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ramayantika · 11 months

Text

Usha Lakshmi Gargi Ratri Saraswati Rati

Aditi

It's 9am. I am at my father's place for my Godh bharai ceremony, now widely referred to as baby shower parties. I still prefer to use Godh bharai instead of baby shower. Godh bharai means to fill the lap of the mother-to-be with abundance. She is gifted with sarees, jewellery fruits, baby toys, baby clothes and lots of blessings for the upcoming newborn.

I am standing in front of the mirror. This is the same mirror where my mother used to get ready for school. She was a teacher. This is the same mirror where she used to tie my plaits for school, and this was the same mirror where I pretended to be a 90s bollywood heroine in my teens. This is the same mirror where I got ready for one last time before leaving my parents house as a bride. Now, I am back here as an expectant mother.

Maa passed away two years ago. After I got married, she would constantly pester me with questions about her future grandchildren though in a teasing and light hearted way. She was the first one who advised me to have kids when my husband and I felt ready for it instead of giving in to pressure and conceiving right away.

But look how fate played its move. My mother passed away and I couldn't even give her the happy news. Sometimes I wish I had conceived early so my mother could have seen her grandchildren. She could be with me and witness the journey of my motherhood. But she isn't alive. Maybe she is around me, and her energy still exists around my house, around this mirror, but she isn't standing here in flesh and blood. She will never touch my pregnant stomach and feel this little one's kicks. She can't compliment my pregnancy glow on my face.

I have a lovely mother-in-law. She has treated me like the daughter she never had. She has taken care of me all this while. I remember her excited little jump in the living room when I broke the news that I am pregnant. She hugged me tight and touched my flat stomach and clearly instructed, "No more moving around much. Whatever you need, whatever weirdest strangest craving you get, you will call my son, and if that idiot makes a face, immediately call for me!"

Baba was ecstatic on getting to know that he was going to be a grandfather. He wished me well, but just before ending the call, he said, "I wish your mother was here too. She would have been so happy to see her little girl be a mother." That day, I had shed a few tears while looking at my mother's photograph.

"Beta, are you ready? Pandit ji has arrived," Baba says, standing at the doorway. His eyes for a brief moment drift down at my heavy seven month stomach. I smile and say, "Baba, chill. I am carrying your grandson. You don't have to be this awkward."

He laughs and scratches his head. "Yes, I get it. Now, come down." He lends his arm and looks at me. I hear him slowly mutter under his breath. "Kash Anju hoti..." Anjana, my mother.

Everybody stop their chitter chatter and fix their gaze on me. My friends and cousin sisters, clear up the sofa and make space for me to sit. My eyes move to my husband who is staring at me just the way he saw me during our first date. Damn, am I looking this beautiful even now? He quickly comes near me and kisses my cheek, whispering, "You look lovely, meri jaan. I hope this little munchkin did not trouble you inside."

Giggling quietly, I reply, "Not at all. No morning sickness today and no Ronaldo kicks to trouble this beautiful mummy."

I hear my father clear his throat which makes my husband jerk away from me causing me to breakdown into laughter again.

An hour has passed. Pandit ji got over with the puja. Everyone has started gifting me things the baby and me. My father-in-law gifted me a beautiful pink saree which I am hundred percent sure that this was mummy ji's choice. He also places a baby shirt on my lap. He wants a grandson, I have always known this.

Next, I see mummy ji come and place a fruit basket and a cute baby frock on my lap. Now, she never had her own daughter, so she wants a granddaughter. Baba joins next and gifts me a salwar suit and books for alphabets and numbers. He wants the child to be a genius. He then opens a bag, and looks at the package. It looks old -- maybe a year or two. His eyes fill with emotion, as he places them on my lap. "Your mother had bought it much before and had even gift-wrapped it. Maybe she knew..... Open it afterwards." He lovingly pats my head.

My friends and other older women whisper blessings and fun teasing rhymes for the baby. Some of my friends dance on bollywood songs for a while. The environment feels blissful. Absolutely perfect.

"Am I late to bless the new mother-to-be?" I hear a voice from behind. Turning back, I see a beautiful lady in a green kanjeevaram saree. Her hair was elegantly donned in a bun adorned with a gajra. She looked old like around mummy ji's age, but her face, her aura felt different. Something godly.

I look at everyone. Nobody looks at this new lady. They wave at me, but don't even bat an eyelid at the woman behind me as if she is invisible to them. Confused, I ask, "Auntie, I am very sorry. I can't recognize you. Mummy ji hasn't told me anything about you."

"Would you want a poetic introduction or a straightforward one?"

Mentally I responded to her question with huh???? I answered with a sheepish smile, "A straightforward one would be good for now."

The woman laughs and answers, "Straight to the point then. Devamata Aditi."

I was almost about to drop the saree I was holding in my hand. Stuttering, I ask, "Dev- devamata. The mother of the Gods. A-aditi. A goddess."

Devamata sits beside me, and holds my hands. Maternal warmth fuses in her touch. "Well, I also have to bless new mothers now. You all are bringing new souls to this mortal realm. It's a big job!"

I can feel my cranial nerves shortcircuit. I am dreaming right? Right? This can't be true! The hormones have messed up my head. I am seeing things which also explains why none of my family members nor the guests are seeing Aditi.

"Relax, my child. I am really Aditi, and you are perfectly same. Devamata can always cast her illusion around. Come on, my son Vishnu, your favourite God does it half of the time." She hugs me gently. I feel warm loving maternal energy surround me and around my unborn baby. It feels as if maa is here.

Devamata touches my chin and says, "I know you miss your mother. Her soul is eternal, and souls always come back. Stories go on."

She places a lovely green saree on my lap. The borders are embroidered with golden threads. The glitter on the saree looks like twinkling stars. A fabric stitched from the Universe itself!

"Blessings from a mother to another one. May your child be born with good health and be surrounded with infinite love and happiness, dear one." She pats my back just like my mother used to do whenever I had any important event. My eyes moisten at the corners in happiness.

"Thank you, Maa." I hug her tighter.

****** ******* ***** ********* ******** ****** ****

2 months later

"Ma'am please, one last push. You can do it. The baby needs just one last push." I hear the doctor's instructions, but I am too tired. The room feels dazed. My eyes are heavy. I just want to sleep.

A soft warm hand on my forehead draws me away from going into tired slumber. I blink and look at the person, thinking it to be one of the doctors on the team.

Only, it is not a doctor. It's the universal mother. My Devamata, Aditi.

Like a tired child, I mutter to her, "Maa, I can't do this anymore. I want to sleep on your lap. It's been hours, since I am here in labour. This is tiring."

Mata caresses my forehead which is probably drenched in sweat. I hear her speak, her voice soft, like a melodious lullaby.

"It's only a little effort, now, sweetheart. You are minutes away from bringing this little one to this world. The little one has to see you, its beautiful caring mother and a loving father. The child has to run around the house like little Krishna and dance like little Radha. Just one push, my love."

I shake my head. Gasping, I ask, "Can't you take care of it Mata? You are a goddess. Let me sleep, please. Get my baby out."

The goddess breathes and kisses the top of my head. "I can take care that the baby is born alive and healthy. The action has to be done solely by you. I am a goddess, but foremost a woman and we have been given enough strength to endure this pain of bringing another life into this world. You have nurtured this child in your womb for a while now. Don't you want to hold your baby? I promise, I will show you a cute little Vishnu as a toddler."

That brings some energy back to my body. "Do you promise me that?"

She nods and smiles. Maybe I am hallucinating, but I see a lone tear drip down her smile. I breathe deeply and gather all the remaining strength and push.

Darkness greets my vision, and I hear a faint murmur. "You did so well, dear one. I am so proud of you. Now, take some rest and see your darling god as a baby."

A large gate opens up leading me to a room. I am not travelling in my bodily form. Probably some astral projection or god knows what form I am in. I can't see my own body, but the sights around.

A sweet baby voice rings in my ears. I turn around and see a cradle kept in the corner of the room. Small dark hands with rosy palms hold the edges of the cradle. I walk near it, my heart pacing with excitement. As soon as I reach the cradle, my eyes land on a most beautiful baby, I have ever seen in my life.

Large doe eyes stare at me brimming with happiness and mischief. His eyes spark with recognition, and he giggles. Baby Vishnu stretches his little fingers, and holds my index finger.

I want to melt into a puddle. This is so cute. This means I will get to hold my baby and feel it touch my fingers too.

"Yes, darling." Devamata enters the room with a toddler running around her legs. "Now, are you happy to see your baby Vishnu?"

I jump around and touch Vishnu's cheeks. He laughs again, and I smile. I hear his baby voice say the word. "Sakhi......"

Devamata peers over the cradle, and gently rocks it. In a minute, Vishnu goes to sleep looking as adorable as ever.

"Mata, can I go back to my baby now?"

"Of course, putri."

I wake up energised. The first thing I see is my husband holding a small white bundle in his arms. His eyes are red with happy tears, and he whispers, "We have a daughter, and believe me or not, her eyes look just like maa." He hands over my daughter to me.

I look at the small baby girl. Her eyes meet mine, and I see a beautiful smile. I bring her close to my chest and kiss her tiny forehead.

She has my mother's eyes!

✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･* ✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

I have no idea how this is. I don't even know how Devamata came inside my head forget writing about preganancy and motherhood.

I am literally on my period today and here I am writing on giving birth to a baby.

Also I might have tweaked around the actual stories to make you all see and read about baby Vishnu. Besides Devamata would fulfill our desires too so yeah baby vishnu!!!

I am getting cramps or my stomach feels funny now so I will go sleep byeeee. 🌸💖

#samridhi writes #I asked ashutosh ki ronaldo kaise khelta hai to write ronaldo kicks pls 😂#I am never making him read this he will imagine me as the mother #boy has some serious baby fever tendencies #anyway hope you find it nice and cute #I am also never making my own mother read this imagine her teenaged daughtee writing about motherhood #desi stories #Indian goddesses

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