Most of us left the Indian shores to come here.
We have bid our farewells with teary eyes to our mothers.
We hugged our fathers and left without turning back.
We silently took leave from that girl next door peeping from behind the curtain.
We all came here, some long time back and some recently.
We all were alone in the beginning.
We missed our mothers cooking.
We missed the pani puri on the road side.
We missed those days when we gathered with friends at a tea stall and ordered tea with samosas.
We
missed that girl, whom we used to see daily in the bus, who may have
smiled at us, who may even have talked to us in that angelic voice, if
only we had the courage to talk.
Most of us grew out of it over here.
We all made new friends.
We all clung to each other.
We watched countless movies.
We even learnt to cook and throw pot luck parties where we always played Antakshari.
We confess that we even smiled at those beautiful girls across the street.
We all took trips to India; some annually, some less frequently.
We all tracked the "sale" events at Sears and KMart.
We all went to Indian Grocery Stores, and bought Rice and Rotis.
Most of us got married.
We,
went back home, searching for the love of a good woman-some found it in
the old acquaintances from across the bus-stands, some found it in
their parent's choice.
Some of us took a gamble and married the one looking closest to Aishwarya Rai.
Now
what do we do? We all work in software, We go to the local temple to
socialise, we attend movie screenings, and argue countless times that
Honda Accord is better than Toyota Camry or vice versa. At times, late
night before falling asleep we switch on the stereo and listen to that
old Hindi melody which makes us remember the land that was ours. We
recall the green grass, the muddy roads, the wet monsoons, the pretty
girls that we never talked to.
We hear the words speaking to us from across the oceans:
A Mother
who gave sour medicine to her son, because she wanted him to recover
soon, who let her son move miles apart though the thought was tearing
her apart, she let him go as she wanted him to be happy and successful,
who hides her agony in telling others that her son is
abroad.
A Father
who understands his son's ambitions and the limitation and frustration
he has to overcome of in India, who would not let his voice reveal that
says I'll miss you son !, I love you but am unable to express the
feeling.
A brother who
would miss the brotherhood, though it had often been fights and not
talking terms, who can deny the fact that a brother is still a brother,
a friend, Who expected you to understand him as his, and when you
didn't it upset but moving miles in distances has overlooked all minute
failures.
A sister who
would not have her adoring one to escort her to help her out of
troublesome situations, who knows she has to send 'Rakhi' by post,who
wishes he would turn up for her wedding, if not atleast to fondle her
baby that longs for a MAMA's (Uncle's) love & affection.
A friend,
who is left with mundane tasks, unable to exchange the chirpy jokes
& comments, discuss various thoughts from family, friends,
politics, & economics, who visits your home because he still
remembers you not only on a day but everyday. Who would jump with joy
on receiving a mail, who tries to keep himself free for all the days
when his friend is coming back on a holiday.
The girl next door,
who didn't know if she had to rejoice or not when she overheard that
the boy next door is moving away, who silently takes it that he has a
career and would wish for his best from afar, bids goodbye with a tear
in her eye.
The girl at the bus-stop,
who smiled at you and suddenly finds you no longer there, who changes
her route only to avoid the void which seems to be there at the same
bus-stop she had been once smiling.
The girl you are married to,
unable to understand why she is being sent to a far off land, waiting
for her man to send VISA papers, bearing the nagging question of
neighbours and relatives asking when are you leaving India.
The girl you got engaged to,
and is waiting for you to come back and tie the wedding knot, a social
and emotional security, who anxiously waits for his telephone calls and
greeting cards to reassure her that you will be back as her man.
Whatever
our roles, it is only to say that we still love and care for you,
wherever you are, you are still dear to us. We don't know what you have
to go through, we only know we have love & wishes to give for you.
You might have learnt or the circumstances might have taught you to
handle emotions and that time and work are more important than feelings
and their expressions but we are still in India and are still the same,
waiting and wishing for those who moved away from India,
INDIA - a land of love, emotion & sentiments....
technorati tags:Desi, Away, Motherland, India, Mother, Father, Sister, Immigrant, H1B, Gujarat, Hindi, Relationship, Love, Emotion, Sentiments
No comments:
Post a Comment