Purviben

There is this little girl presently at Surat. Purviben. My brother in law's daughter. Purvi. I call her Purviben because she is fluent in Gujarati and she lives in Surat. I am her greatest fan since 2001; the year she was born. The reason is very simple and natural. She looks largely like my wife and her complexion is exactly like my wife! Whenever I touch her, I recall the touch of my wife! God is great! HE is who decides everything about us. Who, what and how we are. In Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta, the Lord said, it is HE who decides the destiny of all of us. We all owe our existence to HIM! Purvi and my wife! Niece and aunt! The similarity is striking!

One more thing about Purviben. She is the only person who was the reason of joy for my mother in her last few days. My mother was on her death bed. I mean, she was facing her terminal illness. It was Purvi, who gave joy and pleasure to my mother. My mother often said; Mama has very pretty daughter! Indeed, Purvi was very very pretty then. Still she is. I used to take Purvi in my lap inside the ICU to please my mother. Those three or four last days of her life were pleasurable because of Purvi. And obviously, since then, Purvi became the angel of my eyes.

Now I hear from her mother, that they are shifting to Pune! I am happy because Purviben shall be near to me and I can meet her often. Surat in Gujarat was really an alien place!!!

Recently, about a month ago, I met Purviben at Surat. The night, when we went out for dinner is unforgettable throughout my life. We were walking down the footpath. Talking, Purviben telling me stories of her school and in between, we both were jumping and circling around ourselves! What a joy!

In 2001-02, she was living in Pune. Then the family shifted to Surat. Now Purviben is settling down at Pune in near future. I hoped this to happen long ago. It is now that her parents decided to do so. There is one lovely Marathi poem ....कधीतरी एकटे उगाचच फ़िरले पाहिजे..........तलावाच्या काठावर उताणे पडले पाहिजे........ Similarly, I would say, kadhitari ekte ugachach phirle pahije.............Purviben barobar unaadle pahije!

Yes, that's the right word! unaadle pahije! :))). The circle is complete! 2001 to 2011. Full ten years circled around and now I will have Purviben near to me at Pune!