As children, our first role model is often a parent, and for many, it is specifically our mothers. The phrase ‘Like mother, like daughter/son’ doesn’t only make a mom proud, but also fills a child with joy. Isn't it a personal moment of happiness when someone says, ‘You look like your mother’ or ‘You are just like your mom’? That's all we sometimes want to inherit from the most important woman in our lives. On Mother’s Day, My Kolkata asked a few ‘kids’ about that one thing that they have inherited from their mother. Here's what they had to say…
The gift of music
Soma Roy’s mother Smritituku Ray
I have inherited quite a few things from my mother. The one thing I cherish is her love of music, especially Rabindrasangeet and north Indian classical music. On rainy days, she would sit on the balcony with me and hum Miya ki Malhar. The tune remained with me. She told me the legend of Tansen. One morning she, was playing Miya ki Todi, and I never forgot that either. I remember her favourite Tagore song: Baahire bhul haanbe jakhon antare bhul bhaangbe ki? I simply learnt the song. Even last night I lay awake listening to Jhoro jhoro barishe bari dhara. One day in the city of Jaipur, I heard a distant tune which sounded like Vasant. I started humming it and thought of my mother's response to the first day of spring: ragas Vasant, Bahar and Tagore's Fagun Hawaye Hawaye. I am now lying on my bed with a fracture in my left ankle; I hear distant thunder and I turn on Raga Megh sung by Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, thinking of a gat my mother often sang. I tap the vilambit (slow) taal (rhythm) with my hands, as if they are her hands. I feel her presence in the melodies.
— Soma Roy, retired professor of literature in English
A gift of goodwill
Anuvab Chattopadhyay with mother Runa Chatterjee
If I had to choose one thing that I inherited from my mom, then I'll honestly say she made me a multimillionaire in terms of the sheer goodwill, love, and respect that she's gathered over so many decades. It's like an invisible, but comforting cloak I carry around — knowing that many who know me and bless me and pray for my well being — just because I'm her son. It has helped tremendously, right from finding innumerable helping hands when needed to being a huge source of willpower, knowing that this ‘goodwill-immunity’ as I call it, can never be bought — even if I did have a few millions in my account someday. Oh and they also say that I've got her curved smile. Considering how beautiful she is, you can guess how it has helped my cause romantically!
— Anuvab Chattopadhyay, businessman
The gift of flavours
Jayeeta Ghosh with her mother Ranu Ghosh
People who know me and my mother can easily identify the traits I have picked up from her. Like the love for saris, aesthetics, Rabindrasangeet, socialising...the list is endless. But the most relevant one is that my mother has always been a very good cook and her speciality is that she can cook amazing dishes using a very small amount of spices. Unknowingly, I have picked up that similar trait of cooking whether professionally or in my regular preparations. I own a cloud kitchen called Haarir Khobor. This natural inheritance from my mother has made me prepare dishes for my clients in less oil and spice, yet delicious, which is definitely one of the USPs of my kitchen beside hygiene and quality. In fact that is how the tagline of my kitchen has evolved — “completely homemade”.
— Jayeeta Ghosh, cloud kitchen owner
Gift of courage
Gargi Roy with mother Sarbani Chakraborty
People say I look a lot like my mother and the more I am adulting, I am realising the resemblance goes far beyond the pretty face. Growing up as a rebel teen, I had a lot of differences with her, but now the more I live away from her the more alike we think — sharing the same ‘icks’ to having the same taste in fashion — I feel lucky to have a mother who complements me. I would say I have definitely inherited her beauty and her fearless personality. I still have a long way to go to grow nerves of steel like her.
— Gargi Roy, voluntary research assistant, King’s College London
Gift of empathy
Kousheya Das with mother Sampa Das
I am too helpful! I realised this when I was taken for granted once in Class 11. I realised I was just like my mother. I do not think twice before helping others. It’s both a boon and a curse. It helps me have better relations with everyone. On the other hand, I don't understand who takes advantage of that and exploits me. People do notice it and they say that I am too helpful and I got it from her. Even ma realises it, but she tells me to not stop helping others because people don’t acknowledge it. She tells me to always help the people around me. I have my family to tell me whether I should be cautious of someone.
— Kousheya Das, working professional, TCS Bangalore