The one who gives immense love throughout her life is a ‘Mother’. She is the one who hold our tiny fingers when we first stood on our foot. She holds us tight so that we didn’t fall, she taught us to walk. She always stood beside us to help us, guide us, and support us during all the ups and downs of life. She is the one who believes in us and prays for our success. The one who silently sacrifices her desires and hides her pain is a Mother. She is the backbone of the family and the strength of her children. She is an angel that God has sent on this earth. You can always feel the unconditional love and warmth that she spreads around. With those hugs and kisses she makes us feel special. She is always kind and patience. She takes all our sorrows and fears, and gives us hope, love and happiness. A mother a small word is a bundle of love, care, sacrifices, strength, and a strong bond that that brings the family together.
This mother’s day I want to give tribute to all the great Moms who have played an important role in bringing change in our country. Not only they have fought for the nation but also taught their kids to love their motherland and be strong and courageous and fightback for their rights. There were so many mothers before independence who can be said as true heroes. The Indian history has many inspirational tales of mothers who influenced others, some by giving moral support, some by great teachings, and even some who sacrificed their lives.
When a woman becomes a mother, she sees numerous dreams for her child and even tries to fulfill them. But during those days every mother wanted her child to be brave and strong so that he can strongly defeat the enemies and become a great warrior. Right from the time the infant is in womb, the mother would feed confidence and self-esteem in her child. She would constantly sing patriotic songs and say brave stories of their grandfathers and great grandfathers to encourage them.
Amongst all of them, there was a mother who had a similar dream of teaching her child love and respect for everyone, to be strong and powerful to fight any enemy. She was Rajmata Jijabai also known as jijai. Jijabai was the daughter of Lakhuji Jadhav Rao. She married Shahji Raje the son of Maloji. Jijabai’s father Jadhav Rao and her husband Shahji Raje were working under Muslim Sultans which was deeply hurting Jijabai. She had a strong desire to protect the Hindus. She even thought that if she would have a son than she will definitely make him a a great warrior. Then in sometime she got pregnant as if her dream was coming true.
In Hindu mythology it is said that the child learns what he is taught and what he sees. So, all positive aspects in a child are initiated since the child is in mother’s womb. In Mahabharata, a great Indian Epic, Abhimanyu learnt the art to break chakravyuh rachna in the battle by Lord Krishna when he was in his mother’s womb. So Jijabai too preached her child to stand for hindus and be a fighter. During her pregnancy it was commanded that Jijabai should get complete comfort but she denied for everything. She wanted to live a tough life and wished the same for her child.
She was blessed with a baby boy. But she insisted to follow the same life for her kid. Instead of soft and smooth silk bed she used hard bed. Instead of royal cloths she felt happy to use ordinary cloths and instead of feeding delicacies she choose simple food so that her son may get ready for every tough situation. Jijabai educated her son and made him learn about the Hindu shastras and rights of administration and weaponry, and the political situation in the land of Bharat. She made him so strong that at the age of 16 in 1645, he made his first military conquest and captured the Torna Fort in the Bijapur Sultanate. He built a strong and powerful army to fight the battles. And later he established the Maratha Kingdom in India. He is none other than the legendary Maratha King, Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was highly devoted to his mother.
Just like Jijabai, there are many other mothers who have impacted their kids’ lives in some way or other. A mother teaches her child some of the most important traits of life and that is to respect, be kind, caring, be generous, trustworthy, to practice good behavior, never give up, self-confidence and above all to love and spread happiness.
I would like to say ‘Thank You’ so much to my loving Mother. You have always been there for me, love me, and care for me. I may not always be able to say how much I love you but I think about you each day. You are the most important person in my life. You are my best friend, my guide, my teacher, my inspiration, my role model, my healer, my strength, my love, you are my WORLD. Thank you for all the love, support, and blessings you always shower on me.
Wishing all the Mothers around the world a very “Happy Mother’s Day.”
