Gobsmacked is a word that is not extensively used in our part of the world. We are still content with the use of 'Awesome' and down south the exaggerated 'sooooooper'. I could think of this as awesome or soooooper but when something is gobsmacking it is literally that. You cant but help smack yourself again and again and trust me I couldnt when I met my 86-year old Mami, Vasant Mami. I've always been her favourite boy and she never hid it. Whether it was the absolutely mouth-watering aloo mutter and hot puris that she would dish out everytime I visited her in bangalore in their warm and cosy house at Malleshwaram, or now, almost 7 years since we last met.
After the death of her husband, she moved to Mumbai to live with her daughter. We thought she would relax that indomitable spirit of hers by spending more time reminiscing the great times she had.86 is a longgg innings. But no, rest and her? they seemed miles apart. True to her fiesty nature, she would get up early morning, go for her custom one hour walk (without a walking stick) chat up with almost every second person she'd meet on the way, pick up vegetables and return while the rest of the world slowly woke up. The one hour walk is followed by keeping an eagles eye on the maid that cooks. Every bit of masala that goes into the sambar or the chutney must be perfect else a friendly frown appears and then she does what the maid dreads. She takes over. This was followed by a long chat on the phone where she played agony aunts to many and her advise was always the same. " Why are you worrying so much? Is it in your control? If it is then change it instead of worrying so muhc? If it isnt, then why worry? These and a few more tips of hers appeared to calm frayed nerves. Although Im not so sure if it was merely the words she said or the soothing way in which she said it. It would soothe like a balm.
Whether it is the blistering heat of the Mumbai Summer or the unforgiving monsoons, Vasant Mami would make her visit to the market mandatory. She would volunteer to pick do up some of the daily chores. She feels left out if people didnt give her responsibilities (more out of love and respect than age) and would bulldoze her way into getting something to do.
Such is her undiminished enthusiasm that when she knew mom and me were coming to see her (we made a sudden plan), she went to the market herself to buy fruits since she knew mom loves fruits and painstakingly oversaw an entire gujju meal with the Aloo Mutter being the central attraction. She admitted that it had been ages since she made aloo mutter but my coming was enough motivation.
During that mos memorable meal, I found out that Vasant Mami travels 5-6 times a year sometimes through peak summer across the country to Delhi, sometimes to US and Canada all by herself. Whenever shes comes here to Pune to meet her grandson, she goes for a 45-minute swim, an hour on the treadmill. I cant believe this. I seriously cant. I mean for God sake the lady had a hip replacement surgery just a few years ago. The doctors were very worried if she'd handle the anaesthesia well enough and advised her well wishers that her chances of 100% recovery were bleak. Just before the surgery, the surgeon came over to her ward and asked her rather hesitantly "Are you feeling nervous?". She burst out laughing " When I am in the hands of such a dynamic and able young man like you, should I be nervous????" No matter how you are as a person, those words are enough to make you feel that you can indeed conquer the world. The surgery went of well and she was back in action in no time. I've seen much younger people struggle, crib and suffer during hte recovery of a hip replacement surgery but no, not Vasant Mami.
And shes 86 years old...or pardon me shes 86 years young. Its us who are getting older by the day and more so in our heads. People like Vasant Mami never grow old and thats why they gobsmack you. I have made a promise to myself that I will visit her once every month. Moment spent with our loved ones are precious. Like the Master Card advert would read. 'Travelling to Mumbai: Rs.300, Having aloo mutter and spending time with your favourite Mami: Priceless"
