Relations-Ma and us

Born as the third daughter to family of struggling middle class in early 70's is an experience in itself. Yes i have two elder sisters, both are beautiful. In all our sibling there is a constant age difference of two years. The eldest sister, Nina- is not only beautiful, but is street smart and intelligent enough to fool people cleverly.The middle one - Sonu , looks like a Cinderella- fair complexion, golden hair and doe eyed. She should have been in that fantasy world only, as she is still so innocent and Seedha for this world. And My self-though I have resemblance with my father, yet got the dusky complexion from my mom. General opinion about about my intellectual capabilities are not bad; I leave my emotional quotient aspect open to interpretation.
From early child hood, I saw my mom struggling hard with reality of the life everyday, from morning till late night. Her morning used to start at 5 :00, to put on that coal wala angithi, then cooking for the family of seven. Yes, I do have two younger brothers too. Once three us of were off to the school, then it was father, who used to leave at 9:00 and then she would go on completing rest of the house hold chorus.
At age of 7, I learnt how to make chapatis. My two elder sister knew it already. So there was second line of help was ready for my mom. So to say after 12 years of hard work, the burden was lessen for my mom thanks to three daughters at home. But this same help was the biggest issue in her life. She was day and night reminded of the financial burden of three daughters marriage. As far as I remember, my mom never uttered a single word in the same tone, or which meant the same. She always loved her daughters if not more, then no less than to her two sons. I wonder about intellectual sensitivity of my not so educated mother, who looked at this situation very rationally and came up with the best solution.
What was the solution? She always professed that three of us should study hard and be financially independent. What so ever happens to marriage, or after marriage was not at all her concern. She never talked to us like traditional mothers, to educate use on how to dress, or carry yourself. She only emphasised on the number and quality of skills which we should acquire.
Nina was a social bird from early child hood, she had several friends and was most fun loving child. She would help mom, if she feels like, nothing mattered to her than her own desires and wishes. One day ma gave three different tasks to three of us. Ma went out for grocery shopping , not to forget all this was my mom's duty. Nina smartly took out a blade from papa's shaving kit. And what she did ... she cut her two fingers, because she never wanted to do house hold menial tasks. Good, because we saw her doing so, she did same with us also.Me and Sonu started crying, not only because it hurt, but also that we were also not able to do assigned task. Now when mom was back, three of us were ready with the wounded fingers.What a mother could do in such situation? Oh I cannot think of my self in my mother's place. I would have gone hysterical. But she looked at us, and repeated all the assigned tasks, and for sure we all completed. So this was my tough ma ,and notorious sister, facing each other and fighting for their objectives.
But I must acknowledge Nina's contribution to my life, as a child I had speech articulation disorder. I could never produce sound "K" instead, it used to be "T". When was 7+ and Nina was 11+, one day she caught hold of me , and ask me to repeat the sound "K" in different variations. I was not able to do so, it was always "T". But after 30 minutes of rigorous practice, we were successful. I am grateful to my sis for this. Without any scientific knowledge or method she made me to overcome the disorder.She was also above average in her studies, but only till her primary education. Later she was more conscious about her looks. She gained puberty much earlier compare to both of us. She used to look like a teenager much before her age.

Me and Sonu are very close so do my two bothers Tinu and Rinku. Nina never needed a buddy thing. She was happy-go-lucky person. Or she was big boss over us, she used to delegate all her tasks between me and Sonu. Her school day used to start at 6:45, whereas she was suppose to be in the school by 7:15. If i calculate accurately, our school was almost 3Kms away from home. One could take a good 15 minutes morning walk and reach. But the kind of timing Nina maintained , she could hardly wakeup , iron her uniform and gulp the prantha, without taking bath, yet late to walk and reach the school. In earlier instances, Papa used to drop her on his two wheeler, but not forever. Whereas, Suno and I used to wake up 6:00 in the morning, take bath, cook breakfast and leave for the school before the big boss wakes up. Finally Nina used to take a cycle rikshaw almost everyday and be part of late comers. It was our secondary school, yes it was a government school for all girls in the first shift and Co-Ed for the second shift.
By the time I joined this secondary school, Nina was in class 8, and Sonu in 7.Nina was already popular for her beauty and social skills. Sonu was known as Nina's younger sister, or else for shy and introvert nature exactly opposite to Nina. I must mention, my father has no role in deciding our secondary school or education. My ma used to take all decisions, with what ever to best of her knowledge. Let me be honest, my father by this time stopped bothering about our study. But discipline was his prime forte, rather dictatorship on what we wear, where we go and major concern what time. Nina got admission to this school through her earlier school principal, and Sonu and I were admitted on our merit and Nina's social skills.It was a government school but known for it performance and quality staff and students.