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Mother’s Day 2020: A Mother’s Day like never before
With lockdown restrictions in place, it’s not only doting mothers who long to have their children around; young adults used to staying away from home get all sentimental this Mother’s Day.
“Mom, I’m busy, I’ll call you back,” we often say. But do we? For those who moved out of home and embraced life in different cities, be it to study, work or after marriage, this is a familiar situation. Most would send cards, gifts, greetings, or just scoff at the concept of Mother’s Day. But the lockdown has made students and young professionals miss their mothers this year, like never before.
Memories of the very aroma of ‘Ma ke haath ka khana’ can make anyone emotional. “I’ve been away from home for eight years, but this time it’s tough to be away from my superwoman. In the lockdown, I begin and end my day with all household chores that we’d generally let our mothers do while we dug into delicacies they made. Now, I understand what we mean when we say ‘everyday needs to be celebrated as Mother’s Day’,” says Pranav Warrier, who works with an MNC in Gurugram. He’s eagerly waiting to visit his mom in Mumbai and “cook something special for her without she having to clean up the mess I make in the kitchen!”
It’s also been almost eight years since Avanika, editor of a Delhi-based publishing house, moved to the Capital, initially to study. “During dire times like these, even if my mom has a cold or slight fever, I get worried about how she’ll manage. And the anxiety is vice versa,” she adds.
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Mother’s Day is celebrated every year on the second Sunday of May, but 2020 brings a different story. “I don’t usually go home on Mother’s Day. Even this year, I would have probably not gone home, but the fact that I cannot go this time irks me. I met my mom last in December, after that I have only been able to connect on call. I can’t video call, since the network is not great. So I imagine her face and talk to her voice!” says Aditya Thapa, a student of Ashoka University in Sonepat, Haryana. Aditya has been away from his home in Manipur for five years now.
Jayanika Singhania, who moved to Delhi from Moradabad after her wedding less than a year ago, was thrilled at the thought of having two mothers to celebrate Mother’s Day with this time, but there was something else in store. “It’s just unfortunate that I can’t spend the day either with my mother, or with my mother-in-law. All these Mother’s Day specials on radio and TV are making it more difficult,” she admits.
ALSO READ: Mum’s the word on Lockdown’s Mother’s Day
Being independent gives one an altogether different high, but a warm hug from one’s mother is a feeling that nothing can replace. And for mothers, it is no different. Noida-based teacher Rashmi Bhatnagar’s son is in the US, and daughter in Canada, for around two years now. “When they were here, they always tried to surprise me with some small gestures or an unexpected treat. Now that they are away, I miss their presence, and more so their hugs and affection.”
And for Subhadra PV, who stays in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, ‘so near, yet so far’ has never been more apt. “We never celebrate Mother’s Day, but when my son is around every day is one. Now he’s stuck in Noida (Uttar Pradesh), and every day is a dal-chawal day for me and my husband,” she shares.
Technology is a blessing in times like these, but it isn’t enough, feels Meena Kedia, from Bahraich, UP, whose son left home 10 years ago, initially to study and then for a job. “I miss cooking my son’s favourite food. We connect on video calls but that’s not enough. Also, there is a constant fear about his health. So for me, this Mother’s Day is about sharing with him some easy recipes that can boost immunity and help him stay strong till we can be together soon,” she adds.
Interact with the author at @srinidhi_gk
