Remember James Shirley's poem that describes how death is the leveller? Undoubtedly, so! The end of every human life is indeed death. In a way, we are born to die, sooner than later.
Yet there is another leveller beyond such grim realities. I would like to insist that it is the grandparental love. Anywhere in the whole world, beyond every divide such as class or caste, grandchildren and their grandparents share a deep and very happy bond. Sure once the grandchildren grow up, their worlds, their realities change drastically, even completely. But, as kids, their strongest bond is with the grannies and grandpa's.
Well, their young parents would be busy disciplining the kids. On the contrary, the grandparents are hyper tolerant, even indulgent. Your kid's kiddo is indeed precious every which way. So no scoldings, no beatings! Instead, with grandparents, there is only protection and affection, especially when elder siblings and/or parents are irritated with the baby of the family.
Believe me, this is the story of every family, be it our families or the royal British family. There is this sweet, cute video of the youngest son of Kate and William getting bored at some public function, and hence bothering his mom. His little sister then calls out to Grandpa Charles. The kid shoots away from the mother, bounding across six or so chairs towards his grandpa, while the father glares at the public show of indiscipline.
The kid climbs in to Grandpa's lap. He is absolutely happy and relaxed, a little embarassed at his own tantrums, while Grandpa drums on his tummy, rocks him in his lap to the tune/beat of the musical show that is on, points out some distracting fun view. The kid is happy, relaxed, enjoying, moreover, the two grandmothers, Camilla and Anne, fussing over him. A royal sight that makes every grandfather a king, every home a palace!
We have this pic of Amar in Papa's arms. It was Amar's very first birthday. There is absolutely no difference expression wise between this pic and the photo of Ambani with his grandson on the child's first birthday; the same joy, deep love and sense of pride!
Remember the royal kids crying at the burial ceremony for their beloved gran? I have still with me Kunal's drawings of Papa's tenth day ceremony. He was hardly six, but the drawings full of crows flying in all directions are hyper-sensitive indeed.
Nobody can love each other as deeply and selflessly as grandparents and grandchildren do. As a kid, Amar was inseparable from Aai. He would get up at five in the morning so as to go with Ajji for her morning Bhajan event. After every telecast of Mahabharat, especially related to Bheema and Maruti, Siddhu used to have deep, telephonic conversation with Aai! I remember the way he had once carried a flower all the way from Neel Heights to Mukund Nagar to give it to Papa for puja.
As for Kunal, when Aai was to return all alone from the U. S , he was weeping, Aai often remembered, inconsolably because Grandma would have to travel all alone! Aai repeatedly talked of their immense togetherness at Riviere.
Indeed, for the grandchildren and grandparents, their bond is special, very natural, and most loving. No wonder, they say in Marathi, the cream of milk is thicker and better than the milk itself!
Pratima@ Grandparents, it is said, are a bit parents, a bit teachers, but a lot best friends with silver in hair, but pure gold in heart! Incidentally, Sept 11, i just found out, is Grandparents' Day! Long live this lovely bond.
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