God couldn’t be everywhere so he created “mother,” the first woman in every human’s life.

The body shapes in the womb n personality she shapes outside it. Nothing new? Every mother has some special quality, but my mother was exceptional, a package of all the qualities bundled into one.

She was a French teacher. Once, in school, I went to tell her something “Mummy mummy I”.. she stopped me abruptly, “Mummy at home. In school l’m your teacher.” Never again l made that mistake,1st lesson give rightful and due respect.

   She was a strict disciplinarian. Being the youngest in the family, I was pampered, not spoilt but a bit stubborn.

I never interfered with my siblings’ interactions with her.

Once she told me something and l argued “but tell me why?” She must have sensed l was a wee bit aggressive. She was very soft spoken, she calmly said “When our parents told or asked us to do something we never back answered or counter questioned. We just did as we were told.

*Respectful Obeyance*    

 She was very  hard working, woke up at 5am, had bath, then filled fresh water for puja and cooking. She was an excellent cook- completed all household chores and reached school before 9 am.

I’d never seen her sick or lying in bed, even with fever she worked. No meal fusses, a well balanced diet. As kids, we liked potatoes she’d make an additional dish. I disliked brinjal so she’d try variations. She had made an unwritten rule, whatever was cooked, liked or not would be served and had to be eaten. We could avoid a 2nd helping, l know we all eat what we like but a big lesson l learnt was to like what I ate.  Believe me I always relish what I eat, and, touch wood, to date, it has helped me enjoy good health.     

She worked relentlessly, was an avid social worker inside and outside the community. I’d never seen her criticise or bad mouth anyone, always a good word for everyone. l would often wonder.

She told me once “God has gifted us all with at least 1 good quality, so we should focus on that and try to improve our own weak qualities instead of harping on others’ weaknesses”. It helps build good relations. Acceptance was the lesson l learnt, be it good, bad or ugly.

 She was very loving, kind hearted, treated servants also with respect, humble, no bragging. Few know that Superstar Rajesh (Jatin) Khanna was her big fan before he became a superstar. Twice, he flunked in French . Only after taking tuitions  from her in French could he clear his Inter arts and complete graduation.

He was highly indebted to her an always mentioned it whenever he got an opportunity.

There are many more instances as my life changed and shaped gradually but now I’ll share this life changing, interesting incident in particular.

I was alone at home once and was tempted to see the marks l’d scored in French. I checked the bunch of papers n to my surprise found my marks changed from 96 to 92/100. l cudn’t fathom why, was a bit annoyed too, but l cudn’t ask her as l’d get exposed.

Later on when l was appearing for my SSC board exam that year she was assigned no role, neither a paper setter, examiner or moderator coz as a rule they had to give a written declaration if any close relative of theirs was giving the exam. French was the only subject which fetched cent % results every year and in the board exam l topped in French. My mother hugged me n said in Marathi “*Tu aaj maajhi laaj rakhlis”*  l recollected n understood then why she had reduced my marks, for none to  think that she was favouring her own daughter. Her words were engraved in my mind n *l took an oath never to do anything to make her hang her head in shame, It changed my life totally,* n most humbly l admit l lived upto that oath. With every achievement of mine she’d say “uve done me proud.” I miss her, but relive n cherish her memories.

 Today as a Brahmaa Kumari I find all her teachings similar to the Godly versions we are taught, in the Prajapita Brahmaa Kumari Ishwriy Vishv Vidyalay. Already well equipped it was smooth sailing for me to rise quickly n make a mark for myself. 

My mother was very intelligent, hard working,very religious, kind hearted, qualities l inherited from her.  She was never a  member of any religious cult. She had those inborn qualities, God gift l believe. 

  I remember the line from the song “Prem swarup aai”

“*Ghe janm tu phironi yein me hi poti”*

 I Pray to God to make her my mother in every birth l take 

Neither for glory, nor for fame but for her memory l mention her name Late Mrs. Rohini Shrikar Rane.