‘Nani ka ghar’ has always been a vivid memory for everyone’s childhood. It is that paradise where you are treated as most precious person on the earth. You are pampered and spoilt to the core.
क्यों सबसे ज्यादा सब ननिहाल को ही miss करते है ,
दादा दादी ,चाचा भुआ सबको छोड़ , मासी मामा से मिलने की जिद करते है ,
ऐसा नहीं है की दादा दादी का प्यार या फिर चाचा भुआ के दुलार में कोई कमी होती है ,
बस ननिहाल तो ननिहाल ही होती है ,
जहा नातियों के ख्वाहिशो के पुलिंदों को पूरा करने का अरमान नाना नानी को बड़ा सुकून देता है,
बहन के साथ कितना भी लड़े होंगे ,
परन्तु भांजा भांजी की जिद को पूरा करने का चाव हर मामा को होता है ,
मासी , ये तो पूरी मम्मी की कार्बन कॉपी होती है ,
ननिहाल में जिसके सुपुर्द कर के मम्मी बिलकुल फ्री हो जाती है,
और जब ननिहाल में मामी हो तो फिर स्विगी जोमाटो की जरुरत ही नहीं होती, पलक झपकते ही मनचाही सारी डिशेस रेडी मिलती है ,
कुल मिलकर ननिहाल हमारी परमानेंट रियासत और हम उस रियासत के परमानेंट शहजादे और शहजादी होते है ,
जहा बुड्ढे हो जाने के बाद भी रिटायरमेंट नहीं होती है ,
ननिहाल तो बस ननिहाल ही होती है ,
और क्यों न हो आखिर वो हमारी माँ की जन्मभूमि होती है,
जहा हमारी पहचान हमारी माँ से जुडी होती है😍😊
The above poem was a WhatsApp forward and it immediately brought forward memories of warm love and care. My mind wandered into the place called “Rajmohalla” in Indore. It was a place where we spent most of our holidays. We could knock on the doors anytime, and as we walked in, the smile and love in the eyes of Nanaji, Naniji (Bai), and all the family members were pure blissful moments for me. It was a big house on the main street and for us, it was like the center of the universe. We stayed in the same city, but the trip to Nanihal used to be most exciting, and always looked forward to the event. At Nanihal, we were always part of various household activities but it was always fun, from making Papad, aachar (pickle) to fresh butter or preparing for religious festivals and festivities. But that was not all. The day used to be filled with lots of other activities from playing gully cricket and kite flying with Chotu Mamaji, to playing cards, board games with Mansi which subsequently was joined by every member.
The presence of love and the lack of indifference among the family members made the place more lively. I remember eating the second portion of my lunch with Munna Mamaji when he used to return from the clinic in the late afternoon. The afternoon siesta was spent dreaming about how I would be an even more successful doctor than him. The evening used to be filled with listening to stories from Nanaji. There were times when Nanaji would recite Ramayan or Bhagavad Gita on the special request of Naniji. That used to be very special. As we grew up, Shanker Mamaji would throw up mental games or arrange for a special ticket for a new Bollywood movie, or watching a game of cricket on the television.
From such hectic carefree days, we had to return to normal school life when vacations came to an end. Things started to change with the sudden death of Munna Mamaji. It shook the entire family. He was the most handsome, intelligent, caring, and selfless person. He was like the strongest pillar of the family. Subsequently, with the demise of Nanaji, it was like losing the foundation on which the home and house is built. Some people leave early but love is something that can be felt after their departure also. It has been more than 20 years but it is these small pocketful memories that last a lifetime. This is one story that I never expected to end.
In memory.
Pic courtesy: www.alamy.com
