Lakhmai Atya Baarki Bai

Note: I had written this on FB after Lakhmai atya passed away reposting it here for my cousin Prashant. She was the only child of Mothi Ajji Demai (your grandpa Dashrath & Nathuram’s elder sister) and Narayan Ajoba. Narayan Ajoba had passed away while Lakhmai atya was still in the womb. 

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15 May 2019

Saying Goodbye and Farewell to my Eldest aunt, Vijaya (Lakhmai) Gangaram Bundke. She made my vacations in Thal interesting always. Memories flooding me of going to the Monday market under the banyan trees in Poynad selling fish in humongous quantities and eating at a Khanaval and returning with baskets full of goodies, especially the famed Poynad cha Narlipaak and khapti.

Going to her vaadi and climbing chikoo, mango trees and felling tamarind was something we never missed. We would sometimes carry a lunch in a topli and have a picnic there then lie under the trees and make bakuli gajras. Such an amazing world it was!

Her brothers, that's my Dad, Uncles and younger aunt called her Baarki bai which means small mother. 

She lived a good life as a Naval family. Quite a bindaas and badass woman who stood side by side to my Moti Aai and ran our fishing business. She loved her indulgences and she had quite a few. 

Moti aatya we will miss you.

Here she is wearing the मानाची साडी during my Halad that I gifted her since she couldn’t travel to Mumbai for my wedding reception.