First Love: The Bowl

"Gaurav"  

Gaurav came back to his senses when he felt a touch on his shoulder. His eyes were moist but tears were not dripping.

Sitting near Gaurav, Sharma uncle said, "Son, we are with you in this hour of sorrow."

Hearing this, Gaurav realized again that his mother is no more. Gaurav could barely manage a nod. Then, raising his head, he stared at his mother lying in front of him. All the colours had vanished, everything looked white. He was perplexed as to what was going on around him. Someone was serving water in a tray, someone else was serving tea. There were biscuits also on a plate and namkeen in the bowl.

Gaurav's eye got stuck on that bowl.

"Take, son, eat something. Now you have to take care of everyone. You have to be the support for your father. If you do not eat anything, how will you gain the strength for all this?" Kaveri aunt offered the tray and said, "Now your elder brother Rahul does not live here owing to his job. Anita is also married. So you are the only one here now."

Gaurav didn't feel like eating anything but involuntarily picked up the bowl.

He held the bowl in his hand and was lost in the corridors of bygone days.

"Gaurav, take this. Look what I have brought for you." Mother yelled. Gaurav came running with a plastic bat in his hand.

"From today, this is your bowl. Look, your name is also engraved under it. Gaurav" Mother uttered while showing the bowl.

Gaurav's eyes glowed. He left the bat there only and showed his bowl to everyone.

"Now just leave the bowl, let me wash it properly" Mother took the bowl from Gaurav's hand. For once, Gaurav hesitated but gave the bowl.

"Gaurav, eat your meal ", Mother called Gaurav while placing bread on a plate and vegetable curry in a bowl.

Gaurav lifted the bowl and started looking.

"Yes, yes! This is your bowl. Now eat well and the whole bowl should be finished."

That bowl had become like a part of Gaurav. Out of all the utensils, he could always identify his bowl. If he did not get his bowl someday, he would show different tantrums.

"Bye mom, I am leaving." Gaurav was ready to go to school.

"Listen, come here. Eat this. Today is your exam. Now it will be good." The mother brought curd and sugar into the bowl.

"Mother, nothing will happen with this, it is all superstition. One has to study hard in order to get good grades" While saying, Gaurav got out of the house and his voice also became dim. Gaurav came back to the present day.

"Thank you very much, pray for the peace of our mother's soul." Rahul was saying the same thing with folded hands to everyone departing after a meal. This last ritual also took place - the thirteenth day of the mother’s death.

In the evening, everyone was tired and sitting in the courtyard. I was also changing clothes, when Gunjan said, "Hey, listen, I just had a talk with Didi, those people will probably leave tomorrow. The mother's belongings will probably be divided now. If I say something, it will not look right, as such, I don't need to think as long as you are there. Though I don’t want anything, everyone should get their right. You too are their son. The rest as you feel right. But don't hesitate to speak in front of Rahul" Hearing everything, I also went to the courtyard.

Rahul said, "Papa, I have to go back tomorrow. You understand the job obligations." He was silent, whose loud voice used to shake us in our childhood, was completely calm today. Then Anita also said "Papa, I also have to go tomorrow. Children already missed their school for so many days and husband is also alone there, no one to see them, Mother is also suffering from old age issues. The poor lady cannot even walk properly. "

"Are you listening to me", don’t know what he thought. Suddenly, the father yelled for her. Realising she is gone now he turned his face away and started avoiding eye contact. Probably, like every time, after listening about Anita's departure, he started thinking about what to gift her and in these thoughts only he called the mother.

"I was thinking that when everyone is here, why not share the mother's belongings. Everything should happen peacefully" Father just nodded his head after listening to elder brother.

The next moment Rahul's wife, Sheela brought her mother's trunk and kept it near Rahul. As if they were just waiting for their father's approval. After that Gunjan also brought tea namkeen for everyone.

"Key?" Brother said.

Anita went inside and got the key; she knew where her mother used to keep the keys.

When Gunjan brought the tray to Gaurav, he again lifted the bowl.

"Tea?" Gunjan asked.

"No, it's just fine," Gaurav said while looking at the trunk.

"Mother had given me these bangles earlier also, but I refused at that time," Sheela said.

"Okay, share everything accordingly," Rahul said.

Gunjan too sat by the side of the trunk with an empty tray. But she was not empty-handed. She too took something out of the lot.

Gradually the trunk was almost empty.

"Hey Gaurav, come here and see. Tell me what you want" Rahul said.

Gaurav was holding the bowl in his hand tightly and showed the same to everyone. "Mom already gave me what she wanted. Nothing more is needed now"

The father who was quiet till now wept bitterly and all the others were now avoiding eye contact. Gaurav went to him and hugged him tightly and said "I am right here and will handle everything."

Gaurav took his bowl and started munching and went inside.

When it comes to Love; we strive for it at a grand level and ignore small moments. We look for the monetary value of items but sometimes less valued items are more precious.