JOIN USA mother in every culture and religion is worshipped and revered. But when it comes to a mother-child relationship, it’s the mum-and-daughter that gets all the hype. And perhaps, the most underrated relationship is that of mother and son. But Bollywood has surprisingly used the ‘mum-son’ relationship as a central theme for many movies. More than a dozen Hindi film open with an endearing mum-son childhood scenes, drenched in nostalgia.
The most classic movie dialogue from the film Deewar where Shashi Kapoor says mere pass ma hai, a reply that plunges Amitabh, into deep philosophical realms.
For many, it’s the nostalgic childhood memories that have etched a deep sense of comfort in their heart. Charudatta Jena, manager at a PR firm, who has moved to the City recently, says emotionally, “Vague childhood memories of my Bou (Mum in Oriya) making funny faces at me have always reassured me of her presence in my life, as my first friend. I think Bou and I grew up together, in our respective scales of maturity, though in my growing years, I got to know the stoic, warm and silent observer in her.”
He recalls his moments of mischief, “Never can I forget the moments when I used to steal Rs 10 notes from her purse thinking that she didn’t know. Later, she used to say, ‘Do you think I don’t know? Don't take more than that ever’.”
For Suman Ramaswamy, a software professional, his mother has always been an inspiration, “I still remember the days when she used to dress me up well, comb my hair and took care to see that I was the smartest kid in the class. No matter the number of arguments we've had, she’s always been there for me when I was in trouble. I spend very less but quality time with her. She's an amazing cook and I just love all the dishes she prepares,’’ he says.
Srikant Subramanian, a software engineer, feels it’s a life-long, never-ending bond. He puts philosophically, “It is said that a man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.
I have not yet found the first two and even if I find, the third adjective would still hold good for my mother. My most cherished memory is that of making her sit in the armchair, tuning her favourite songs on the ipod, sneaking into the kitchen and making her a nice cheese sandwich. It is true that we carry around our friend's pictures in wallets, on disc-drives, online albums but I do not need to have my mum's picture, I carry her in my heart.”
Like many, Ashish Sarda, an MBA student realised the value of mother’s love only when he started living away from home. “Coming back home, with your mum waiting up for you with hot dinner, is the most profound example of deep, unconditional love that only a mother can give. Many times I realised that we hardly need anything to bond. Just a simple phone call is enough for her,” he concludes.