Adu in wonderland and beginning of Alex era!

17 September 2023

Hello all. This is a letter written to my daughter on the occasion of her 9th birthday. On every birthday, I write a letter to her sharing memories of that year. Just thought to share this with you.

✪ Enjoying double seat rides
✪ Sinhgarh trek without any fear
✪ Cycle accident and troublesome pain for two months  
✪ Ferocious fight with pain- I am an artist and I will colour my plaster!
✪ Alex era! A wild animal? No, this is my cute puppy!
✪ When your daughter starts reading books!
✪ Help me! This uncle is kidnapping me!
✪ Need for helmet in carrom games

Dear Adu, today is your 9th birthday! Really, the 9th!!! And now you only are asking me when your letter is ready! 9 years! Innumerable memories! And today is the celebration to charish those memories! In last year, we had variety of memories! Last year I was off for around 20 days for cycling and when you met me after that, it was an experience! Your command on me and you bossing me! All these comes before the eyes. And I feel it is too much to tell. All these memories and your journey from a veryyy small baby to this growing girl! This journey makes me emotional and my eyes become teary!

Adu, last year after your birthday I had gone for that cycling tour. You did not cry while bidding adieu to me. You were smiling then. We also had many double- seat rides too on that cycle. Initially I was skeptical, we went double- seat to the school, the class and to the river side. Then once we had cycled 15 kms and had gone to meet Giressh uncle. Also we had done a small trek in Baner near Tukai mandir hill. After my cycling expedition was over, you had come to Nagpur and then you all had gone to Tadoba tiger safari! There you closely watched a tiger and that forest!

This year too, we had a lot of fun and we also had many painful days. But it happens. Sometimes we have very enjoyable days and sometimes we have to traverse through sorrow. And Adu, I remember, I had anticipated pain on one occasion, I had feared that it would be very painful experience for you. But you actually marshalled it beautifully. And that experience was our trek to Sinhgarh!

Sinhgarh trek without any fear

We had planning for that since many days. For preparation, we did some walks. This trek is difficult even for elders due to its inclination. But you were ready. You were sincerely interested for this. We started off very early in the morning. And Adu, I felt bad that I made you walk much that day. Even from our house to the bus stop we had walked. The actual trek did not bother you. You had earlier experience of walking on steep climbs. We had done some treks in the Himalayas in Satgarh and Bungachhena. Therefore you were also not afraid of mountains and cliffs. You easily climbed! Compared to your age, it was too quick! We were on the top in just 75 minutes! When I had done this trek 19 years ago, I had required thrice time than this! And you actually told me why I had thought that you would fear! Sinhgarh is easy! While coming down, it was different kind of fun. I slipped many times but you not even once! But later on due to heat you got tired. But still when we reached home, we were walking. Later on I felt very bad that I had stretched you so much. But you did not complain in any way. You were so happy. After coming home, you also recorded your story for this trek!

Adu, at that time I was worried about your reading. Due to Chiku- Piku magazine, you did have some interest in reading. But still you would laze. Harry Potter’s first book- the gift of the last year is still to be read! But now you have started reading well. After your last birthday, we also had enjoyed some movies and you now understand those funny things also. Also now you understand and like cricket. But despite of all this, at that time your Pikachu was on top. Initially I had thought that Pikachu is a name of a bag But you told me, No Ninu, it is a cartoon character! You explained to me! But then your friends in cartoon were changed now. Instead of Shinzo, Doremon, Rudra, Motu- Patlu, pepa pigs and Pikachu were on fire! During those days, one sentence was frequent from you- Aayana ka bayana, king of China! You did not create magical sounds as you had created earlier, but your drawing was going on smoothly. Slowly you started to draw them with articulation. You can easily draw a sketch. But Adu, despite of your skills, you need to practice and internalize it. You need hard work. One has to do it, right?
 
Leg inside the cycle and two treacherous months!

I know, you did not want this in my letter for this year. But still I want to talk about it. That thing was horrible. But it was also making you stronger. It showed you how capable you are. After your holidays were started, we were planning to go to some forts and do some treks. One day we had gone for a double seat ride on Pashan road. While seating behind me, you were counting dogs and you had counted 200+ dogs till we returned! You have even named dogs and cats near our house! The fateful day of 12th March! We had gone to Panchawati hill near Pashan. There we could see a peacock so closely. It was you who first spotted it. And then we started returning from a very downhill road. You just wanted to tighten the sticker attached to the cycle. As you tried to tighten it through your leg, your leg went inside my wheel! And the pain and the trouble experienced by you, I don’t wish even to recall it. You started shouting loudly. I somehow slowed and stopped the cycle. One uncle came to help. Then we kept the cycle there and went to the home in an auto riksha. Later on the x- rays, the tests. Your grand parents also came in the evening. You were experiencing tremendous pains.

Initially I had thought that you would get angry with me that I did all this. But you were peaceful inside. Despite of all this trouble, you were just saying, O Ninu, it wasn’t your fault. It was mine. I just stretched my leg to tighten the loose sticker and then my leg went inside the wheel. Till then we had done at around 15- 20 double seat rides. So no longer I was needed to instruct you as I would instruct in the beginning. But still this happened. For some days the pain increased. Later on that dressing, the plaster and removing it after eight days! The horrible pain you would have at the time of dressing! Your screaming was very disturbing. I just wonder what you had experienced then. But despite of all this, you would colour the plaster! You would again be happy once the pain got subdued. I will remember forever what you said then- I am an artist and I am going to colour my plaster!

During those days, we started playing chess. And now even after losing, you would not get angry. Crying was forgotten long back! In those days we played chess so many times that soon you started understanding it well. And not once or twice, you defeated me as many as five times in next months! While playing chess, you could easily hold the horse, pawns and knights! But for me sometimes they would become so heavy! Because they are persons or animals, isn’t it! So I would not be able to hold them with all my might! But you would just smile and hold them in your finger! You walking was stopped for around one and half months and at that time I would carry you everywhere! I still see you calling me with urgency, Ninu, Toyota! Or Ninu, Argentina! You were enjoying those things even in painful times. You started moving like a frog and slowly slowly with walker you started moving. You started exercises as told by your grandfather. Nature in you used all its force. Inside you plenty of soldiers were fighting days and night with the fracture and you remained calm. You again started walking after 2 months! Your holidays were gone, even you had missed the school for four weeks. But you just did that which could be done then and you also kept on enjoying it. And Adu, this accident with you was a tough experience for me. I was afraid at one moment that I would think that all this was “done by me.” But even at that moment, I somehow remained aware that it was not “done by me” but it had happened.

A wild animal? No, this is my cute puppy!

After the fracture, you started walking on 12th May when you were with your maternal uncle and aunt in Sara city. Then for one night we had gone to one camping site also and stayed in a tent. There also you did not frighten a bit. You had waken up early in the morning and watched the stars with me. Then on 30th May, we had a new member in our family! A new creature! No, actually you got a brother. You became his elder sister! Whenever I would return home after running or walking, I would tell you that I saw a cute puppy or some dogs you would always tell me, Ninu, please bring one home when you meet one. But we all had thought that we cannot bring and adopt one in our home. So I never brought one. But your crying finally gave you your puppy! When Ayush Dada showed you a puppy’s photo near his house, you just started crying. Your crying and your wish was so powerful that your mother’s sister and Ayush Dada and Aditya Dada’s father that puppy from Satgarh to Delhi by a bus and then from Delhi to Pune by train! The poor puppy, he had to endure a great torture! He was just 20- 25 days old. Was a new born baby actually! I had felt bad that you separated him from his mother and his siblings. For him, this journey would have been a nightmare. He was out of breath in the train. But he made it and reached you! Even Ayush Dada’s parents too did a great unbelievable job! This way you got your puppy and your younger brother! And you truly became his elder sister!

You named him Alex! This little puppy united all dog- opponents together! Alex era began! His every small activity was entertaining! Oh, so cute he is, you would exclaim! When he was so small, he would just jumble himself! His barking was so sweet. He looked so sweet and even now he is sweet! But he is equally dangerous too! Very frightening! His teeth and nails! He is very aggressive kind of dog! For others, he is a wild beast. But for you, it is your cutie puppy! Your cute younger brother. Your talking with him is nothing less than a celebration! How you gently caress him, how you put your hands in his mouth and also takes out if he has taken something harmful. You just don’t know what fear is. Sometimes you also cheat him. You cheat him by throwing a pointer’s light in front of him. But so much of fun! Everyone would ask whose puppy he is, how damn cute he is! Would you give it to us, they would ask! Initially Aayush Dada, Aditya Dada and Navin uncle would look after him, they would bath him. Later on you too learned it. Your Nani also cares for him like a baby. Alex also likes to meet everyone. Even if he just listens some sound of an unknown person, his tail starts moving, he becomes so happy! You tortured this baby so much, but then you compensated for it by becoming his elder sister! You care for him without any fear. Now he has grown up, but still you hold him well. Your mother- Babai also plays with him. Your Nani looks after him in the same way as she would look after you.

One more funny part of this year’s story is that you had joined Abacus class and enjoyed it for some days. You went for the class even when you had the fracture. But after that your interest dried up. So that class had to be closed. I did not feel anything wrong in this. Because it was your liking, your enthusiasm and your wish. This year, we also played badminton sometimes. You made progress in this also. But the game we played the most- chess and  then carom! The latter you enjoy so much! You just grab your discs from nowhere! At one go, you manage to get four discs! Sometimes in the same hole, you get two- three discs! Your playing this way make me remember Shahid Afridi! And I too require a helmet! And interestingly playing with you carom and chess and badminton help me improve my skills! This year you also learned many games of cards. Not at home and challenge are the games which actually you taught me! But seeing you struck discs this way and getting them reminds me about my grand mother. When I was a child, she would say, you get so good cards! And now you get the discs wonderfully! But while playing you sometimes get irritated! When I utter the code words of “Baiska Jubaiska or atthaiska” and your disc fails to reach a hole, you just lose your temper! Just like your Alex when he becomes mad! When he gets that mad, he attacks us. But even then also you pacify him so well. With Alex, you have gone much beyond of having fear of something or having an allergy or having some trouble of little things.

Seeing your progress like this makes me so happy. You also like trekking, like to visit places and now you also like cricket! We have so many subjects to discuss! Earlier I had one worry as you did not like much to read. When I would tell you to read or write, you would just respond, Ninu, it already has been done in the school. But now you are finishing books! You read on English book of Helen Keller. You also enjoyed one book of Bokya Satbande. You are now reading Alice in wonderland! So finally, my daughter has started reading! And it makes me greatly happy. Now you can easily finish reading my letter too! You can easily read small books. It gives me much peace. And yes, now onward I do not need to tease with reference to books for toddlers!

This year we also had some sad incidents. Your grand mother and my paternal aunt- Vasanti Atya passed away. She had cared for you much. When you were so small, we had gone to Devgad. Henceforth she will be missed amongst the people caring and loving you. But Himani aunt, new member in her family has come and she also plays with you. Especially she plays with Alex! The way in which she played with Alex and his joy, we cannot forget it! Also, my grandfather also left us this year. When you were so so small, he had sung a song for you. You are going to grow up and will be doing new things and such things will slowly slowly be left behind. But I am aware- on one side life goes ahead and slowly some things are left behind. And the tiny today lying in between the Yesterday and the Tomorrow. We have to grab it in our both hands. Like sand, it will also be gone out of our hands. But till it is gone, we have to experience it. That’s why I write these letter. The small instances and the days are recreated through such letters.

Incident of kidnapping!

There are many funny moments of this year. And Alex is undoubtedly your best birthday gift for this year! Also the fun you have with Ananya- Atmaja and fun in functions of your paternal aunts Gauri and Aditi! Your bonding with Atmaja and running away from me and calling me a demon! And the story I imagined about you both- I am walking on a trail inside a forest. While going,  I come across a gentle incline. After some time, there is a sharp descending path! And when I slide down, I come across a volcano! This was a puzzle about your forest! Your forest and your hair cut- that is the trail! And after going there and sliding, the volcano I come across is Jwalamukhi- your teeth and your bombarding voice! Sometimes your two braids look like two snakes! Sometimes they become one to form a fat rat! So much fun! And one more fun is the incident of kidnapping!

When we walk on a road, suddenly you start shouting, help me, help me! This uncle is kidnapping me! This is followed by loads of laughter! And both of us know, that unfortunate person who would kidnap you would himself be kidnapped! Because you have so much of weaponry! Your shouting, crying, teeth, hands and legs and your power (I receive much of it these days)! Also your intellect and your courage!

This is how the year was spent Adu! Your progress in reading and writing is so relaxing. Also your aptitude for hard work and sports! You also have huge patience to keep all things together to make some art work. When I see you growing up so fast, I badly miss that little baby. When you see your old photos, you just exclaim, “Oh Ninu, how cute I was! I want to become small again!” I am surely remaining small in your company and since those 9 years, I am able to remain small! Just like Alice, you are in a wonderland and you also take me to the wonderland with you!

I recall some lines from your favourite movie Frozen-

I am one with the wind and sky
You'll never see me cry
Here I stand and here I stay
Let the storm rage on
My power flurries through the air into the ground
My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around

- Niranjan Welankar 09422108376 niranjanwelankar@gmail.com