BRIGHT SHINES THE LIFE IN THE LOVE OF DEAR ONES
Today is my mother's 86th birth anniversary. Here she is being helped by me to cut her birthday cake sent lovingly by her grand-daughter, Pritha Chakrabarty.
Ma has been confined to bed since 20 November, 2013 after suffering a cerebral stroke that paralysed her right side and impaired her speech. Since then, through many ups and downs, she has rallied fine and remains in good spirits by the grace of Thakur-Ma-Swamiji-Gurudev. She is an initiated disciple of Swami Gahanananda and chants her mantra despite her debility.
A versatile woman of multiple talents, a designer, an exquisite singer, an artist, a poetess, a danseuse, an amateur theatre actress and a mother with a flowing heart for all, today only the last attribute distinguishes her yet as she yet draws to her the family, far-flung and receding to the remotest ends of the earth.
Sometimes early in the morning I yet hear her sing a Tagore song in perfect tune which humbles me and gives the lie to all my musical pretensions. A brilliant conversationalist who held the audience enthralled with her humour and captivating talk, now she lies in silence listening to more pedestrian talk of ours.
Our relatives are really nice and they give her the care and affection that is not always the fate of all to receive. Her loving daughter and son-in-law do more than I have seen anyone do for their dear one. In this she is blessed but, yet, sometimes she asks me when Thakur will take her away. After all it has been a paralytic confinement to a Fowler bed for over four years now and the days pass by in the care of others for one who has always been so independent.
I offer my prostration at her feet today and pray that Thakur-Ma may forever be by her side, for who else is there eternally in this 'evanescent world of dreams'?
Written by Sugata Bose
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