Ma

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Thursday, 23 June 2011
She jumped at the sound and sat straight on the bed. It was 6.15. She was already late. The water supply will stop in another 15 minutes. She rushed out of the room and started filling the buckets and the water tank.
Her daughter, Aaliya, was also disturbed by the alarm. But she was used to it. She just had to ignore it for a couple of minutes and then it would go off automatically. She never, even once, got up to think about her mother who had slept at 1.30 last night and still woke up just in time for their daily water requirements.
Aaliya took it for granted that her mother will get up on time each day and do all that she has to, to ensure that the house runs smoothly.
But what if one day, just like her Dad or herself, Ma also wants to sleep for some extra hours because she was tired? What will happen to the water requirements? And the breakfast, lunch, the clothes that have to be washed daily, the dusting, and those numerous daily chores?
It was assumed in the house that the mother was Goddess Durga with eight hands!
She cannot, or may be cannot afford to, have these irrational thoughts in her mind.
Not that she has ever cribbed about it or said that she wants to take a break. But then, every 6 months, her Dad and Aaliya want a break. From their hectic working hours and their stressful lives. Then why doesn’t she?
It was time somebody asked her this. And so the daughter decided, “Today when I get back home, I will ask her these questions and will make sure that she gets what she deserves.”

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