The first pilot in our maternal and paternal family is a woman, my youngest sister Shim, she renamed herself as Archana Ananda at one point in her life.
I love all my sisters and brothers. I am sharing about my little sister as it happens to be her birthday on 2nd September. Somehow whatever age she gets to be I still remember the time she toddled into my arms with love and trust oozing out of her innocent eyes, she was barely two and just made her permanent space in my almost six years ancient heart.
My parents were staying in Gandhisagar as my Baba was posted there in MP Electricity Board as the Gandhisagar dam on Chambal River was there. My parents took my three siblings in 1961 end, Shim was a month and half then, Gut a year and half and Nil three then. I went there probably 1962 later half of the year.
(https://www.travalour.com/attraction/3549-gandhi-sagar-dam)
We had a dog named Lizzy bachaa (Lizzy’s baby), Alsatian, a full grown playful child dog who seemed huge to me as he could reach Baba’s shoulders. Lizzy Bachaa was Shim’s age probably born in 1961 September too.
I have no clue how my sisters and me accepted each other so naturally. In 1963 I was very happy to go to receive them at Madan Mahal Station which I still consider my very own station near the house we lived in Wright Town Jabalpur. My selective memory remembers their happiness seeing me at the station.
Shim could get happy with little things and angry with any kind of wrong which would register in her innocent head, she remained the same on both accounts but slowly lesser things get her angry with her patience growing with acceptance of worldly matter. As a child she could demand the most impossible and beyond imaginative perception. She once asked for the gauva I had eaten or to bring back Zakir Hussain to life with her tiny feet on the wall trying to move it.
I was in a different English medium school Christ Church and my sisters were in the renowned Montessori Primary school behind the famous Home Science College of Jabalpur, one of the best as far as I am concerned in the world.
I have little recollection of the time passing, Shim and Gut would sleep with Amma, Nil with Pishi and I with Mummum.
I am sharing Shim’s words to give a glimpse into her unlimited perseverance and consistency.
‘I have given up on life on the areas of getting results according to my hard work. As I grew up I used to ask why I don’t get results based on my hard work and merit. Even after failures I kept on working hard with positive attitude only to be reminded again and again that not everyone gets the results. If I did not work hard and did not receive, I would have been okay. But life had to teach me some other stuff. I watched how some work hard and get good results and some even don’t work hard and get the results. Education, career and weight have been constant teaching. When reduced weight only after jogging one hour (3 miles) daily and doing Yog. That was one of the reasons to get divorced. Prasad did not like me going out for jogging for one hour. Yog he did not mind because I did it before he woke up and left for work at 5:45 am when rest of the people were asleep. Anil Chalese my Guru son from Nepal was learning horoscope reading from a known teacher. He gave my birthday to his teacher. The teacher said that she has such bad stars that if she is capable, educated and works hard like a principal, she will be given a Chaparasi’s position. I had Shani since I was in 11th grade. It got out past few years and again back in the form of sciatica. If I did not do Yog and followed proper eating, I would be okay if I got sciatica or any other disease. But when one does everything and does not get bare minimum, one questions life. Life gives no answer.
I do all that. That is what I have been telling. I don’t get results easily in life. But I forget about it and keep on working. Nowadays I can’t work so much. Angie came and it was very hard on me. I cooked in tears. You know how sciatica pain is. LOL!
Pen paper for what? Before bed I soak feet in hot water and meditate for a long time
Agle din ki yojna apne hisab se likh ke bana, fir foot bath (To make next day’s plan by writing then foot bathing).’
Thankfully she is out of sciatica. We sisters are so connected if one is happy others are happy and when one is in pain everyone suffers. Somehow we all consider her the wise one among us.
When we shifted to Rampur in 1966 August Shim used be responsible for dividing whatever came home and my share would be kept aside always, we had different school timings. Shim and Gut left home in me, the reason for leaving home has bypassed memory storage, but we were brought back by known considerate Rikshaw puller. Shim and Gut sat on cycle with me cycling with my hands tied, such was my sisters’ faith in me, still amazes me beyond imagination. I married early but Shim has been part of Punu Tunu’s (boys born to me) life. Not only children born to me but children born to all sisters are closer to her, it is taken as a natural process. She was barely fourteen when I went with one and half years Punu and one and half months Tunu but she took charge of Tunu, bathing him confidently. I remember the wonder in her eyes when she picked up Tunu for the first time. Nil recorded all that both the kids did. Shim periodically came to Adipur, Delhi and later Bombay during their growing years. When she came to Adipur I was shocked by her stoic silence, thinking that I had lost my sister. I was thrilled when her letter came after she went back, with choicest of her blasting words.
I could go on but what I started last year I have to put this year at least!
A very happy birthday Shim, lots of love and wishes, be seeing you soon on the way to Badri!
