Memories of a Little Girl Called Dolly! (VII)

One day the 2 kids were playing a lot of mischief at our home. Suddenly, Mom, who had her back to them, turned and called them, “Dholak Ronie (Sic).” They looked at each other and giggled. Then they went back to their mischief.

Another day, Mom had made some sweet poha as prasad. Dolly and Ronak loved it. Dolly would eat it with slurping sound, enjoying it. Mom purposely called them from the balcony, “Dholak Ronie. Come.”

The 2 immediately ran to our home. They knew that there was something ready for them at our home. They ate the poha and Ronak went back. Dolly stayed back to do some mischief.

Right at that time my friend came. She was so fascinated by Dolly that she picked her up. The moment she did that, Dolly’s hand went to her dress near her neck by chance. Immediately, Dolly said, “I saw your salip (slip).” She giggled with a hand on her mouth. Then again she said, “I saw your beanian (Banian).”

Immediately, Mom placed a pat on her mouth. She looked at her Mummy Aunty. Mom said, “My hand slipped on your mouth. Gandi baat hai. Never do it again. And if you do it, the pat will be a slap.” Then she said, “I can tell this to your Mummy or your Daadi.”

Dolly replied, “Not Daadi. Both her hands will salip on me.” She began laughing loudly with a hand on her mouth.

We also did not know how to react to this. My friend wanted to go out. So we told her to leave the little girl at her home. Dolly also went with her.

I gave a call to Dolly’s mother to send her upstairs one evening. Both the kids ran to our home. The moment they entered our home, Dolly asked, “Aaj Astami (Sic) to nahin hai, Astami?”

All kids in the age group of 2- 6 would eagerly wait for Ashtami festival. Many people from our area would celebrate Ashtami by serving food to kids. But all the kids would wait for an invite from our home, without eating in their homes. That is why Mom began celebrating Kanchaki (feeding children) on Navami, instead of Ashtami. They loved to eat from Mom’s hands.

The kids were always fascinated by the gifts that we gave the kids. There was also a little girl called Prachi, whom Dolly would call, “Padachi.” This girl would keep all the gifts very safely with her. Recently, I met this girl’s mother. She told me that Prachi misses her Mummy Aunty very much. When such a thing happened, she would bring out all the gifts and play with them.

To be continued…