Amma Ka Dabba

It was just an idea. She wrote on her Facebook wall one day. If you want fresh home-cooked food, come knock at my door. Dabba Aapka, Khana Mera (My food, your lunch box), at just Rs.1500 per month for lunch and dinner every day. And, next day on wards messages started flooding her inbox. Kaveri aunty started her business.

Before starting the business, she had discussed about her idea with her husband. Vimal uncle had been very supportive. She had been feeling bored of late. She wanted to keep herself busy. And, this idea was a boon in disguise. She did not have to go out anywhere but little did she know that with great power comes great responsibility. Well, it’s a famous quote.

She kept Kamal and Ashok as her helpers. Her regular daily maid Shanti readily agreed for cleaning and washing work. They started with 10 people, all the bachelor guys from their own building. Every morning they would start their work by 5. Around 8, people would start dropping in with their lunch boxes, which Kamal and Ashok would fill in with the cooked food. Shanti bai would come for cleaning after 11. After they finish their lunch, Kaveri aunty will prepare the list of vegetables, groceries, etc. that need to be bought from the nearby mandi. Usually, Kaveri aunty would accompany Kamal and Ashok and some days they would go alone to bring the items and by 5 PM they will start cooking for dinner. Again from 8 PM onwards, people would start dropping in to take away their dinner.

It was however, a roller coaster ride for Kaveri aunty. Kamal and Ashok would turn up late some days or Shanti bai would fall sick someday. Kaveri aunty started using online grocery stores and kept one more maid to help her. Gradually, more and more working couples also started opting for her home cooked food. Business was good, Vimal uncle would help her in maintaining her accounts.

In all these, less salt Vs more salt, more spicy Vs no spice or medium spicy, Toor dal or Masoor dal, Kaveri aunty has become a busy bee. Garima, does not understand, why Amma was so enthused on the idea of feeding people with her food. Her father is also supportive, he just loves to see Amma so engrossed in her business. She feels like a stranger in her own house some days. She looks at the utter chaos and busy people around her that she thinks it was time to take the dog out.

That evening while walking with their dog, Garima is talking to him, “Pixy, Amma has gone mad. Nowadays, she is only cooking, cooking and cooking. Why is Papa, not telling her anything? I wonder if she remembers me. You know, in a few days there will be Rakshabandhan. What will Amma do on the day of Rakhi? (Sighs) Oh yes, she will be cooking”, and her eyes become wet. Pixy looks at her, makes a cooing sound and sits down to look at a faraway place. After some time, both the girl and the dog walks back to their house.

When they enter the house, Amma was scolding Kamal for applying oil on the Parathas instead of ghee. Vimal was sitting on the couch watching TV oblivious of all the drama going around him. Pixy jumps onto the couch and Vimal uncle starts scratching his ears and Pixy just closes his eyes. Garima asks he dad, “Papa, how can you sit so calm in all this? I think Amma has gone mad”. “No, no. She is just doing her job”. “Papa, Rakhi is coming”. Vimal uncle didn’t even take his eyes off TV and asks, “Who is she?” “Papa, I am talking about Rakshabandhan”. Vimal uncle turns to look at his daughter and says, “Ok” and then again turns back to his TV. But this time, Garima can see that her father’s face is grimmer and she know he is not watching the program any more. At that instant she despises herself for reminding him the bitter truth. She touches his face and says, “Papa, I feel like a stranger at my own house nowadays”. “Me too. And, I find it refreshing”.

Amma turned to see who was entering the house when the front door opened. She was relieved that her daughter has returned with the dog. She had noticed her daughter was very gloom of late. She checked the time that it was quarter to eight now. There is still time before people start dropping in.  She can catch her breath for some time. She looked at the father-daughter duo talking in the hall. She hopes that between this hustle and bustle they will heal. Gaurav is gone and he is not coming back. She still misses her son and knows that Vimal and Garima had also not forgotten him.

That dreadful night, they had got a call from Gaurav’s college hostel that he had been taken to hospital. But they could not see him before he was taken in. They were told he had no pulse, he had collapsed in the ambulance on the way to hospital. There were news all around for some days that three students died of food poisoning in that hostel. Cases were filed against college authorities and hostel management. All was forgotten after a few days. She was devastated and had almost died that day. But she still has to stay afloat for her husband and her daughter.