Echoes….

A 5 years old kid is running here and there on the big stone floored balcony, the old people who are busy in their work wearing thick glass spectacles, annoyingly lifting their eyebrows, reluctantly lifting their heads from big, thick books and asking each other “whose kid is this, making so much of noise..”  A plain looking woman wearing a simple saree, hurried from behind the door and apologized to the elderly person, “I am very sorry Sir, this is my kid.” She then caught hold of the kid and scolded her with her affection mixed with concern, “I told you, if you are coming to my office, don’t make any sound, others are working, so sit quietly.” The kid simply cuddled her mother as she knows this is her only world; she doesn’t like her mother coming to the office, leaving her with the Granny at home, to her the most beautiful thing is the glimpse of her mother, the most secured place is her mother’s lap, the most beautiful aroma is the smell of the saree which her mother is wearing. She looked at her mom and with the innocent smile she said “Mom, I like this balcony of your office, let me play, I won’t disturb anyone.”

“Maammum, Is this big building Didun’s Office” – my three year old kid suddenly comes running from behind and holds me asking a number of weird questions. I was totally lost in the golden moments of my childhood with my mother and suddenly I saw the present shingling the flash backs.

Yes Mom is no more with me, and today I have come to her office to complete all of her post death formalities. I have come to close her pension book forever, and to collect her arrear money. A mysterious and strong feeling of nostalgia, the memory of my childhood days, the reflection of my mother’s face have been engulfing my heart and mind and momentarily things are getting hazy in my eyes and I hardly could see anything except all the moments I spent in this building when I used to come with my mother to her office.

I felt my reflection on my kid who is as naughty as I was, running here and there in the big space disturbing everyone while I have been completing all the formalities. Yes, I have done with all my duties and now it’s time to return home. May be never again, I have to come to this building, the very sight of which is making my heart heavy, my limbs numb and my eyes filled with tears.

“Betu, let’s go, now it’s time to return”, somehow I caught hold of Mithai, my daughter and took her in my arms. While answering her babyish questions, I have been walking towards the exit gate; but suddenly I felt like visiting my mom’s sitting place once. I took Mithai back and went to that room where my mother used to sit and work. I saw the room was nearly empty with one or two people working. Most of the old staffs have retired and no new recruitment has taken place. I have been standing near Mom’s chair for a long time and may be me and only me in this entire world can see something out of nothing in that chair. I saw HER aura oozing out of the old piece of furniture and I was totally enthralled and captivated of the site, tears unknowingly filled my vision and again I was lost.

“Maammum, why you are crying” I got sensitized on my kid’s call and I took her in my arms and left the very place which was making me entirely numb.

We crossed the long corridor, the big balcony, the wide stair case and entered the garden. Nearing the exit gate, I stopped and turned once gain to glance the mammoth white structure standing proudly and with its glory for so many years; I witnessed it’s magnificence, enormity and I felt like never before. The white dome and the enormous pillars of the building have turned rubescent in the crimson rays of the setting sun, and its striking silhouette was bidding us adieu. From the far, in the distant horizon I saw my mom standing on the balcony watching me going, smiling and blessing me; I totally was mesmerized, hypnotized, engulfed with the flash backs of her life, love, family, desire, work, responsibilities, duties and above and over, hers me.