Today was a heart-breaking, distressing, painful and sad tear-jerker of an episode.
It is foolish to mourn the men (err women) who died. Rather we should thank God that such men (err women) lived. ---- George S. Patton, Jr.
I am dedicating this post to Ila and her girls and the actresses who play them – CS, PC, SS and SK. 👏
Today's episode started with the girls realizing that Ila is gone. Damini tries to revive but then she realizes Ila is gone and breaks down. Varun, Sam and Pri comfort their significant other's. But then Varun is still the baby Saxena asking Sam "yeh kya ho gaya" and Sam himself is so stunned he is unable to answer. The sisters then congregate next to their mom's body hugging and crying together. It was heart breaking to watch.
The boys then take over the funeral arrangements, leaving the girls to grieve for their mother. Their love and concern for their girls as well as their grief and repentance were clearly obvious. A restrained performance by GK, KT and DA. Good job folks. 👏
Time is a traveler. Where did it go? It left, but it didn't leave you empty handed. No! It left you with the gift of beautiful memories that you can keep in your heart for safe keeping, to cherish forever and ever. – Jane Adams
Damini goes to Ila's room and she can still feel her mom's presence in that room – like the half empty glass of water that sits on the table. She touches bedspread and her organizer and recalls memories of her mother. Then Damini sits in front of Ila's chair Ila , remembers Ila sitting in that chair and puts her head down on the chair – I broke down – I mean I never never cry in movies or on a serial – this was heartwrenching. Damini remembers telling her mother to be always around to take care of her daughters. This had me in tears again. Damini then looks at a photograph and remembers her mom telling her that she came into her life and gave her lot of happiness and therefore she named her Damini. More tears. Great performance from CS. Simply mind-blowing.👏 👏
Avni sitting alone huddled in a corner in her room recollecting how her mom had promised they would all stick together in any circumstance was just plain moving. She looked like a lost child at that time. Roshni looking through the photo album and crying "Why did you leave us. What will we do without you" is yet another lost child who is coming to grips with this serious situation. Simran was simply fabulous in this scene. 👏
These scenes showed the girls as children coming to terms with losing a mother. The grief and the pain were palpable.
A friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing….not healing, not curing… that is a friend who cares. – Henri Nouwen
The boys were amazing today. They showed the girls compassion and were very respectful of their grief. It was great that they took charge of things – leaving the girls to grieve for their mother without having to worry about these things -something the girls will be grateful for someday. The girls shut them out but they kept trying. This is a good sign for things to come. Prithvi enters Ila's room and apologizes to Damini for coming in without knocking. You can see that he does not want to intrude but is being forced to because of what needs to be done. They have done what they could without the girls and the girls' presence is now required. What have PriDa come to? He tells Damz that everything is ready and only half an hour is left. Sameer enters Avni's room, opens the curtains and comes to Avni who has not moved and is still crying. He checks to see if she has eaten and then offers her water telling her she had not eaten or drunk anything since the day before. He tells her to drink some water because the baby will be thirsty and that if Ila had been alive she would not have allowed it. This causes Avni to breaks down completely. And his hesitation in touching her is so telling. Amazing job Parneet 👏. When she cries out Mama mama, it tugged at my heartstrings and my heart went out to her. I cried again. Varun enters Roshni's room to offer comfort and Rosh yelling at him through her tears – get out, just leave not once but twice and she yells at him saying – will you not even let me cry in peace and leaves. This shows that he has a long way to go before she forgives him – find that note Rosh.
Being loved deeply by someone gives you the strength, while loving someone deeply gives you the courage – Lao Tzu
Damini comes to see Avni and Rosh. She is wearing white and tells them to come outside because some rituals have to be performed. Avni and Rosh are stunned to see Damini in white - you can see that in some part of their mind they still held out hope that this was all just a nightmare - they would wake up and everything would be fine - their mom would be there again. Seeing Damini in white means that it is final and their mother is not returning. Damini at this point is back to being the eldest – she is not the child who has lost a mother anymore – she has put her grief aside for the sake of her sisters. Rosh's heartrendering reaction - she is a child still in denial - " I am not going. I cannot do all this" and her clinging to the bedpost refusing to leave were too wrenching. I cried again. When Damini tries to calm her she cries "Di bring mama back." Oh God this was so hard to watch. Damini remains strong and consoles her sisters telling them that their mom is still around and will not be happy if she sees them crying and she would cry too. Damini proved that she is a chip off the old block. She is cut from the same cloth as her mother and will remain strong for her sisters even when she is breaking apart inside. She gently reminds them "remember how when their mom used to go out when we were little we would run to her to say goodbye. We have to do that again today – for the last time. " Oh my. What a dialogue – hats off to the CVs. 👏
Hats off to all 3 actresses – CS, PC and SK. Awesome job ladies. 👏
When the girls come to bid their final goodbyes to their mother the song from Baghban was very apt for the situation. Damini breaking down and Prithvi offering her comfort and hugging her and then helping her close Ila's face was heart wrenching – atleast she let him hug her. She leaned on him for support – a silver lining on a very very dark cloud. Then when the boys give kandha to the arthi – another symbolic gesture – since they called her Maa and 2 of them are her sons-in-law. Avni breaks down again at this point calling Mama at this point – more tears. Damini tells Rosh to console Avni and follows the arthi. She does not want to be parted from her mother yet. The brothers looking at each other when they are giving kandha was moving – they are also confused and uncertain of what the future will bring. (on a lighter note – join the club guys we understand where you are coming from).
The funeral is tomorrow. Thanks CVs and Star one for ending the year for us in tears. GRRRRR 😡
Once the funeral is over, the healing can begin – hopefully.They have a long way to go and the journey has just begun for all six of them. There will be new challenges that they will have to overcome but they will have to learn to trust each other first.
This is a poem for the girls from Ila
What is Death?
Death is nothing at all.
I have only slipped away into the next room.
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other,
that we still are.
Call me by my old familiar name.
Speak to me in the easy way
which you always used.
Put no difference in your tone.
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed
at the little jokes we enjoyed together.
Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.
Let my name be ever the household word
that it always was.
Let it be spoken without affect,
without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant.
It is the same that it ever was.
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.
Why should I be out of mind
because I am out of sight?
I am waiting for you,
for an interval,
somewhere very near,
just around the corner.
All is well.
~ Henry Scott Holland
