Childhood memories
Today, I woke up to a simple "Good Morning" message on WhatsApp (as is the norm these days, we Indians are known for this worldwide!!) from a very dear friend from my childhood and with it, came an image.... Fresh "shiuli" lying on the ground, possibly still moist with morning dew.... the night flowering jasmine flowers that most Bengalis can relate to....unlike most flowers, these bloom at night and fall off at dawn leaving an all too familiar carpet of flowers around the tree...usually heralding the season that reminds us that Ma Durga is kind of prepping for her travel to her maternal home. A simple visual... yet it opened up the flood gate of memories.... My childhood home had such a tree and each morning I would be amazed at the carpet that was magically formed overnight; I remember handpicking the ones that seemed untouched by the soil it had touched and bringing them inside the house, placing them on a saucer filled with...