I was born into a joint family where
Joy was shared, sorrow was shared, people were shared.....
While the joy and sorrow i am talking about was a routine thing but the people which are shared holds significance here. It has been long time since we left ancestral house, there are fresh blooming moments alive deep in my grey matter. Thinking about those times, i am amused at the level of patience, tolerance, care and love each member holds for every other.
Presence of many elderly members taught us to stand every time any of them enters our rooms. "Namaste" with joined hands was the only way to welcome guests and being kids this was always skipped by us thinking that people will forget this by the time visitor leave. Our assumptions used to shattered as soon as gates were closed after bidding good bye. Me and sis used to stand like accused, making no eye contact with grand parents, listening to all the curses made to our "careless attitude", "english medium education" and definitely to some more other factors which i don't remember now.
Every time a new thing was bought for kitchen, wardrobe even for the bathrooms it was showed to my grand parents with every minute details as to why it was required, how and when it was purchased. Mamma used to wake up the moment she used to hear her MIL getting active in morning. Every festivity used to be grand and our "Baccha party" used to run around the whole premises telling everyone about what all is happening at the other place.
Kids held less importance (as compared to a single child is pampered in nuclear families) and mothers wished to send us out while doing their household chores, infact who needed them when the only thing they would have suggested is to STUDY. Guests, In Laws, cooking, cleaning used to top their priority lists. Acquiring bed at 9 was a habit and that was the only time we were shown affection and care and we too responded with enthusiasm about every activity we did.
My grandma somehow did not liked me watching TV and hence entertainment was limited to watching mythology. ("Jai Hanuman", "Shree Krishna" are few of those) While me and sis always schemed for watching chitrahaar by any means.
December used to be the most merry making time when our cousins used to visit. Gang used to expand, reach redefined, fresh faces (blossoming with the joy of overcoming HALF-YEARLY), new games used to be introduced, food breaks were frequent when all of us used to have it in 1 plate sitting in circular arrangement.
Coming down at the memory lane, i now find this experience missing from my system (surroundings, thought process, attitude and beliefs). Touch of rough guiding hands is lost, harsh voices to make me scare is no more alive, restricting minds are buried somewhere and to speak the truth i enjoyed every moment of being free from all these shackles, every time i broke any of their rules i celebrated my success.
Perhaps the effect and values built in me during those days of peaceful co-existence is yet to be discovered.....
Joy was shared, sorrow was shared, people were shared.....
While the joy and sorrow i am talking about was a routine thing but the people which are shared holds significance here. It has been long time since we left ancestral house, there are fresh blooming moments alive deep in my grey matter. Thinking about those times, i am amused at the level of patience, tolerance, care and love each member holds for every other.
Presence of many elderly members taught us to stand every time any of them enters our rooms. "Namaste" with joined hands was the only way to welcome guests and being kids this was always skipped by us thinking that people will forget this by the time visitor leave. Our assumptions used to shattered as soon as gates were closed after bidding good bye. Me and sis used to stand like accused, making no eye contact with grand parents, listening to all the curses made to our "careless attitude", "english medium education" and definitely to some more other factors which i don't remember now.
Every time a new thing was bought for kitchen, wardrobe even for the bathrooms it was showed to my grand parents with every minute details as to why it was required, how and when it was purchased. Mamma used to wake up the moment she used to hear her MIL getting active in morning. Every festivity used to be grand and our "Baccha party" used to run around the whole premises telling everyone about what all is happening at the other place.
Kids held less importance (as compared to a single child is pampered in nuclear families) and mothers wished to send us out while doing their household chores, infact who needed them when the only thing they would have suggested is to STUDY. Guests, In Laws, cooking, cleaning used to top their priority lists. Acquiring bed at 9 was a habit and that was the only time we were shown affection and care and we too responded with enthusiasm about every activity we did.
My grandma somehow did not liked me watching TV and hence entertainment was limited to watching mythology. ("Jai Hanuman", "Shree Krishna" are few of those) While me and sis always schemed for watching chitrahaar by any means.
December used to be the most merry making time when our cousins used to visit. Gang used to expand, reach redefined, fresh faces (blossoming with the joy of overcoming HALF-YEARLY), new games used to be introduced, food breaks were frequent when all of us used to have it in 1 plate sitting in circular arrangement.
Coming down at the memory lane, i now find this experience missing from my system (surroundings, thought process, attitude and beliefs). Touch of rough guiding hands is lost, harsh voices to make me scare is no more alive, restricting minds are buried somewhere and to speak the truth i enjoyed every moment of being free from all these shackles, every time i broke any of their rules i celebrated my success.
Perhaps the effect and values built in me during those days of peaceful co-existence is yet to be discovered.....
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