My Mom and Her Ganga

A white cow used to come to our house exactly at 5 P.M. every day and would simply stand near the main gate. My mom would herself go out to cuddle her first and then give jaggery and rotis (home cooked breads) kept specially for her. She would calmly and appreciatively see the cow eat. She had lovingly started calling her Ganga.

When my mom was not at home, her clear instructions were to give jaggery and rotis as usual to Ganga. I was too small then. My elder sister or brother used to officiate in her absence, but minus cuddling. Ganga also used to understand that mom was not there. On those days, she would simply eat and go away without getting cuddled.

Ganga was a stray cow, and we were not aware from where she would come and go, but she was regular and punctual every day without fail. My mom also used to wait eagerly for that half an hour meeting with her Ganga. My mom used to say that Ganga was her mother in the previous birth, and we started calling her our Nani (grandmother).

It was difficult to remember when this love story exactly started, but this went on uninterrupted for almost six years. One day Ganga didn’t come. It was unusual for her. My mom got disturbed. The next day again, she didn’t turn up. My elder brother went out to trace Ganga, but to no avail. And it was the end, the end of that bovine love. A happy relationship had come to an end.

My mom was not her usual self for quite sometime. My elder brother suggested, “Let’s feed some other cow daily as usual.” My mom stared at him, as if she was saying that we were not able to understand her feelings.

Whatever may be her belief, but we were really surprised to see this unique relationship and understanding between the two. We could easily fathom what is true love without any expectations. The best relationships normally start unexpectedly, but shouldn’t end so abruptly.

–Kaushal Kishore