George Bernard Shaw said “There is no more sincere love than the love of food”. He was so right, and this applied to you aptly. You loved simple yet ethnic food, both to eat and to cook for others. You never gave up a chance to taste something new. Here you are at Chokhi Dhani enjoying ethnic Rajasthani food in rustic surroundings.
There is no doubt that food brings people together on many different levels and it provides nourishment of both the soul and the body. I think the secret ingredient in everything that turns out to be delicious is one helpful spoon of love. I must say at this place especially, the man serving us poured in so much warmth and love into his serving. Such moments spent with you Mumma, were so precious!

You not only enjoyed yourself, you enjoyed everyone around you. In your difficult days, we realized even more that you thrived on social interactions. People being around would always cheer you up and lift your spirits to a higher pedestal. Your many friends and family gave you strength to fight and survive. Your love for life is an example for us. All the small things you did became great because you did them with love. Mumma, for you, it was not the length of life, but the depth that mattered.

You grew up with one set of religious beliefs and took on another as you entered a diiferent phase of life after getting married. All through your life you were open to feeling, experiencing and visiting people and places of worship of different religions of the world. You were never rigid about anything. You truly believed that there is only one religion though there are so many versions of it. Here you are inside the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.
A wise person has said that there is no need for temples, or complicated philosophy. Our own heart and mind are the temple, and philosophy is kindness. Your kindness will always remain with us mumma!

Mumma, you grew up in a small town surrounded by nature, so appreciating the beauty of nature was always a part of you. Maybe that is why your smile made our lives even more beautiful. You took the time to stop and look around, to stop and literally smell the flowers. As you had that eye for beauty, you admired wonders that not everyone saw. Your daily walks in every country that you visited got you even closer to nature. I recall those precious moments and intriguing long talks with you when we experienced nature and admired it together in different places. Especially the sunsets we watched together proved that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully.

This picture reminds me of what a great sport you were mummy! When everybody else would want to stay at home and crib about the wet or cold weather, you were the person who would just wear cute boots and jump right in the puddle. Anyone who says sunshine brings happiness has never danced in the rain. I remember the time when you readily agreed to come with us to Connaught Place to have fun and enjoy the weather even though you were not in the best of your health at that time. Love you always!

You even tried this? Naah! But you did approve of it as a healthy drink after you got a full tour of the Jack Daniel’s brewery in Alabama. I remember vividly how surprised you were Mumma when you found out it was simply barley water that was fermented to make whisky. You said it is all organic and pure and you wondered why they say whiskey is risky!

In many countries not everybody gets to feel the beauty and enchantment of a snow fall. You too grew up thinking of snow as a luxury to visit. During all your stays in Canada, the first fall of snow was always a magical event for you. You were amazed that we slept in one world and woke up to a different one.
Mumma, not only did you enjoy snow days completely, you also wanted to try everything snow related! From making a snowman, to playing with snow balls and even shovelling it!

Here you are giving out awards for ice hockey. As they say for hockey, not every victory shows up on the scoreboard. To support your dear grandson, your घर का चिराग़, you not only learned the rules of this new sport, but you were also there for each and every one of his games to support and encourage him to play better. With your presence and motivation he got to be the Assistant Captain of the team within a few years of learning how to skate. You dedicated these awards in your husband, his grandfather’s name for sportsmanship. Missing you and your charm Mumma!

Forget the glass slippers, our mumma the Queen wore flippers. You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream the farther you get. Mumma you never got a chance to swim when you were young, but as they say, age is an issue of mind over matter, if you do not mind it, it doesn’t matter. You took the plunge and learnt how to swim when others started to retire from an active life. You are the one who improved with age, embraced the power of personal growth and achievement. You replaced youth with wisdom, innocence with understanding, and a lack of purpose with self-actualization. You were the best.

Mumma, with your enterprising spirit you never hesitated to try new things. After you tried out putting a few times, you came to enjoy playing mini golf. I remember how competitive you were when playing it. In life as in golf, it is the follow-through that makes all the difference. You always followed through and always succeeded.