It is lovely having Amma over, getting a chance to pamper her again. She—Indu Shedde—is 97 and returning to stay with me for some days after three-four years. She is fiercely independent, choosing to stay on her own at a senior citizen’s home, with a full-time caretaker, after our dad passed away years ago. She spent a year with me during COVID, then because of unfortunately-timed building repairs, moved to a senior citizens’ home at Panvel, on a lovely 15-acre orchard property, two hours from Bombay, that she thoroughly enjoys.

I’m struggling alone to give Amma the best time possible. It is a very busy time for me with multiple work deadlines, and I am also going crazy trying to get her Aadhar card updated for two weeks, as her bank work is held up because of this. I think of ways to engage her in fun activities. Fawzan Husain, photojournalist and a friend, who also runs Arwa Farms at Dahanu, sends me a box of two dozen organic kesar mangoes from his farm. I promptly appointed Amma Inspector General of Mangoes. Her job is to pick out the mangoes ripe enough to eat today—and quite a skill that is, especially when dealing with kesar, as it doesn’t turn bright yellow like Alphonso. It remains mostly in shades of green, with a hint of yellow—but it is really the softness of the mango that tells you, ki iska time aa gaya. Amma and I learn new things from the instructions on the box: if you cut a mango and discover that it is not fully ripe, tie a thread around it and put it back in the hay for a day or two. Aha!