Two mothers along with their spouses were on a holiday at their children’s places in Dehradun. One was a Bengali, the other, a Tamilian.  Both women were not conversant with the other’s tongue, neither were they fluent with the lingua franca of the modern world.

Yet, they became buddies.

Every evening, the gracefully dressed women would take a walk on the terrace. After exchanging meaningful smiles, through gestures and a sprinkle of vernacular, they would communicate with each other.

They would gaze at the beauty of the Mussorie hills, or watch the spectacular sunset, and came downstairs when it was time to ‘prepare’ dinner.

Watching them converse was sheer joy to their family members, and to the onlookers in the neighbourhood.

Exchange of culinary delights took place in the mornings and in the evenings -‘luchi,’ ‘shukto,’ ‘aloo posto’ ‘medu-vadai’ ‘mor kuzhambu,’ ‘paruppu usili,’’adai,’ ‘rava kesari,’ ‘kheer’ and many other gastronomical delights, which both of them prepared with much delight and patience…

PS: The young couples had to go on crash-diets after their Moms left!