Tiptoeing towards love

36

Kanimozhi

6.30 pm

The whole of the temple and the surrounding areas have been glittered with LED lights, blossoms, and tiny lamp lights, offering a heavenly look to the beautiful temple. Outside the temple, several small stalls of various kinds had been installed and people were rushing from one stall to another to purchase their desired things.

Mama and I had just completed worshipping the deities in the temple and were stepping down the stairs. Devotional songs are being played on one side and beside the temple, a stage has been built to conduct different competitions. People of all age groups participate and show off their talents. At present, a small kid is mumbling a 'shloka' from Bhagavat Gita, and even though we weren't walking to that side, people could heed the baby voice of the kid through the speaker positioned around the area.

"Sugar cane juice?" Mama asks as we cross a stall that sells sugarcane juice. I pause to the side of the stall and nod my head at him. As Mama went to order the juice, I couldn't help but feel and watch the enchanting scenario around me. People are laughing, chatting with their loved ones and kids are torturing their parents to buy all the toys their eyes catch sight of.

A particular kid around the age of three grasps my attention and I adoringly watch as he speaks in his own language to a toy in his hand. His mother picks him up and lovingly questions to him, "What is it saying?" The kid giggles innocently and hugs the toy, hiding his face in his mother's shoulder.

The mother laughs along with her kid and I have no idea why my eyes were loaded with tears. Perhaps, I haven't yet recovered from my mother's death. I don't think I could ever come out of it. When I was little, my mother used to bring me to these festivals and buy me a lot of toys and a small kitchen clay set for me to cook and play...

I remember stealing vegetables and fish without mom's knowledge and cooking them in my tiny clay pots.

When she found me, she would scold me for a while but then would taste the ones I cooked after her anger cooled down. And she would embrace me to her and kiss me on my cheeks.

My throat clogs as her memories rush into my head. "Mozhi," I look to my side upon mama's call. "Here," he hands me the sugarcane juice and I quickly blink away the tears before starting to sip on the sugary liquid.

"I want to have a kid too," I mumble, still watching the mother-son duo's love. Parthi mama side glances at me and quietly drinks the juice.

"Hm, you should complete your studies and establish a career before that," unsurprised by his reply, I lend him a small smile.

"I will," he smiles back slightly and we continue to gulp down the sugarcane juice. Forthwith, we enter some stalls and I buy a few keychains, earrings, and hairpins while Mama casually stands beside me and nods his head in a no or yes whenever I would showcase to him the products I choose.

Just like that, the time passed by, and the night set in. It looked as though the world was wrapped by a murky duvet.

By now, people were gathered around a free space outside of the arena of the temple where Karagattam, (an ancient folk dance) was about to begin. We are in the crowd too and I lean back against mama's chest as I await to witness the dance performance.

Mama has his hands wrapped around my waist and his chin is resting atop my head.