Ambari Aita

AITA

I sit on my desk trying to recollect about my dear Aita. Images come in my head. Flashes of memories. It is as if, a wonderful tale of success, nurtured with love, unfolds in front of my eyes.
My earliest recollection goes back to the time when I was a small kid eagerly waiting to hear Aita’s bed-time stories. She puts powder on my back and begins her lullaby-cum-story of Lord Krishna coupled with rhythmic patting. I drift off to sleep, thinking of horses, maces and the whirling Sudarshan Chakra.
Right from childhood till her last days, Ambari Aita, as I used to call her, used to tell us stories from the Bhagwad Gita and teachings of Sankardeva. The depth of her knowledge of the sacred texts, topped with the art of story-telling created a rare blend which stretched my imagination and understanding to infinite horizons.
As time went by, I listened to tales of the old Ambari household from my mother. I was, and still am, overwhelmed to know about the wisdom and brilliance of Ambari Koka in all spheres of activity and the perpetual love of Ambari Aita. I came to know about her sacrifices for everyone in the family and appreciate her success in nurturing small kids into distinguished and respectable persons. It is worthwhile to mention that not only my mamas’ and my mother but also many others, who are now top-notch executives, must attribute an important part of their success as a result of the care and love they received from Aita.

There are certain things which tend to grow with age. Aita’s love for all of us is one such thing. Each time you go up those stairs to Aita;s room in the Ambari home, you’ll always be greeted with a smile – a smile that came right from her heart. She would fumble with the remote to turn off the tv and the happiness on her face would reflect back on you. She would always make you feel welcome. This quality of hers, the ability to love one and all, the ability to honestly care for others, is the one I appreciate the most. You may be a vegetable vendor or a CEO, she would treat you with so much affection, that deep-down you’ll realize that you cherish knowing such a lady.

An article on Aita would be very incomplete if I failed to mention her culinary skills. I remember the times when she would sit in a chair in the kitchen and provide direction to the cooking. She is a terrific cook and I bet, that everyone who knows her, has been treated to a sumptuous meal. I guess my mother and my mamis’ and also some others have learned some important tips of her craft as they are excellent cooks in their own right too.

Achar or pickle was Aita’s specialty. Starting from the common mango pickle to the yummy fish pickle, she had amazing range of recipes for a variety of pickles. Rice, dal and her pickle would make an excellent combination at any meal, any day. Sometimes I wonder whether there is any special ingredient which she puts in her achars to make them so delicious. Then it clicked. She did add a special something - love. The love, with which she offered it to us, was what made it extra special.

Her inclination towards Naam is also known to everyone. When she used to sing, it was a prayer to some, music to others and a lullaby for herself. Every Friday she holds a Naam, along with Parama Atoi, and she would always have prasad waiting for us every time we go to her.

It is also worthwhile to mention that she was always well dressed and had supreme devotion to Lord Krishna. She loved going to the Dol-Gobindo temple. She always had inspiring stories from the Mahabharat and Ramayana and Sankardeva’s teachings, for all of us. She would always give me pocket-money whenever I met her. On our birthdays, she would always give us the best gift of all.


This December, I guess God got lonely. Aita got seriously ill after my brothers wedding. It seemed as if she was waiting to see her grand daughter-in-law. After I came back from Bhopal on 26th December, I saw everyone trying to keep her with us.
I thought that when my mamas’ and my mother were kids, Aita would have feared to let go of their hands when they first tried to walk but at last she had to let go and now, everyone was trying hard not to let go but after all, had to. So, on 31st December night, God took her to the heavens where she actually belongs. Up there too, I guess she must be singing lullabies and naam for God to enjoy, engulfing Him in her endless sea of love as she did all of us here.

At this juncture, let me tell you that I have used present tense in many of the sentences on purpose. It is because Aita is very much with us because she is within us.


Today, on her Adya Shraddha, I pray for her eternal peace.

May God bless us all to be able to continue her legacy of unconditional love and affection.