see the number "9980065496 AMMA" displayed on my mobile screen. How many times does she call me. She wants me to get married, have children... and umpteen advices. I would avoid discussions, tell her I am busy, or my routine phrase "nanna tale tinbeda amma" (don't eat my head). Then i got married etc...
She would call me at least once everyday to either ask about me or scold me that I have not returned back her call, or to tell about the latest article she read in her favorite magazine "Kasthuri". We would very rarely gossip, that was unlike both of us.
She would give me small tid bits about raising kids, home cleanliness etc... like any other mother. Her phone call was my strength as well as my weakness. We would fight, laugh, cry all emotions filled in our phone calls. If she didn't like what I was saying she would cut the call abruptly only to call back again from 9980065496. That one call from 9980065496...
AMMA was working, was sufficiently healthy, but concerned about her 2 daughters.
She was a very independent lady, tough to ignore. She would call anybody and everybody, till her point was heard. She had the phone number's of magazine editors, tanker water suppliers, the maid's daughter's, what else do you need she had it all.
Her mobile phone was THE most quintessential device or in fact her best friend. It would be with her all the time, safely kept below her pillow when she slept. It always had enough currency and charge, you never knew when she would need it.
All this seems like a distant past now. We both sisters are married and have settled well into our lives. And now I only stare at the contact list in my mobile "AMMA 9980065496".
AMMA succumbed to a rare form of brain cancer. In the initial days she atleast remembered who we are, she would still try and call us. But slowly she lost her memory, forgot all about us, her mobile phone and all other worldly things. She only remembered Anna (my dad). I had to reluctantly delete all contacts from her phone except ANNA's so that she wouldn't call anyone else.
Towards the end of her days she became completely opposite to her original self - slim, fair complexion, long lovely locks, sharp memory, always active and quick like mercury (she was fondly called so by her colleagues).
Now I only stare at the contact in my phone "AMMA 9980065496" yes all in caps as I always thought small letters don't give respect to elders.
The phone will no more ring for 9980065496, no more advice, no scoldings, no one who will care for me like her, no more malnad-style culinary discussions, no more literary conversations, no more maternal love, no more no more no more AMMA.
She would call me at least once everyday to either ask about me or scold me that I have not returned back her call, or to tell about the latest article she read in her favorite magazine "Kasthuri". We would very rarely gossip, that was unlike both of us.
She would give me small tid bits about raising kids, home cleanliness etc... like any other mother. Her phone call was my strength as well as my weakness. We would fight, laugh, cry all emotions filled in our phone calls. If she didn't like what I was saying she would cut the call abruptly only to call back again from 9980065496. That one call from 9980065496...
AMMA was working, was sufficiently healthy, but concerned about her 2 daughters.
She was a very independent lady, tough to ignore. She would call anybody and everybody, till her point was heard. She had the phone number's of magazine editors, tanker water suppliers, the maid's daughter's, what else do you need she had it all.
Her mobile phone was THE most quintessential device or in fact her best friend. It would be with her all the time, safely kept below her pillow when she slept. It always had enough currency and charge, you never knew when she would need it.
All this seems like a distant past now. We both sisters are married and have settled well into our lives. And now I only stare at the contact list in my mobile "AMMA 9980065496".
AMMA succumbed to a rare form of brain cancer. In the initial days she atleast remembered who we are, she would still try and call us. But slowly she lost her memory, forgot all about us, her mobile phone and all other worldly things. She only remembered Anna (my dad). I had to reluctantly delete all contacts from her phone except ANNA's so that she wouldn't call anyone else.
Towards the end of her days she became completely opposite to her original self - slim, fair complexion, long lovely locks, sharp memory, always active and quick like mercury (she was fondly called so by her colleagues).
Now I only stare at the contact in my phone "AMMA 9980065496" yes all in caps as I always thought small letters don't give respect to elders.
The phone will no more ring for 9980065496, no more advice, no scoldings, no one who will care for me like her, no more malnad-style culinary discussions, no more literary conversations, no more maternal love, no more no more no more AMMA.
