The next day, I woke up early as Badi Ma (Ashwin's elder Aunt Anita) had given me some instructions the previous night. She explained a few things, like how I should start calling her "Badi Ma" and Suresh Uncle "Bade Papa," just like Ashwin does. She also mentioned that Diwali was coming up, and we needed to do a deep cleaning of the entire household. I was still a little sleepy when I headed downstairs, as she had asked me to meet her at 5:30 a.m.
As I walked into the living area, I saw Badi Ma waiting for me along with a house helper I didn’t recognize. She greeted me with a smile, "Come, child, follow me." I smiled faintly, still trying to shake off the drowsiness, and walked toward her. As we made our way toward the kitchen, she continued, "This is Abha Tai—'Tai' means 'sister,' by the way. She will help you wash the dishes we'll use for the festival, most of which are copper and silver utensils. Be extra careful with them. We don’t want Dadi finding any fault."
I asked cautiously, “What about the other chores?”
Badi Ma replied kindly, "That’s why I hired extra helpers. They'll assist me with the deep cleaning of the entire house. You focus on washing the crockery and other items. Today, we’re just tackling the cleaning. Tomorrow, we’ll start cooking for Diwali."
Badi Ma gave me a reassuring pat on the head before leading me to the kitchen. Abha Tai and I began the task of taking out all the cookware and crockery that needed cleaning. As we worked, Abha Tai asked cheerfully, “I heard you got admission to a good college in Hyderabad. Congratulations!”
I smiled, “Yes, Tai. I did.”
She continued, “My son also wants to study engineering. Could you guide him when you’re free?”
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I nodded, “Of course, I’d be happy to help.”
We took out all the items from the cupboards and headed to the backyard, where the washing area was set up, reminiscent of old houses. There was a brick-walled tank with a tap, perfect for washing large quantities of clothes and utensils. We both sat on small stools and began scrubbing all the copper and silver items with lemon soda, as well as using dishwashing powder and soap bars.
As we washed the dishes, I found that Abha Tai was easy to talk to. We chatted about our families, and I took the opportunity to ask for some insights about my in-laws. I inquired, “Tai, what kind of food does Dadi like?”
After a moment of thought, Abha Tai replied, “Dadi can’t eat sweets or greasy food due to her age. You could try making something simple but flavorful. You can ask Badi Bhabhi (Anita Aunt) for advice on this.”
It seemed like Abha Tai was being careful with her words, likely unsure about how much she could share. I didn’t mind—it was my first time getting to know her, and she was probably just trying to avoid any misunderstandings. By the time we finished cleaning all the items, it was already noon.
After finishing the cleaning, I went to wash myself and freshen up. As I returned, I saw that Badi Ma had started preparing brunch. The whole house had been buzzing with activity since morning, and everyone was doing their part—nobody was idle. I joined her in the kitchen, and she handed me some instructions.
“Dolly, go help Abha with cutting the vegetables. I’ll knead the flour to make rotis,” she said, while putting rice in the cooker.
I sat down on the floor beside Abha Tai, grabbing a chopping board to help with the veggie prep. Given that there were workers and helpers who also needed to be fed, we had to prepare a lot of food. It took almost an hour to chop everything, and by the time the food was ready, mats had been laid out on the floor for everyone to sit and eat.
To my surprise, the men and helpers ate first, while the women—including me—waited to have our meal after everyone was done. I didn’t particularly like this tradition of eating last, but I knew it wasn’t my place to say anything just yet.