Aekansh Diaries : 8 years old

 

Aekansh at 8

1.Me  - Why don’t you like Arjun n only Karn

Aekansh  - Arjun, wo Adharmi, wo Pakhandi ! Jisne Chhal kapat se Karn ko maara

Wo mujhe zaraa bhi pasand nahi !

2. Aekansh watched Spirit recently and BECAME a horse…  as usual... so now he snorts and ruffles his head every time to show his annoyance ... just like a horse

It’s so adorable ..a sudden snort and ruffle when he’s exasperated

3.Aekansh asked out of the blue - Mumma Kiran Didi (our house helper) -bahaar soti hai to unhe thand lagti hogi ..unhe andar sone bol do

Me - abhi kaise yaad aaya ekdum se tumhe

Aekansh - Main "Dayalu" hun na Mumma - beaming !

4.Walking in a temple, some intricately semi clad deities ...Aekansh points at them n says - Mumma dekho erotic art ...straightfaced and walks away ...while i sputter in mirth ,!.

He had heard me speak about erotic art at Khajuraho with great admiration

Later I asked him - what is meaning of "erotic" and he says matter of fact-'beautiful stone carvings" :D

5.What did u think about your little cousin- (my cousins very whiny and clingy daughter)-

Very annoying very distracted ..and very small ,! he declares laughing in disbelief ! :)

I could see his dumbstruck look to see her behaving in such a fragile and pampered manner ! !!

6.Aekansh made Cashew cheese and Chipotle mayo the vegan way. ..and cut all the veggies with so much involvement and surprising skill.. made pizza base and then finally put it all together for a wonderful burst of flavour.at the end ! I was so proud of him !

We aso tried Satvik Chocolate Mousse and Coconut malai kulfi together and both turned out pretty good !

7.Aekanshs newfound love of chai ...he has just graduated to become our chai partner !

Asking each time – “Chai me Adrak hai ?!.. in his cute little voice …before sipping slowly lovingly in that seasoned chai lover fashion

8.He stabs at us with imaginary dagger and then makes these visceral noises !

When I ask him how he makes these noises - he says - I just recycle my own saliva ':@

9.Aekansh just stares at flames for the longest time .. he is transfixed by bonfires as well

He is meditating already

10.While travelling if I ask him to do one thing after another fearing he might be getting bored - he says I just want to sit and think Mumma for some time

And I can see imagination is a joy greater than external distractions for him

no wonder he loves nature and connects so instinctively with it

Thats actually so profound. A child who can be, and prefers to be quiet and still, and contemplate .. such a gift

11.How at the end of the Rishikesh sojourn where we met Bhagyashrees Guruji and I could see the fear in his eyes as adults discussed Gurukul...he listened carefully to all my angst about modern English education ... at the end of all our rambling he simply said – “I will learn whatever you want me to .. but I want to come back home at end of the day .. I dont want to be in hostel.”

And then – “ Mumma  leave your job … and start a school where you teach yuddh kala and animal language ..and put me in that school .. We will call it Bhagat Singh school of Yuddh Kala

12.How he started learning Sanskrit as soon as we started his classes never saying a single word... sometimes your mute submission esp when it is for something unorthodox that other kids are not doing at all ...is so humbling

13.When I call him Gaga and Gugu and  coo and sing to him while waking him up…  in my gibberish way ( his cute demeanor invokes it, the little man ) -;Ye kaunse Gaga world ka Vedic raag hai !

14. Your sloberry kiss stinks ... moving away in mock pretence ...but I know he loves them secretly

15. Inhe to pata hi nahi ki humein luxury to chahiye hi nahi

Hume to sab kuchh Ruined hi pasand hai ( thoughtfully)dead pan serious voice

( when I was ranting about not wanting to stay in a hotel room but to stay in a mud house - Bhoonga - in Kutchh )

16. Mumma agar Chanakya Sadhguru aur Parshuram hote to aap kinhe chunte ?

Me- Parshuram

Aekansh - smiling your wise smile - Main Bhi ...

17. How he blushes and smiles shyly and looks away when he finds me watching him from a distance

18. When in train he couldn’t sleep very well on the berth alone - because he needed a hand under his head

The matter of fact way in which he stated this

17. While shopping how I would ask him which clothes to pick - and he would effortlessly pick the classy elegant ones, with a flick of his hand

Have come to depend on you for most of my life choices now O wise one

18. How we spent entire Rann car travel singing – “Aarambh hai Prachand” and “Krantiveer” and were filled with patriotic fervour

19. How in the song - Krantiveer he granted only the lines sung in female voice to me ... and would elbow me in his cute way to stop.. if I trespassed by mistake

20. When my voice turned too high pitched - he tried to teach me to balance my voice .. You pumped his fist in the air and said -" Go deep Mumma , not high" .. it was adorable advice can't forget the way he said it

21. When we sat in the back of the car and I would ask him to come towards me and he would jump in glee into my lap.. that’s the only way we wanted to travel ..close to each other as possible .. comfort dint matter

22. Mumma humein kapde nahi pehenne padte to kitni saari "earthly troubles" khatm ho jaate na !

23. "Krodh se Buddhi khatm hoti hai '

24. How he started wearing my necklaces and rings and took your dagger and played Dhananand .. looking in mirror, waving your dagger menacingly and losing yourself in the act ..you called them -Mere Aabhushan "

25. How he writes Karna and Dhrishtadyumna on tainted glass with your.finger ... dreaming about them ..wanting to emulate them.

26. How he wanted to change his name to Drishtadyumna somedays and Karn on some other days

he changed his profile name on computer and TV to Drishtadyumna ..

Mumma they killed the most invincible warriors in Mahabharat !

27. How we sang Aazadiyan spontaneously together as a lone guitarist played for us against the stunning background of the hill ranges ...

28. How he adjusts and prepares himself for each situation resisting change a little and then eventually explaining the situation to himself .. and submitting to it wisely so as not to be the source of trouble or conflict ..always part of the solution

29. How he crawled in the sand .. at Mandvi. .. and wanted to sleep in the sand all night

How you become one with nature

30. How we were playing in the waves ... at Mandvi ..he was asking me to come out of the water ..and I wasn’t ...then he looked behind me and screamed ..And startled me .. I screamed as well and ran out of the water

.. The way he chortled was so heartening...he laughed to your hearts content

31. How we watched Bruce Lee and got.inspired together ... “Be like water my friend… Feel ! don’t think ! “

32.Learning the Serenity prayer together… Learning Brahmarpanam together

How you light a Diya in morning and worship your dagger and Karn with all reverence

And then recite – “Pratah Smarami” in all integrity

33.When his Sanskrit guruji came - First glance at him and my heart fell a little

He was a little unimpressive with a paunch and wearing an English jacket ...on the whole that fire and that aesthetic and also the "Theharaav" one associates with a Guru was missing ...Of course I dint say anything about it. ..

Next morning he asks - Mumma ye Guru ki to lambi se beard honi chahiye thi na .. Guru jaise to nahi lag rahe the wo ."..he says dismissively, although always with that slight smile and twinkle in your eye

And I know exactly what he perceived was similar to my perception ..it wasnt the beard or clothes ..it was just the way he held himself spoke emoted ...It dint quite fit into the inspiring authentic powerful presence.that. a Guru should radiate

34. When we came back from Kutchh and Mumma had to rejoin work the next day while he had Chhutti the next day .. you asked in a small voice your eyes full of longing - " Mumma aap kal chale jaoge ? "

And I know he never expresses anything about how he feels about me not being around , busy in work and otherwise ..

but these are the little moments when he reveals that he likes having me around .. and it is so gentle a request it breaks my heart

35. Naanu - Humne bhi kai Chakravyuh tode hain

Aekansh - Wo to Aapke man ke chakravyuh honge

36. When we came back from Kutchh after having experienced the Smritivan Memorial and the terror of those earthquake… and then the knowledge that Dehradun too lies in a earthquake vulnerable zone really set you thinking ..

He came back home and sat deep in thought in my lap and mulled over this – Mumma hum kyun 9^th floor pe rehte hain ? hum kyun Bhoonga nahi bana rahe ( Bhoonga is earthquake resistant structure – round mud house ) 

I had no good reply so I let him mull and saw him blink a few times then he said – Wo museum jaane se ye baat man me aa gayi .. jaana hi nahi chahiye tha ..

And then scrunching your face you cried silently, tears of fear... and the fear was not misplaced or unreasonable .. but very natural

All I could do was reassure – Aekansh we will soon make a “Bhoonga” and live there only

37. How you saw that evil woman in the Bruce Lee movie and said –“Ye to “Vish Kanya” hai !”  softly to yourself… I was astounded to hear you say that term !

38. When we were planning to change your school for the 4^th time in 5 years – you said simply – “Aur sabka to class change hota hai …mera to school hi change ho jaata hai ! “☹ .. but you were so mature about the process yet again .. and though our hearts were sinking in guilt and self doubt, you accepted our feeble reasoning and did as was required of you

39. After watching Enter The Dragon – Bruce Lee – we were so astonished with Bruce Lee’s skill

You asked – Mumma -Bruce Lee or Parashuram ?

Me : Parashuraam

Aekansh – ( content smile ) – Main Bhi :)

40. The way you sway your hips nowadays when you hear music you like .. your body has a rhythm and grace that is untapped and unspoiled by conditioning  .. Just retain that natural rhythm ,… that’s all you need

41. The way you lose yourself in a bonfire ,  you go into Traatak meditation for all I know …you just sit there transfixed by its magic and potent nature ..

42. How you whipped the rope violently around in the dirt … pretending it is the “Urumi” … the deadliest Indian weapon .. that slashes through several opponents at once … That’s what you aspire to master …

43.   How you vent your tremendous boy energy on your sword whipping it around at imaginary enemies … always moving to a separate isolated space … never disrupting other;s peace .. never any demands .. you thrive in isolation … just like your Mumma

44. Ye Vishkanya hai kya ...when he saw a evil seductress in a series ..I was surprised he knew the word ..had read in Amar Chitra Katha !

45. Satchidanand ... .. Energy ! yOUR animated hand movement symbolizing the rise of energy

46. Main apna agniyastra se aapko bhasm kar dunga ... raising your bow in mock mantra above YOUR head

47. Mumma when are we leaving for the forest ? I look at you and it IS an earnest request and you are looking at me expectantly

48. How you make animal squeaks n noises to show your presence ..little chuha

49. “Saat Maharathi ko Vash me karne ke liye Bal nahi Buddhi chahiye”

50. Thundering typhoons ! Billions of Blistering blue barnacles ! (after reading Tintin)

51. For Dhananand - Wo actor acchha hai par character accha nahi hai

52. I made a mistake ...I surrender to my mistake ...( muttering to himself)

53. Haan Log pani aur doodh daalte rehte hain Shiv Linga pe( looking at the lines thronging the Shiva temple on Mahashivratri)...Man me shaanti ke bina ( under his breath ) ..

I was astonished … such a wise statement from such a young mind !

54. “I hope nature consumes me”- He whispered to himself in such a solemn meditative way looking deep into the wilderness..

55. “Mauun !! .. wen he wanted me to be silent .. Roaring like Amatya Rakshas from Chandragupta

56. “Wretched” - your favourite word nowadays .. the way you say it emphatically

57. Why do we live in this luxury house Mumma ..humein sirf ruined places hi pasand hai

58.” You Foolish Brahman ! “( the way you address me nowadays :P)

59. Mumma main jhadu lagaunga weekends pe ...aap mujhe 300 rs doge ? main paise kamane sikhunga ... aur fir main bada haathi kharidunga ( as I ahd bought a small elephant for him jiska bigger version he had been eyeing )

60. “Cars will run on milk ...Animals will eat people and take their revenge on humans” --- his vision for the future .. hehe

61. When you lick my face like a little doggy to show your fondness.. and when you bite me , that’s an expression of love as well !

62. How “Edelweiss” is still your favourite lullaby !

63. When I returned home from afar , he opened the door with glee and then with a mock humph – “Mumma is back ! My days of bliss are over” ! :D

64. How Gora Badal and Bappa Rawal became his ultimate heroes - To Manna over phone – very emphatically - Didi ab mera interest Maratho se hatkar kshatriya warriors  me zaada aa gaya hai

66. Aekansh - for Saisha –( in my ears ) Mumma,  yeh toh sach me uncoachable Bandar hai

Saisha - Mera haath pakdo... and Aekansh moves away , nonchalantly  

Mujhe Aekansh acchha lagta hai par wo mujhse baat hi nahi karta, wo mera haath hi nahi pakadta

Main Aekansh se kitna pyaar karti hun par wo mujhse pyaar hi nahi karta 

67. When Ajeet showed Aekansh and Saisha- the scary eye he had just performed a surgery on, both kids ran away squirming .. while Ajeet laughed his evil laugh… and later Saisha whimpered to Sweekruti – That eye is watching me … and – “ Did you bring me here to see that evil eye ! It is haunting me ! “

68. How Saisha and Aekansh took turns flapping their elephant ears and how Saisha chuckled in joy !

69 Lying in bed pondering on night of Holi - brows furrowed and then he softly says -

70. Mumma, Holi pe ek bade bhaiiya mere gulaal ke packet lekar bhaag gaye ...to kya hua - I asked ..his lip quivering.- rona aa raha hai mumma ..and he cried like a little bird ..and I drew him into my arms

70. Mumma main apne birthday pe yahan nahi hun iska matlab ye nahi ki aap mera birthday bhool hi jaao … he said with a sweet smile ( as he was in Pune with Manna this time )

71. He made a lego school with a Kalaripayattu ground, a Nritya area and a room to study Sanskrit and Shiv Ling at the centre .. and called it his “School of Yuddha Kala” … I was so proud of him ..I can envision him as a true son of the soil, of Bharat. He is helping me manifest the school of my dream