Journey of changing motherhood, kal & aaj

As a child in the seventies, I recall my mother’s duties being clearly defined. The most important was ensuring we finished the two rotis on our plate. In my sister’s case, this was an arduous task as she had to keep poking her younger child’s cheek where lumps of masticated wheat were deposited like they were gathering compound interest. The others revolved around completing our homework and the mandatory braiding of hair. Sometimes not satisfied with two pigtails, these plaits were twisted back to the side of our heads and fastened with a ribbon, so we looked more like goats with flapping ears than little girls.

Aside from these daily rituals, we were left to our own devices. This meant we had ample time to chase chickens in a nearby dump or run down the lane to Gopal’s shop for sweets on credit. We even had a ‘setting’ with the juice wala on the beach. Along with selling sugarcane juice and ice-cold colas, he saved us all the bottle caps of Gold Spot. At that point, the most significant event in our lives was the announcement of Gold Spot’s famous contest, where bottle caps with Jungle Book characters could be exchanged for a prize.