Reading Time: 6 minutes
Shailaja Satyam, a successful corporate executive and a divorcee, was sitting on the floor, at the feet of her septuagenarian mother, her face resting on the lap of her mother, sobbing uncontrollably and the tears drenching the folds of the nine yard saree. Her mother, Subha, did not say a word except keeping her left hand palm on Shailaja’s head and patting her gently like only a mother can and her silence resounded with compassion and emotions pregnant with terms of endearment and empathy, clearly audible to Shailaja. In their silence, they were having a rending heart speak, no words were needed.
Shailaja was the only daughter of Subha and Satyam and had been brought up with loving care by them. Satyam, once a well-heeled and successful businessman had had misfortune weighing on him and eventually dissipated into bankruptcy. A never-say-die attitude and sense of immense responsibility towards his family had seen him take up a job at a mid-sized company and ensure that the home fire stays lit and warm. Though occasionally despondent at his bankruptcy, Satyam managed to stay balanced and keep his outlook towards life positive, aided in no small measure by faith, self-belief and supportive Subha and Shailaja. They were resilient and used to make do with what was put on the table by the conscientious Satyam. Subha, for as long as Shailaja could remember, had only been using her left arm, having been left with a non-functional right arm due to an unfortunate accident when Shailaja was just a tiny tot. Neither Subha nor Satyam ever spoke about it with Shailaja nor did Subha let it come in the way of being a doting mother and a caring home maker. Travails aplenty they were beset with, but life was beautiful indeed. Every knock was taken on the chin by the parents-daughter trio, bringing them closer nary the many knock-out punches thrown at them by destiny.
Backed by a sound school education, a degree in science from a premier college and vocational training in computer application, Shailaja got a job in a well-known multinational company and made rapid strides in her career with an inherent aptitude and attitude of not being just an individual contributor but an effective team member, eventually going on to assume leadership role and making a mark. She had a supportive leader in the head of her department who had earlier on detected her capabilities and gave her increasing responsibilities and guided her to success. It was an extraordinarily demanding job, but Shailaja managed to handle her corporate role without compromising her home-front responsibilities of being the primary breadwinner and sheet anchor of the family. Her parents had always been a major support for her at home.
Shailaja’s early marriage had failed due to the mental cruelty unleashed by an insecure and jealous husband and soon she had to exit the dead weight of a wedlock, taking in tow a young son and the singular responsibility of bringing him up while managing his psychology due to a broken home and the indifference of a selfish father. It was a daily struggle for Shailaja to address and handle the demands of a growing son, the attention needed by her ageing parents and the relentless pressure of office work. She could not afford to slip on any of these fronts and did her best with an understanding mentor in the office and supportive parents at home, albeit of indifferent health. Inevitably, it took a toll on her health, adding to the woes. But life has to go on, Shailaja had no choice but to live through it and cope as best as possible. She had exemplars to emulate in her parents whom she has seen handling vicissitudes of life with fortitude.
As a measure to maintain her health, Shailaja had taken to a regimen of walk, yoga and diet, in spite of her gruelling schedules and 16 hours routine. As a resident of the Queen of the Suburbs, a quaint epithet for Bandra, one of her routines was to do a six to eight kilometres walk along the Bandra Bandstand promenade, from the Bandra Fort at one end to St. Andrews Church on the other end and returning back via the uphill and downhill slopes of the eponymous Mount Mary Church road. The early morning serenity, the sunlight, the solitary roads, the rhythmic sound of the gently crashing waves against the tetrapods, the occasional banter with familiar people and much more were a refreshing break and peace of mind for Shailaja and she revelled in it. As a part of her morning constitutional and to improve her cardiovascular fitness, Shailaja would often go up and down the steep steps of the fort or walk on the craggy rocks of the sea front.
It was like any other day for Shailaja as she set out for her walk. She was greeted by an unusual drizzle as she stepped out, leaving the streets shimmering and slippery. As she was traipsing the high steps of the Bandra Fort, Shailaja slipped, lost her balance and came down tumbling the 40 odd steps and crashed on the road below abutting the parapet walls. She was badly injured and bleeding profusely due to the deep gashes and worst, she could not get up. Her arms and legs were excruciatingly paining and she was just immobilised. She cried out for help and a young couple came forward to help her and take her to the nearby Holy Cross Family hospital for emergency admission and operation. The hospital contacted her parents and Subha and Satyam came rushing to be with her and take care of all the formalities. Her son was away at his campus, doing his undergraduate programme and could not be present at the hospital when she was admitted.
Shailaja had suffered a severe fracture in her right leg and left arm requiring surgery and stitches to heal the deep wounds in her forehead, chin and hips. She had to stay in the hospital for a week and was also advised that it will take a couple of months for the fractures to fully heal and thereafter will need physiotherapy to get back to normal movements in her right leg and left arm.
Shailaja rued her ill luck and wished that she could turn the clock back and not climbed the high steps. The enforced home-bound long convalescence, dependence on others and absence from office was getting to her. It showed in her impatience and outbursts while dealing with her parents or on emergency work related calls with her office team. Subha and Satyam, in spite of their age and health, were her caring and stoical support at home to see her through the recovery phase.
During that phase, after a siesta, Shailaja and Satyam were having a conversation. Subha had been under the weather and was resting. Shailaja was talking about her fractured leg and arm and was wondering how long it will take to get back to normal. She could not but help wonder in that moment of her own weakness how her mother was managing her life with just one arm without ever complaining for decades and asked her father about it. Satyam was hesitating to say anything, but her gentle persistence got him talking. When Shailaja was four years old, Subha had gone to the nursery school to fetch her home. On their way back, at a signal crossing, Shailaja had walked ahead a bit playfully on the zebra crossing. In spite of the green signal, Subha sensed a car speeding towards Shailaja. In that spur of the moment, the protective motherly instinct in Subha saw her leaping forth and pushing Shailaja to the curb on the other side. Unfortunately, while Shailaja was saved, Subha fell after pushing Shailaja to safety and her right hand came under the wheels of the speeding car. The diagnosis was that as a result of the damage to the nerves, her right arm will lose its movement and stay limp and unusable forever. Luckily enough, amputation could be avoided. Shailaja soaked in all that her father recounted and was overwhelmed and choked. Her mother had quite simply been selfless and self-effacing all these years, bringing up Shailaja lovingly and resolutely in spite of the grave and damaging accident. Subha had exhorted Satyam never to tell Shailaja about the accident and just move on with life.
As she was ruminating, Subha woke from her rest and ambled across to join Satyam and Shailaja for tea, sporting an endearing smile as always and occupying her favourite easy chair. Seeing her, Shailaja just got off her chair and flung herself at her mother to hug and kiss her and buried her face in her welcoming lap. Subha had just not birthed Shailaja, but made her life.
The child births a mother.
