Pahi means a petal

 Hi Koko, 

To quote Avicii, 

"Hey brother

There's an endless road to rediscover

Hey sister

Know that water's sweet, but blood is thicker"




I saw this in action a few days ago. So your cousin Pahi was born on 24 June 2022. When I informed you of this moment, your 7 year old self was ecstatic and wanted to run off to Calcutta immediately. But she is too tiny now, we all explained, and you understood. Over the next 3 months you collected this and that. you handpicked a pink princess dress for her. You packed your favorite childhood books of Peppa Pig for her. In your mind this was the closest to Peppa and George you are ever coming. It was heartening to see you so ready to share one of your most prized possessions so effortlessly with her. She is after all the first cousin you see born, the rest are all older than you. 

As the day for our travel approached you cordoned off a portion of the suitcase calling it the "Pahi section". You packed a lot (!) of stuff in and we were ready to go. Right after we reached home from airport you were washed and cleaned (never have I seen you so readily take a bath). You had to meet your sister. 

So off we went and the moment you met your Momo (for some strange reason that is what you are calling her) was something else. Those tiny fingers wrapped around yours without any encouragement - like it was meant to be. The people who were in the room at that time looked on at how life came full circle. 

Every morning you wanted to be there when Pahi is awake, watching her every move, trying to feed her milk, wiping her face for drools. On the last evening your Sona Mami made this pretty cushion from your and Pahi's picture, which you hug and sleep each night, take to school as you Show and tell "favorite thing" and tell anyone who is ready to hear about this miracle that is your baby sister.




Just like that plans are being made of bhai phnota and birthdays and whatnot you would share. Yes, you would be sharing this and so much more, but for now just this little 3 month old on the lap of this other child is enough. When we were younger, Pahi's father and I (and our other cousins) have also shared this bond. We were notorious for our inside jokes so much so that we would suddenly fall into these giggle loops in biye baris, which would embarrass our parents no end. Then we grow up, grow apart, move to different parts of the world. But put us in a room even now and I am sure we will have some weird joke which only we would laugh at. 

Here's to you two having your own inside jokes. I look forward to getting embarrassed :)

Love, 
Ma


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