“Mummy you are a fairy” I said . My mother laughed like tinkling bells. “I am serious mother, you know everything. “My child, I try to answer as best as I can When you grow older, you will not need me”, she said. No, Mom, “I will always need you and nothing can change that”, I said. her words echo in my heart as I look at the blue sky: “Dear daughter, nothing remains the same, except the vast blue sky”. It has been ten years since I lost my fairy. “Mom, you were wrong about one thing, I still need you.

• A story by Saman Rahman, Peshawar, Pakistan

What a memorable evening it was on May 8th 2020- when we came together for our Virtual Circle to share and witness our own stories of The Great Mother, that force in us and all around us in many forms and in many names that is compassionate, joyful, and nurturing. With so much love, compassion, oneness, and emotions in each and every eye. I am sure it’s the word Mother "Maa" which fills all of us with so many emotions. Our expressions for the "great mother" are so deep and so pure that a circle time of 1.5 hours surely was not sufficient to hold it all. To set the tone Jaimit shared the video he put together (Ode to The Great Mother) - a labour of love from our community friends for the community friends, that was a perfect tribute to the Mother - "the holy mother". The seed question for reflection embodying multiple expressions of motherhood brought forth experiences when motherhood in its many forms left a deep impact on the members personally!!



It seems that our community in so many ways perfectly embodies the values associated with Motherhood. The minute we think of a “mother” the flow of unconditional love, is a corollary that emerges in our mind and engulfs our hearts! But we well know that we are not referring to a particular social status or role (motherhood) But a set of concepts, actions, and behaviours which we often associate with a person ( the acts of mothering ) which we understand in common as “care and nurture” for the other, be it a child , a pet , a friend, a parent, a person in need/ distress, nature , environment and much more …..! This got expressed through the voices of the of the “Maitri Circle”. Pinky highlighted the commonness between “Maitri” (meaning friendship/ Goodwill) and “Matrutva” (motherhood) which is full of understanding and sensitivity of the needs of the other (friend, child) thus holding space for free emotional catharsis, much required for coping with stress and the demands of the modern life style. Her close friends have been a great boon to her holding her when needed.

Trishala and Kunal gave us a fine perspective on how their own “mothers and grandmothers” just about understood every emotion without even they having to say a single word. It's such a beautiful symbiotic relationship where a mother understands everything that a child does not say. Such trust and “sensitive responsiveness” of the mother helped them as a child to open up and share with her everything that he/she never intended or never shared with anyone else, thus creating strong bonds between the two. Bhaskar touched upon how neither the love from one’s own mother can be replaced, nor the food she cooks. He feels that “A taste and flavour of a mother's food is the best feeling in the world and always believes in Love + Food = Prasad (A blessing from God almighty in the form of some food)”.

Manali made a very revealing point on “how motherhood and mothering is not just limited to Feminine figures! Even Fathers with all their love and care can be equally nurturing. She also reinforced Pinky’s point that friends can nurture us like mothers with their presence and unconditional support. Nidhi narrated an intriguing story about her professional video shooting trip to Udaipur, when she got sick and dehydrated. She recalled with gratitude, the selfless loving care she received from the Chef/caretaker who attended to her every minute need like a mother. Her own motherly instincts find natural expression in her care and interaction with her pet dog. Trilok Uncle shared that "Whatever is done from the heart is a reflection of Motherhood" and hence very heart warming. Raji Auntie remembered her first experience of flow of unconditional love when she was 4.5 years old, while she had to console and care for older brother who was distressed without the mother in his school. This is something that has been always been at core to her sense of motherhood. She drew attention to a shift that occurs from within in a person due to parenthood, where meeting the needs of the other becomes most important to you and thus becomes an anchor for change / transformation (Krunal endorsed noticing such shift in his wife Arpita). She beautifully expressed how a mother looks at her kids always as a source of energy and how she can never say NO to them, no matter what and this source of energy inspired from the love for the other never depletes. it only grows!!!!! (Well with this sharing all of us also got what we have been yearning for - an invite for filter coffee session at Raji Auntie's place soon after the lockdown :))). With this energy, also comes the tremendous responsibility of being a good parent, and guiding and nurturing the child to be an ideal human being, and ensuring his achievement and overall development.

Khushboo’s sharing connected us to Mother Earth. Mother Earth takes care of us, nourishes us, protects us, and gives us the very force of life, selflessly. Yet the question remains: What have we given her back? which reminds us this. Jaimit elaborated our connections to earth as mother by a beautiful story of “Luv and Kush” the twin children of Lord Rama (from Ramayana) who were raised by their mother Sita and were under the tutelage of Rishi Valmiki. He gave us a very interesting perspective – “Rishi Valmiki directed his disciple to request a serpent (‘Nagaraj’) to leave his abode under a tree, so that the young children who offered their everyday prayers do not feel scared or disturbed”. To this Luv and Kush answered- “we all are creations of mother earth, all of us - humans, birds, animals, and every living creature are born out of the great mother. And If the earth is mother to all living creations, how can the sense of brotherhood be limited only to humans?” So, let ‘Nagaraj’ stay where he is.

Expanding our horizon further to viewing mothering in Animal kingdom , Trupti's story melted within everyone so well; on how a Dog on highway cared for her and her sister Swara; this dog accompanied them, protected them wisely with simple actions to guard them from danger and was constantly by them like a mother while 2 of them were on a walking pilgrimage of Maa Reva (Narmada River) - the story (see link for many more stories) was nothing short of being a called miracle or what one would say 'Blessings from the above'. Krunal shared a moving incident of Lioness and her cubs at Gir Forest, where energies of the lioness mother are primarily focussed on the care of the cub! So, while with cubs, she will not attack any one unless she feels that there is a danger! It also symbolised how motherhood is beyond any form or formal learning but comes instinctually and naturally to every living being.



It was a beautiful celebration of Mother's day and our tribute to the Great Mother. Each of us has so much to give, with an open heart and open arms that motherhood within the community feels so real.

Lokesh's simple innocent and frank sharing drew attention to this question at a personal level and touched everyone's heart and remains in our conscience: While our mother has done so much for us, how have we been able to share back all that love and tenderness with her?

Extending this question to the larger community we are confronted with the question “Do we care enough for the great mother who cares for the other?”