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Little writer of T-shirt messages

C got a diya from her school and showed it to me. Pretty little clay lamp attached to a plate with red, sparkly, paint. For some reason, she didn’t trust me enough to hand it over for appreciative inspection.

This is the not for you’, she informed. ‘ Yours is in the Mumbai.’ (C is quite fond of the definite article.)

Similar wariness of me handling diyas can be witnessed in my household, but I wasn’t about to let THAT get in the way.

Why can’t I hold it?’, I ask.

‘This is the not yours’, she replied and hit me on the hand.

Whose is it then?’

‘The Big ban’

‘What?’

‘The BIG BAN!’,
she yelled.

‘The Big Ban?’, I’m a little confused now. She’s making diyas for a clock in London? (Yes, I know it’s the Big B-E-N, thank you so much.)

I pull her closer, to follow her mouth (constantly rounded in surprise, anticipation, partial scream, full-bodied yell, etc., etc.).

‘This diya is for…’, I ask slowly, my eyes never leaving her lips.

THE’, she replies slowly. Okay, she thinks I’m a dud, but so what.

BIG’

Yes…

BAN’

‘THE BIG BAN!’, she finally concludes loudly.

Of course, I had made the arrogant presumption that if I didn’t know what the freaky Big Ban was, she wouldn’t either. But humility crept into me like gastro, and I asked her:

‘What’s the Big Ban?’

‘The Big Ban is the big ban’,
C replied and touched the diya to her forehead. How we do after a puja.

BHAGWAAN!’, I correct her, with relief. So it’s not as if she knew something I didn’t.


She’s irritated now.

‘This is for the Big Ban!’, she says with finality, wondering how this dense woman didn’t get it the first few times it was hollered. She scoots to find her Mommy.

I’m left staring at the diya and wondering…

‘Bhagwaan – the big ban’

C should make message T-shirts for agnostics. So what if she’s four? She gets them.

Comments

Anonymous said…
haha..

seriously how COULD you not get that?

-the 2nd Mistake
Anonymous said…
good one!!!! I heard something similar from my bhanji in her tuti futi language...she was about 3 1/2 years old.... (film: Lakshya, song: Kandhon se milte hai )
Bhanji: kondom se milte hai kandom..kondom se kondom milte hai
hum chalte hai aaise jaise dushman bhi chalte hai!!!! :)

btw, I need your picture.... Halloween aa raha hai...sabke ghar ke bahar bhoot tange hai.....pls send fast...

-pravin
Ameet said…
LOL :)
Anonymous said…
good bless little kids!
Anonymous said…
sorry it was - big ban bless little kids
karmic said…
LOL..
Hi Sanjay,

Looong time! How are you?


I am ok thanks. You can also know how I am from my blog ;).
Not that it matters.
BTW been more of a lurker rather than a comments type of person.
Happy Diwali :)
oglidonkee said…
No no Argggh stab me .... I cant c my friend gettin sentimental about a homospaien with a lil something between his legs!!
lol
U enjoyin being in LOVE MUKTA?
mom and sis here visitin me in the UK...... and maybe thy willcarry a something for u.
Mukta Raut said…
Hi Sanjay,

Happy Diwali to you too! Have a great time!

Hey ogli,

Oh you aren't in Mumbai kya? When are you coming?
anish said…
Kids are great!

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