Today, my memory takes me back to the days of the mid-1970s in Nagaon. The newly constituted Officers' Club would buzz with life on weekends. Besides games and fun, the club would resonate with cultural activities, and we young children were given the opportunity to showcase our talents, be it in dance, music or elocution.
Among the large number of uncles and aunties who would visit the club, my favourites were the dynamic Hussain uncle and auntie, who often brought tasty homemade snacks and dishes. Slowly, our bond extended beyond the club to family relations, with classical music being a dominant factor.
As our parents were in transferable jobs, the families parted ways, only to reconnect in the 1980s in Guwahati. Now, that friendship has lasted for nearly half a century. A woman of many qualities, cooking was her forte. One would also marvel at the dexterity of her fingers as she knitted sweaters.
Auntie travelled quite extensively, but Delhi was her favourite destination. Many a time, when I enquired, I would get the reply, "Oh, she is in Delhi with her sons and will be there for a couple of months." She went there one last time in June. I was told that she had no complaints about the Delhi summer and was enjoying the seasonal mangoes and ice cream. Unfortunately, her health suddenly deteriorated, and on August 29, she breathed her last. She was laid to rest beside uncle in Guwahati. I realised that a generation of elderly people whom we looked up to was slowly diminishing. Honestly, that day, I lost my Maa once more.
Today, on the solemn occasion of her Chalisa, I pay my heartfelt tribute to auntie and pray for the eternal peace of her noble soul.
–Indrani Talukdar
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