A TRIBUTE TO A MOTHER

You are the most beautiful gift God has ever gifted me;

You are the icon of Love and If need be, you would happily lay down your precious life for me.

The day I was conceived, you showed your first love by shunning away from all those foods that would harm my ever developing fragile body.

You smothered your delicacies so that I may be nourished with the most balanced dietary. Your amazing sharp acumen lead you to amass those things required after my birth. Even you went so far to order for a cradle. But that desire of yours had been fulfilled by a friend by presenting you a skilfully woven bamboo cradle.Others tried to help you with bamboo made dome shaped shade“(Tapa)”to dry wet napkins during the rainy seasons Your regular check-up as per the Doctor’s advice was another struggle and competition with similar expecting mothers.

To stand in queue while waiting for the Doctor’s appointment was another hectic problem with extra added load to carry. The process was to be continued till whole nine months. But you persevered and did not complain. Rather you were emotionally overwhelmed to visualise, what would I be looking like if I ever made it in this new environment. That thought yours’ had brought a brilliant and radiant smile running across your mien.

As I was big in size, all friends and well-wishers gave you adviceto carry on with the regular exercises and walking. In your case the walking on the roadside had become another milestone to achieve because of the extended stomach. Most of the time your inflated stomach obstructed the view below and missed the steps. At times you fell down but you did not let any harm come to me. For a considerable long month your ungainly movement tried to confine you in the house but you defied the psychological barrier often by visiting friends and the relatives.

You starved so that I would be properly nourished,

Oddly balanced, you carried me in you for nine long months. Your labour pain at the time of my birth was so horrible, filled with excruciating pain. But you endured all the challenges with great fortitude. That was evident in your countenance, “a broad smile of unfeigned delight.”

 You were all wet with perspiration, yet when I was born, there was nothing that could dampen your spirited happiness.

 You cuddled me, hugged me and kissed me and fed me with painful swollen breast, enduring and engulfing all the pain by bringing a smile on your face.

 Now and then my razor sharp teeth would inflict deep wounds in your tender nipple. For that was the only moment I was separated from you but not for long.As soon as the pain relieved you would allow me to feed on your breast.

Your keen observation on my slow advancement was so intent and precise to ascertain if ever I lacked any faculty of my senses. To see my eye balls would follow the movement of your long index finger from right to left was to ascertain that my eyes were normal. Whether I would respond to the sound of your clapping hands were to confirm my hearing ability. Unknowingly a deep happiness would surge through your bubbling heart even to become unique composer of soothing berceuse. In those period you must have had sang many self-compose lullaby to make me sleep.

 As I was growing up you were only concerned with my safety and well-being; you were my educator and teacher,

You were the one who taught me to utter my first word “AMA”.

 As I was struggling through my childhood as toddler, you never got tired of changing my soiled and wet napkins. Being a concerned mother you meticulously took care that all the used napkins were well washed, dried and pressed. Being a chubby child I could not wriggle and twist out of the bed like other babies. Piles of big pillows around was quite enough to confine me at the corner ofbed, restricting my movement. I was told that I hardly did the crawling but the mostdevilish thing I had in me was while sleeping I direly needed tenebrous silence.Slightest fluttering sound made by a small paper due to the blowing of winds could disturb my sleep and I would cry out loudly. Likewise,the slightest screechingsound of rusted door hinges, the movement of vehicles on the roadside and their varied honking sounds and the barking of dogs would wake me up.

You were without sleep (awake) all night when I was laden with fever.

When I was wobbling on my tender feet to get my first walk, your steady hands were all around me, to protect me from falling. Your slight touch would make me   snuggle up in your lap. As the time by andwhen I reached 11 months, suddenly I got up and walked staggering on my feeble feet for a few steps. That was your joyous moment.Within a split of secondyou were up on your feetwith full of surprisesand ran after me and hold me tight. Your loving arms were all around me and started teaching me to how to walk. You took my two tender hands in your firm hands and guided me to advance my steps forwards: saying “Ta Te”. Younurtured me with lavish attention and care and your upbringing waswith ravishing love. There had been no weaning ceremony for me. Because along with taking solid food I was allowed to carry on my breast feeding till I reached six years of age. I was told that I automatically left breast feeding as the mammary glandstopped producing milk.When I was small I never left mama’s back. Nobody even my mother’s sisters diddare to touch me as I was a bawler and would cry out loudly as if seeing a ghost. On and often my aunty used to remind me that I was the most difficult child and always a crying baby who would not let anyone to take off the burden out of my mother’s back. When I retrospect my pastbehaviour I consider myself as a blood sucking vampire. Now I know your motherhood is highly valued and appreciated. I love you and nobody can take the place of your honour.I got excited when I started walking. But doing that I would often waddle off in wrong direction only to fall again. That time you would say “Nothing has happened, nothing at all.You have only caught a fish. Holding a sweet you would say “Come to mamma. You would make me do it till I did not fall.

As I started walking, your strong hands guided me. Even at paucity of fund you tried to provide for me coloured pictorial guide books on various fruits, vegetables, birds and animals to acquaint me with. As I was stepping on the ladder of maturity (adolescent stage), You would teach me to respect elders and speak the truth. One indelible incident I still remember was that when you found a beautiful pencil in my possession which was not mine you made me to return the same immediately from where I got stealthily. My first lesson to integrity. Later on many incidents followed that involved being truthful, trustworthy and genuine. You area wonderful councillor and a brilliant teacher.Without the help of which I would not be able to sustain long in this inhospitable land of hoarders. Your ardent support and constant vigilance helped me to focus my attention to what I wanted to be.Yet on and often my rebellion got over me and kept my goal in abeyance. But you patiently waited for the right time to come to realise my mistakes. Many a times I offended you with my obstinate attitude and unpalatable truth. But you were always there to understand and ready to forgive. Patiently you moulded me to become what I am today by not counting my blunders. You were a wonderful mother and a trusted friend whom I could always depend and confide my secrets.

During my youth, I was drawn more towards the worldliness and was nearly slipped into the devouring mouth of Devil, but you saved me by snatching me away from the clutches of the devil by spending most of the time on your knees praying for me. Your brilliant counselling and advises were so precious and convincing that even at this age of septuagenarian I long to hear them. You were a wonderful mother who always stood by me at the times of my trouble. Whenever uncertainty of life demanded a judicious decision to make you were always there to help me. You were worthy of all honour and respect. You are great.

Thank You my Beloved Mother. I feel highly honoured being born of you. I love you.

Mr.Sudhizong Lucksom

Rtd Forest Officer

Development Area, Jiwanthing Marg,

Gangtok Sikkim.