This post is dedicated to my parents, who mean the world and more to me...
We are in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), its early morning; the snow fall from the previous night has cast a white shimmering blanket over the city. My mother is pulling me along on a sledge; I am lost in my own rhythm enjoying the warmth of the morning sun, watching the sledge cut through the snow. I am on my way to my Jyetskisad (Kindergarten School)
This is but one of the fondest memories of my childhood and I can't seem to remember any without my parents in it.
Since the time I gained senses I have known my parents to be always by my side, they have loved me, guided me, encouraged me, inspired me and have influenced my life in ways I cannot even out in words, what follows is a feeble attempt at this leviathan task ...
I will never forget how when I ask her "Mummy marble cake bana do, please", or "aaj khaane mein chhole bhature" my mother spends those extra hours in the kitchen to fulfill my request.
Neither will I forget how my father drove 13 Kms every alternate day after work to pick me up form my coaching classes, just so I wouldn't have to go through the ordeal of having to travel in the bus at the end of the day.
Even as I start to ponder over the question...
"What has been the role of my parents in my life?"
I am overwhelmed at how much my parents have sacrificed for me and my sister's sake.
Every bit of who I am today is because some where down the lane my father encouraged me to be so, every bit of my achievements can be attributed to the fact that my mother worked through sleepless nights with me, occasionally making me that wonderful cup of tea in the wee hours of the morning, I realize now that it was not the tea but the love and encouragement that came with every cup, which gave me the zeal to work.
"Mummy, even though she herself was not literate, always tried her best to give us the best possible education" my mother told me when I started preparing for IITJEE "and that's what I have worked for with you." Those words have had a very strong impact on me, probably for the fact that my grandma passed away when my mother was relatively young. True to her word my mother has never compromised when it came to me and my sister's education; she's always been there to help with the studies, whether it's the simple multiplication problem or the complex Ketone reaction, I still remember how she taught me the unitary method in her own way, I use it to date.
"Always look at the brighter side" my father tells. My father is my mentor; he's taught me how to look at everything form a rational, logical and practical perspective. His way of handling situations; his calmness even though the most heated arguments; his capability of analyzing literally anything, right to the roots, and putting down its pros and cons has never ceased to amaze me. Those evening walks with him, discussing just about anything and every thing have made me a wiser person.
"I can only talk from my experiences, you can choose to learn from them" that's what he maintains. He instills me a realistic approach, the rationale to rejoice victory but not drown in it and the power to accept defeat, and making a learning experience out of it.
"My dadaji was a poor man; he used to live in a village and ran a printing press for livelihood. My father managed to make it to Lucknow, a big achievement considering that Lucknow was the capital of the sate and a metropolitan. I made it to New Delhi
You are well on your way to continue the tradition"
Mentioned my father a few days before the JEE at the dinner table. These words will never cease to encourage and inspire me.
A shlok in Sanskrit talks about the troubles that one's parents go through in the upbringing of a child and that the child should serve his parents in any possible was possible, because he would never be able to repay his parents for their sacrifices, he is indebted to them for eternity.
Sometimes I spend sleepless nights questioning myself if I would live up to what my parents want me to be, this thought even scares me sometimes, I shudder at the thought of my parents dreams being shattered because of my failure. Because the best way of repaying, if that is what it can be called at all, ,my parents is to grow up to be what they wanted me to be. This is the driving force in my life, I try my best at anything I take up, because if nothing else I owe it to my parents, and that's reason enough.
So coming back to the original question, this is how I found an answer...
The panditji in the close by Hanuman Mandir asked me one day,
"Tumne kabhi Bhagwan ko dekha hai?"
"nahin...", I replied.
"Sach mein? Maine to dekha hai."
"aapne Bhagwan ko dekha hai?", I asked with obvious surprise
"haan, dhyaan se dekho tumhe bhi dikhenge"
I guess the quizzical look on my face, told him not to expect an answer.
"dekho woh rahe bhagwan..." he said gesturing to my parents.
I finally had an answer to my question; I see every form of god in my parents. Yes, that's the role of my parents in my life.
"Manhar ko bachpan se mandiron se bada lagaav hai, jo bhi naya mandir dekhta hai, us mein jana chahata hai",my mother often mentions.
I used to wondered, how could I possibly be fascinated by Mandirs even before I realised their significance.
But then I guess I saw my parent's reflection in the gods.
We are in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), its early morning; the snow fall from the previous night has cast a white shimmering blanket over the city. My mother is pulling me along on a sledge; I am lost in my own rhythm enjoying the warmth of the morning sun, watching the sledge cut through the snow. I am on my way to my Jyetskisad (Kindergarten School)
This is but one of the fondest memories of my childhood and I can't seem to remember any without my parents in it.
Since the time I gained senses I have known my parents to be always by my side, they have loved me, guided me, encouraged me, inspired me and have influenced my life in ways I cannot even out in words, what follows is a feeble attempt at this leviathan task ...
I will never forget how when I ask her "Mummy marble cake bana do, please", or "aaj khaane mein chhole bhature" my mother spends those extra hours in the kitchen to fulfill my request.
Neither will I forget how my father drove 13 Kms every alternate day after work to pick me up form my coaching classes, just so I wouldn't have to go through the ordeal of having to travel in the bus at the end of the day.
Even as I start to ponder over the question...
"What has been the role of my parents in my life?"
I am overwhelmed at how much my parents have sacrificed for me and my sister's sake.
Every bit of who I am today is because some where down the lane my father encouraged me to be so, every bit of my achievements can be attributed to the fact that my mother worked through sleepless nights with me, occasionally making me that wonderful cup of tea in the wee hours of the morning, I realize now that it was not the tea but the love and encouragement that came with every cup, which gave me the zeal to work.
"Mummy, even though she herself was not literate, always tried her best to give us the best possible education" my mother told me when I started preparing for IITJEE "and that's what I have worked for with you." Those words have had a very strong impact on me, probably for the fact that my grandma passed away when my mother was relatively young. True to her word my mother has never compromised when it came to me and my sister's education; she's always been there to help with the studies, whether it's the simple multiplication problem or the complex Ketone reaction, I still remember how she taught me the unitary method in her own way, I use it to date.
"Always look at the brighter side" my father tells. My father is my mentor; he's taught me how to look at everything form a rational, logical and practical perspective. His way of handling situations; his calmness even though the most heated arguments; his capability of analyzing literally anything, right to the roots, and putting down its pros and cons has never ceased to amaze me. Those evening walks with him, discussing just about anything and every thing have made me a wiser person.
"I can only talk from my experiences, you can choose to learn from them" that's what he maintains. He instills me a realistic approach, the rationale to rejoice victory but not drown in it and the power to accept defeat, and making a learning experience out of it.
"My dadaji was a poor man; he used to live in a village and ran a printing press for livelihood. My father managed to make it to Lucknow, a big achievement considering that Lucknow was the capital of the sate and a metropolitan. I made it to New Delhi
You are well on your way to continue the tradition"
Mentioned my father a few days before the JEE at the dinner table. These words will never cease to encourage and inspire me.
A shlok in Sanskrit talks about the troubles that one's parents go through in the upbringing of a child and that the child should serve his parents in any possible was possible, because he would never be able to repay his parents for their sacrifices, he is indebted to them for eternity.
Sometimes I spend sleepless nights questioning myself if I would live up to what my parents want me to be, this thought even scares me sometimes, I shudder at the thought of my parents dreams being shattered because of my failure. Because the best way of repaying, if that is what it can be called at all, ,my parents is to grow up to be what they wanted me to be. This is the driving force in my life, I try my best at anything I take up, because if nothing else I owe it to my parents, and that's reason enough.
So coming back to the original question, this is how I found an answer...
The panditji in the close by Hanuman Mandir asked me one day,
"Tumne kabhi Bhagwan ko dekha hai?"
"nahin...", I replied.
"Sach mein? Maine to dekha hai."
"aapne Bhagwan ko dekha hai?", I asked with obvious surprise
"haan, dhyaan se dekho tumhe bhi dikhenge"
I guess the quizzical look on my face, told him not to expect an answer.
"dekho woh rahe bhagwan..." he said gesturing to my parents.
I finally had an answer to my question; I see every form of god in my parents. Yes, that's the role of my parents in my life.
"Manhar ko bachpan se mandiron se bada lagaav hai, jo bhi naya mandir dekhta hai, us mein jana chahata hai",my mother often mentions.
I used to wondered, how could I possibly be fascinated by Mandirs even before I realised their significance.
But then I guess I saw my parent's reflection in the gods.
posted by Photon at
11:56 AM
