Snowy Evenings

Our family was heading towards Shimla to attend a funeral.

Funeral of someone we had known since last month.

A few months back my mother was becoming insomniac getting restless every other night. She was not diseased but something was troubling her a lot. She told us that she saw herself in the dreams looking at the snow-clad mountains outside the window. The other day she saw herself amid snowy evenings playing with a young girl. That young girl called her ‘Memsaab’. My father was not able to understand her condition and so he consulted a psychiatrist. Even after several visits and medication my mother was not fine.

One afternoon while chopping vegetables she was singing an English song. I was stunned as my mother was educated in Hindi medium school and never heard any English songs. Dadi was terrified and considered that it was some black magic or an evil eye. The doctor asked my father to take her to someplace where she could find snow. My father booked tickets to Manali.

When we three were on the bus to Manali my mother fell asleep and suddenly mumbled “It's Shimla.. it's Shimla.”Now it was my father's turn to get amazed. As we reached Manali we took a cab to Shimla. We stayed in a hotel. Mumma was happy looking at the mountains and was calm. The next day we went to Mall Road when we heard the church bell ring. Suddenly Mumma followed the sound and entered the church. My father was astounded and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her singing in the choir inside the church. Then she lighted a candle and said her prayers. She was deaf to my father’s calls. I was scared and wanted her back. I started crying badly and then she came to me.

“What we all are doing here? Why are you crying Chintu? What happened Aditya why are you looking so lost?” she enquired unaware of what all she did a few minutes ago. I was sure my mother has some connection with snow. In the evening we witnessed snowfall for the first time in our lives. My mother started dancing at the sight of snow all around. The next day in the morning she was not in her bed. We both ran outside and found her heading towards a cottage. We didn't call her and followed. She rang the bell and an old age woman opened the door.

“Memsaab!” the lady screamed and hugged my Mumma. “I can't believe my eyes. Saheb see who has come to meet you.”She took her inside. We two also went inside and were shocked. There were many photographs of my mother in old-fashioned clothes. There was an old man inside the room who was crying holding the hands of my mother.

“Aditi.” my father shouted and suddenly my mother got up.

“Where am I? Aditya what are we doing here?” poor Mumma unaware.

The old lady asked us to sit and said, “She is my Memsaab Chritine, wife of lieutenant Thomas. She loved snowy winter's evening and so Saheb bought this cottage for her. When Saheb was in England during Second World War we both used to live here. During one snowfall she went outside and never came back. We never found her body. And see God's miracle that he has sent her again to see her beloved husband."

We all were teary-eyed and watched old albums, paintings of Mumma during her earlier life. Saheb gave my mother her old jewellery and we promised him to visit again.

And today we were going to see him last time. After all the rituals the old lady handed some papers to Mumma and a letter...

"Christine it was my love that brought you back. Now I'm beginning my journey to other world. This cottage belongs to you. Enjoy your snowy evenings here. Love and blessings."