God could not be everywhere, therefore, he made mothers, said English poet, short story writer and novelist Rudyard Kipling.
He was spot on as mother is considered an embodiment of God by many. Children who don’t get the love and care of their mothers often struggle, morally, socially and spiritually. A mother is the first doctor, first teacher and first dietitian in a child’s life. She is the one who keeps aside her needs to add joy to her children’s lives. With an objective to honour the mother, motherhood and maternal bond, Mother’s Day is celebrated in over 40 countries May 12. Ahead of this occasion, Sunday POST talked to a few young people to find out the role that their mother played in their lives.
Biswajit Panda, a businessman from Bhubaneswar, says, “Words are not enough to describe the role of mother in one’s life. She is the one who can read her child’s face and sense their joy and worry. Some mothers are not highly educated or exposed to the world, but their judgement and opinions always come in handy. My mother is one of them.”
Recounting an incident from his life, Biswajeet says, “When I was doing my bachelor’s degree in a private engineering college, I used to hang out with a group of friends who could have ruined my life and career. One day, I was riding my new bike during the Dussehra vacation with a friend. He was drunk, but I thought he would manage to drive the bike safely. I was wrong. We met with a road mishap and my friend died on the spot. I survived the accident with grievous injuries. I was rushed to a hospital. The first person I saw after gaining consciousness in the hospital was my mother. While others were not happy with the company I kept, she stood by me. And my mother was the one who used to make me learn from my mistakes. She is an institution of love not only for me, she showers her affection on my friends too. No wonder, they also address her as ‘Maa’.”
Subhalaxmi Kar, an HR executive, says, “Mothers are an inspiration for every child, and I am no exception. But I am extremely close to my mother because she understands me more than others. Most importantly, I have a great friend in her. When I started a relationship, I told my mother. My father, when he heard, was shocked and reacted sharply, but she was cool and composed. She convinced him and others saying there is nothing wrong in having a relationship. Rather it is good if she can choose her life partner, said my mom. She was sure that I hadn’t made a bad choice. Later, everyone endorsed my decision and we are going to tie the knot soon with the consent of both families. Had my mother not supported me, I would never have succeeded in convincing my father to agree to our wedding.”
Kaushik Das, who is pursuing a masters’ degree in law in Utkal University, says, “My mother is multifaceted. She is a homemaker, but she is involved in many other things also. You will be surprised to know that she invests in the share market. She takes interest in investing which is not common among women. I played chess at national level in the U-15 category and brought laurels for my state. It was possible only because of her. I want to pursue a career in law as my mom desires. My uncles and grandfather were good lawyers.”
Sumitra Daspalai, a homemaker from Bhadrak, says, “My mother left us five years back, but she is always in my thoughts. If I am leading a blissful married life, it is because of her. She was suffering from cancer, but she never let others know about her pain. She was dear to all because of her amiable personality and smile. When I fell in love with Chandan, I was clueless on how to disclose it to others. My father was in a hurry to marry me off as soon as possible. When he was about to finalise my marriage with someone else, I confided in my mother about Chandan. I was scared as I didn’t know how she would react. To my utter surprise, she understood my situation. She assured me that she would see to it that I get to settle down with Chandan. While my father and brother were against the proposal, my mother stood like a rock behind me. The issue created a temporary rift between my parents, but she did not give in. Whenever she saw me crying, she used to say, ‘Everything is fair in love and war. And when you think you have made a good choice there is no reason to worry.’ She had very few days left in her life. All she wanted was to see me as a bride before she bid adieu. Eventually, I married Chandan and my mom played a major role in it. After some days of my marriage, she passed away. Mothers are like that and I am fortunate to be her daughter.”
Banker Kaliprasad Dash says, “So many adjectives can be used to describe the role of mothers. I consider my mother to be the greatest asset in my life. I would like to narrate an incident which will convey her importance in my life. I was studying in Class IX when my father was hospitalised due to a neurological disorder. He was admitted to one of the top private hospitals in Bhubaneswar and subsequently sent to the intensive care unit by the doctors. I was the youngest in the family and I had no idea what was going on. To our dismay, doctors told my mother that the left part of my father’s brain had been paralysed. My dad was a Central government employee and he couldn’t go to office for a year. The situation was grim as the sole bread winner became jobless. But my mom did not give up. She dealt bravely with the situation. She approached the senior officials in my father’s office and sought financial assistance to run the family. She was a homemaker who had not completed her school education. Despite this, she would take dad for regular health check up and take care of our education. My father was bedridden for over a year, but she didn’t let us feel the turmoil she was going through. With the meagre grant provided by the government for my father’s treatment, she managed to run the family without letting others know about our personal crisis. Many a time, I found her crying inconsolably while she was sitting by my father’s bed, but she would have a smile on her face when she saw us. She is the epitome of courage. She is a role model for me, an inspiration. On Mother’s Day, I would like to pray to God to make me her son in every birth.”
Barsha Priyambada, who works as a graphic designer in Bhubaneswar, says, “My mother Banani Behera is my best friend forever, guide and philosopher. I have no secrets from my mother. Some years ago, I was on my way home when a car hit my scooty from the rear injuring me seriously. I was unable to sit and stand on my own. During my stay at the hospital, she was there with me all the time. Whenever I woke up in the night to go to the toilet, I would find to my surprise that she was awake. She spent sleepless nights for me as a result of which I recovered early. On Mother’s Day, I don’t know what to gift her. That she is my mother is the biggest gift of my life.”
RASHMI REKHA DAS, OP
