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Pudina Chutney

by Sagunthala Rachuri
(Nagpur, Maharashtra)

“Kamala, it’s already 9.30. Is my tiffin ready or not?” Kamala heard Raghu’s voice

“Yes, it is almost ready ,I just want to keep your favourite pudhina chutney”.
“Ok,its ready, take your tiffin.”

Kamala came out of the kitchen and handed over the tiffin to her husband who was ready to go to office.

Raghu started his two wheeler and left for work. Kamala finished all her work and went to her bedroom to take rest. A little later, somebody knocked on the door. Kamala opened it and was surprised to see her son, Manish.

Kamala asked him “Why? What happened? No college today?”
“Due to some problems they declared holiday today,” said Manish.
Holding his mother’s hand Manish said, “Mom, I am feeling very hungry, give me something to eat”.
“Lunch is ready, you go and wash your hands I will serve it on the dining table.”

Manish washed his hands and sat before the dining table. He started tasting the food. “How delicious the pudhina chutney is. I know,you prepared it especially for Papa,isn’t?I think you impressed papa with this pudhina chutney only. That's the reason he obeys all your requests”. Manish giggled.
"You teach me how to prepare this” Manish added.
“What is the need for you to prepare pudhina chutney? Your wife will prepare it for you.” Kamala said.
“Mom, how can we expect everyone to have the same luck as Papa has?” Manish smiled.

“Mummy, it’s already 7.30. I want your help to prepare breakfast and lunch. We have to go to our work and children to their school.” Kamala heard this voice and got up from her bed.
She came back from her memories.

Kamala was staying

with his son Manish after her husband left her alone in this world after thirty years of their family life. Manish got married to Veena who was working as a teacher in a school.

It was 8.30 a.m. Veena was in a hurry preparing breakfast and lunch for her family. Veena went to the children's bedroom and asked them to get ready. She also woke up Manish.
In a little while Kamala told her “Bahu, I got some pudina yesterday, Please prepare some pudina chutney."
“No,Mummy I don’t have time to do all these things. Please don’t get such things from the market next time.”

Kamala kept quite and went to her room. Manish glanced at her mother. The past discussion had flashed in both Kamala’s and her son's minds. But Kamala thought how we can blame Veena,after all unlike me she is a working woman.

"Mummy, I have kept lunch for children. Please ask them to have it as and when they come. Please don’t allow them to sleep till they finish their food otherwise they won’t have their lunch properly." Veena said.
"Yesterday Guddu wished to have a cake, have you prepared it? He likes it very much.” Manish asked his wife.
“Yes, I have already baked the cake that's the reason, I got up early today," Veena replied with a smile.
“Mummy, please don’t forget. Ask Guddu to have cake in the afternoon after finishing his lunch. And also prepare banana shake for Nidhi as she likes it very much. She likes fresh shake only."

Kamala nodded her head and there was a smile on her face. She thought it’s not the time but the value of a person that changes.
***