From my bed at my parents house I could see the altar in the hallway, where, every morning mom would stand every day between 7:30am and 8am -ish. It was before she called her sisters to chat and giggle, before her 108 rounds of Jap Mala, it was before her sandwich and coffee and it was before she faced her day.
I would watch her, and while she's reciting the Gayatri Mantra or her favorite Maha Mritunjay, my groggy self through one eye would belt out "I hope you included me! Hello Hi, pray for my soul, don't just pray for Ar ( my brother,) pray for me too."
She would be giggling and kissing her teeth.
I never used to visit the altar, I didn't know what to do truthfully, but when the days began when she stopped going because
she forgot her routine, I'd find myself getting up a little bit earlier, meeting her wherever she was wandering in the house and begin saying the Gayatri mantra and walk our way to the altar, where we would recite Maha Mritunjay, do aarti, give thanks for life. She would be laughing at me cause she thought it was funny to hear me attempt any sort of singing, haha.
I'd have to make sure to close off in traditional style
"Hello, Hi. Pray for me too|" She'd laugh + laugh.
Now daily, I find myself at my own altar at home, reflecting, finding my own meaning to connection, giving thanks + laughing, with my own little someone who seems to be watching his mama too. 😘🙏🏼📿
A B O U T An award winning, multi-faceted artist, Reshmi is an accomplished performer, dance educator, arts manager and producer. An artist who has a wide spectrum of experience in the industry with an eye for detail and storytelling. Reshmi’s mission is to provide access to dance education, collective experiences and holistic methods that will preserve traditions while inspiring innovation in the world of South Asian, Indo-Caribbean and new-age dance forms.
C O N N E C T
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