Alu Mami had just one last wish... actually two!
She wanted to Visit The Iran Shah and ... eat Salli Par Idu.
She had been living in the 'Home for the Aged' since the past fifteen years, after her children almost abandoned her.
Behram, with his cousin, would visit the 'Home for the Aged' to see his paternal uncle.
One day he happen to offer jelly sweets, which he had brought from Panchgani, to Alu Billimoria.
Those jelly sweets were just the beginning of a new sweet relationship between Behram and Alu Billimoria. Behram started referring her to as Alu Mami, as he felt, she resembled his favorite Mami.
Whenever he would visit 'The Home' with his cousin, he made sure, he would spend time with Alu Mami.
Alu Mami had five sons and one daughter. All married and settled in their lives. Since none of them wanted to take the responsibility of their ailing mother they had decided to keep her in the 'Home for the Aged'. They paid the bills regularly but visits, once in a while .
She had been operated on her left leg after an accident. Unfortunately the operated leg became shorter than the other one. After which taking care of her became like a burden for her progeny.
They passed on their burden to the staff at 'The Home', which was attached to the hospital where she had been operated.
She had two unfulfilled wishes one of visiting the Iran Shah and the other of having Salli Par Idu.
She shared the wish of visiting the Iran Shah with Behram a number of times.
Behram thought of speaking to one of her children but was discouraged by the senior Matron of 'The Home'. She explained that none of them were interested in fulfilling any of her wishes and were simply waiting for her to depart so the Ancestral property which was in her name would be inherited by them.
The Old Matron felt for her the same way that probably Behram did. But there was only so much she could do. So, one day, Behram and the Old Matron planned a 'break away'.
Since the old matron herself was in charge of the daily rounds it wasn't going to be very difficult.
The only part Behram was worried about was, any of her children visiting her; which, of course, was a very minimal chance.
Behram suggested that they should choose an auspicious day to visit the Iran Shah. The Matron was of the opinion that there couldn't be a better day then the day she was going to fulfill her long cherished wish so might as well do it on any day.
Behram got his Tata Indica Vista and the Matron with her confidante Staff quietly sneaked Alu Mami out. The Matron didn't want the other inmates to know of the 'break away'.
Alu Mami was given an early bath. She wore a new floral Gavan and lots of talcum Powder and cologne water. As she walked out of the main entrance of The Home, Behram simply looked at her and smiled. The Matron wished him good luck with gestures.
The ride began at six a.m. from Dadar and the first halt was going to be a special surprise for Alu Mami. The monsoon was just around the corner but the sky didn't give any hints of the first shower.
Alu Mami asked him if he had some old songs to play to which he said he had only old songs. "Kishore ne Lata chalse?" he asked.
She said, "Suraiya and Rafi?"
Ta ra ri aa ra ri aa ra ri
Ta ra ri aa ra ri aa ra ri
Ye saavan rut tum aur ham
Ta ra ra ra ram ta ra ra ra ram
Ta ram pam ta ram pam
Ta ra ram pam un un
Ta ra ri aa ra ri aa ra ri
Ta ra ri aa ra ri aa ra ri
Dil naache re chham-chham-chham
Ta ra ra ra ram ta ra ra ra ram
Ta ram pam ta ram pam
Ta ra ram pam ...
played on, while they sailed through a smooth drive on the NH 8 towards Alu Mami's wish.
Alu Mami knew the exact lyrics of the song and sang along. She had a wonderful voice.
8:30 a.m. they reached Ahura Hotel after passing Charoti.
That was the surprise for Alu Mami.
Behram ordered a Salli Par Idu and Kheema pav with Chai.
When the Salli par Idu arrived on the table, the delight on Alu Mami's heart fluttered through her being and manifested in form of tears rolling down her cheeks.
Behram, jokingly, wiped her tears and said , "Alu mami ai badha tamhara moti jevha assu Ida par parse to Sali par Idu Kharu Thai Jase , chalo melodrama band, ne Khao."
He fed the first morsel to her.
She relished every bit of it with her dentures on. The happiness and fulfillment on her face was something that Behram had never seen before on her face not even when she ate the jelly sweets or talked about her kids.
She tasted the Kheema pav and ordered for one more tea.
The onward journey began towards Udwada.
Alu Mami wore her topi the moment we turned after the level crossing. She asked Behram to stop for a while near the entrance arch of the Udvada station. She had so much wanted to be there with her entire clan.
All through till the Iran Shah; she kept talking about, how she with her husband and six kids would visit Udvada by the Virar Shuttle and then travel by horse cart from the station to King hotel.
She was sad to learn that the King hotel wasn't there any more. She had fond memories of the beach facing room where The Owner would join them to play rummy and flush.
It wasn't any special day so Udvada Gam had a deserted look.
We entered the Iran Shah and when I was about to take the Sukhad she expressed her shock to see the size of the Sandalwood pieces. She said she would prefer feeding two poor kids instead of buying such expensive Sandalwood.
After washing our hands and offering Kusti prayers we stepped into the shrine.
I offered her the Avesta to read. She with gestures conveyed that she had her own prayers to offer.
The reflection of the Atash, The Holy Fire in her gratitude filled eyes was hazy.
She prayed for just a while with moist eyes .
We went upto the Kua and then the old Sanctum.
Behram was curious to know what was her prayer ritual like.
He had heard her murmur something in English. She shared with him,
Thank you God for giving me all that I have.
Thank you for having given me the best of my times which make beautiful memories today.
Thank you for this angel like stranger who has fulfilled my long cherished wishes. I wish all his wishes be fulfilled.
Behram realized there wasn't a single complain in her prayer and only gratitude.
Alu Mami insisted she wanted to walk till the tailor shop which also once upon a time sold Goti wali soda.
They walked slowly through the one single lane which led to the shop which housed modern day colas and, of course, Raspberry and ginger of some local make.
Alu mami insisted that she would treat Behram with a Raspberry .
At the bench attached to the shop they sat and relished the Raspberry .
As for the Goti Wali Soda the shopkeeper's take was that the colas ate them up long back.
Their stay was at the Station Ni Dharmshala. After a sumptuous meal of Dhandhar patyo, Tareli boi and mango ice cream Alu Mami wanted to take a nap.
While having the evening tea Behram received a call from the Matron that all of Alu Mami's six children were wanting to come and see her next day since they wanted her to make a decision regarding distribution of the property. The Matron had tried convincing them to postpone their visit but they didn't budge.
Since they all were coming from different cities, and they had planned it already, it wasn't going to be easy for making any changes to their plan. Individually, each one had tried pursuing her Alu Mami to distribute her property and gold but she never gave in to their greed.
The Matron requested Behram to be back as soon as possible, next morning.
After an early dinner of Rai no papeto, Masoor ma gosh and Custard both went off to sleep early since next morning they had to be back before the Billiomoria clan would arrive.
Alu Mami woke up before Behram and had her early morning tea. Packed the Sarya, Pappad and Mint for Behram she had bought previous afternoon.
She woke Behram up and said, "Sodhvade akha gam ma elokone, javade ahiyej rahi jayeye!"
Behram knew she was kidding and said he didn't want to take that risk since even the Matron's job was at stake.
She agreed only on one condition! On their way back they would again take a halt at Ahura and eat Salli par Idu one more time. Behram agreed!
Main Tera Chand tu Meri Chandni
played, while it drizzled. It was the first monsoon shower and Behram was sure Alu Mami would have something yet again up her sleeve. She did!
When they stopped at Ahura she insisted that they soak themselves in the drizzle and then relish some Garam Garam Chai and... Salli par Idu, of course!
The Matron was getting jittery by the minute and she called again. Behram assured her that they shall be at Dadar before 11 a.m.
The Billimoria siblings reached 'The Home' at 11:30 a.m. with a lawyer. The staff informed them that Alu Mami was having bath and she would join them soon.
Thankfully, Behram and Alu Mami reached at 11:45, drenched in the monsoon shower. They were escorted by the other staff from the back door.
Alu Mami gave a big long hug to Behram and Behram reciprocated with a kiss on her forehead. The Matron gestured from the lobby to hurry up and just in the nick of time Alu Mami landed in her room. The Matron explained to the Billimoria progeny that Alu Mami was being very forgetful and would mostly take bath with her clothes on. They hardly cared.
Post midnight Behram 's phone rang.
Matron informed him that Alu Mami had left them for ever. The paidas was in the morning and she insisted that Behram should be there since all her children were back on their way to their respective homes. Behram rushed to the old age home where he learnt from the Matron that the Billiomoria siblings got her to sign her will whereby all her gold jewelry, which was quite something and her ancestral Villa in Panchrai Gam, the Mumbai home all would be sold and distributed equally.
Alu Mami had evaded signing of the documents before but somehow that day she signed it happily. In fact, she had a strange smile on her face while signing the documents. The Matron informed.
"She had been writing something on the notepad" the Matron said pointing at the notepad.
Afsana Likh Rahi hoon ...
All my life I spent raising Six children single-handedly. It wasn't easy after the early demise of my beloved Rustom.
I probably fell in the trap of believing that they were kids without a father and so they should have everything they want. In doing so, I somewhere raised a bunch of selfish individuals who didn't respect the fact that their mother raised them alone but...
Sunna Chandi Ni keemmat Kya sudhi
Pran Pakheru udi na jai tya sudhi
Gadi Bungla Ni keemmat Kya sudhi
Aaa udhar Ni saanson chalti reh tya sudhi
Behram dikra, thank you so much for having fulfilled my wish of visiting the Iran Shah, once, before I leave to be with my Rustom forever.
Sali par Idu wali waat, I am sure The matron must have told you
Je tuye parka thaine apyun te potika kyare Nahin aapi shakya...
Je elokone joitu hotu... eloko ne aapi didhu
Tare mate ave ej bachyu je tane jayuch
Ghana Ghana Ashirwad, haan ne Sarya Papad ne Mint theli maan che.
Tara wala Alu Mami
*Do catch up, next Sunday, with your late morning cup of tea or maybe coffee. KEki kaKA will be sharing his next tale...
If you feel something in the blog touched you, if KEki kaKA reminds you of someone you have known, do write to me at nozzer.p@gmail.com
*If you missed KEki kaKA's introduction, Click here.
*If you missed The Promise, Click Here.