When I look back and stop a moment in time, the reflection that I come across helps me to realize that I’ve been very lucky to get such supportive parents, for whom, I turned out to be the entire word. They are always ready to go the extra mile for providing me with anything and everything I could ask for. Throughout my life, along with my parents, if there is someone who watched me from taking my first steps to the day when I packed my bags to leave my house so that I can pursue my further studies in TAPMI, was my Daai Maa. Though society calls her to be just a maid in my house, Daai Maa’s importance is way beyond any social tag, that might be used to describe her role in my family.
Coming to the story which I would like to share, finds its mark a few years ago, when one fine day, I saw Daai Maa sitting quiet and visibly upset. Upon asking her the matter, she sadly told me she wished that she could have some kind of education so that at least she could be able enough to sign her own name. This conversation with Daai Maa was something I never saw coming, something, which brought up a wide range of emotions within me.
No matter what, I wanted to help her at any cost, but the challenge here was that I had no idea how to go about it. After a few days of figuring out things on my own, I went to my primary school teacher, who’s been my mentor throughout, she helped me to find a way out. Though with little baby steps, but we did start-bit by bit, part by part and eventually I could see things fall in place. Today, as I sit and jot down this story, it gives me a sense of immense satisfaction that my Daai Maa, back in Mumbai is now a changed woman as she can today sign for herself, which certainly is nothing less than an autograph for me.