Sunday, July 15, 2007

About a Friend

As my blog celebrates its first birthday today, I would like to write something about a very special person in my life. It was that person who introduced me to the blogging world exactly a year ago. That person is none other than my cousin, whom you all know as Woodsmoke. She is the sister in everyone’s dream.


But for me, she is not Woodsmoke. She is ‘Tanni Didi’. And, ‘Tanni Didi’ is what I have been calling her from the very moment I have known her. I met Tanni Didi for the first time at a Kolkata restaurant in around 1995. I must say that I was not at all pleased to see her because she had hugged my mother. That had made me feel very jealous. “How dare she hug my mother”, is what I had thought.

But, gradually, I realized that she was not such a bad person after all. I slowly began to like her. I don’t remember a detailed account of those days now. But, I know that I used to irritate her. At our grandparents’ house in Kolkata, I used to force her to play with me after lunch in the garden. Under that scorching afternoon sun, she would be forced to play the ‘ Find the cat’ game with me. Cats frequented (they still do) our grandparents’ house. So, Tanni Didi’s job would be to find out where the cats were hiding! But, she was such a darling. She would never refuse.

Tanni Didi had even slapped me once…..in a taxi because I had been continuously crying and she had been trying her best to make me stop. But, when I refused to listen to her polite requests, she just lost her temper.

Our relationship became stronger in 2001, when Tanni Didi came to Kolkata. We (along with our other family members) went to Digha and we simply had a blast. Those moments with Tanni Didi were just wonderful. In that period, she taught me loads of things—new English words, new games, and drew my attention towards the Enid Blyton books. We also discovered that both of us were huge fans of Shahrukh Khan. Later on, that is presently, we both are huge Harry Potter fans.Anyway,when she went back to Delhi, she started writing letters and emails to me. She taught me that when we get a letter from someone, we should reply to it. And, each of those letters had something special about it. She would make fun of my friend Debarati, calling her Debarati Subramanium. In one letter, she had actually drawn pictures of Debarati and her family members in a way that suggested they were South-Indians.She would say that Debarati was actually a “Jhinge-seller”(Jhinge is the Bengali word for a certain vegetable). Needless to say, our communication through email was equally exciting as well. She had once sent me an e-card showing the picture of a huge bear hugging a small one. In the same year, we all visited Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, I don’t remember having spent a single moment without her, except during nighttimes.

A time came when I began to be inspired by Tanni Didi’s success. She began to get such good jobs. Well, she was always so determined to do something really good. Although she says that I will make our family proud too, I feel I lack certain things like determination. I am determined, but not as determined as her. It’s difficult to be like her. She is presently in Idaho in the US and she is managing everything so well. It is obviously very difficult to live in a different country with different type of people, so far away from home. But, Tanni Didi is so brave. She is studying and earning money at the same time. And, she is not doing something ordinary. She is teaching the Americans!

But, till date, the most wonderful thing that she has taught me is blogging. It was she who suggested that I should open my own blog. It was because of her enthusiasm that I opened this blog and made so many friends. For the first six months, I would not receive any comments on my blog, except for Tanni Didi’s comments. So, again it was she who requested everyone to read my blog. Now a days, my family members praise me so much for writing these posts on my blog. My fellow bloggers praise me so much. I have found such good friends in them. But, would all this ever have been possible without Tanni Didi? No, obviously not. Who else would have taught me all this? I don’t share that sort of a rapport with my other cousins.

So, on the joint occasion of Tanni Didi’s birthday (19th July) and my blog’s birthday (15th July), I would like to thank Tanni Didi with all my heart. I want to thank her for being such a wonderful friend. I want to thank her for making my life more colorful. I also want to tell her “Please come to India as soon as possible. I am waiting to eat beef prepared by you.”

13 comments:

R said...

Suuuuuupercool post.

I'm guessing this is your birthday gift for her... really nice lines about your relationship. She rocks. Her sense of humour, her enthusiasm and her priorities. Needless to say, whoever has known her of her efforts in Idaho, and how wonderfully she managed every bit, is proud of her.

And in these months, you've so wonderfully shared your life with us. I'm looking forward to a lot more here! :)

I am just really glad I know your Tanni Didi and interact with her so much. She'll make every one proud!

And thanks for telling about her letter drawings. ;)

Kanika said...

How sweet of you kido...

Well Happy Birthday to Butterfly and I am so glad Woodie asked you to start a blog.

Great going dear....All the Best. Hoping for great posts in future too

Unknown said...

I don't know what to say. This is the third time I am reading the post, and I can see the Baby Titli as I write this.
Love you so much.

I will probably write a better and longer comment later.

RB said...

This is such a sweet post! I don't know what else to say.

She really is amazing!

Happy birthday to the little Titli and some wishes in advance to her "friend" too. :))

God bless...

That Girl said...

Wow, really lovely post. Beautiful. Just the kind of details one loves to read about certain people they like :)

Haha, I can somehow imagine her slapping a bawling little kid who wouldn't stop crying. And the letters sound great, I'd have loved to have received something like that, written by a loving elder sis.

She sure is one hell of a woman. Happy birthday to her, and loads of love :)

Old MacDonald said...

What a wonderful post. Great going my dear. If I start writing about the person inside woodsmoke, it will never end. In fact we are all waiting to see her reach height after height. :-)

~ Deeps ~ said...

Happy Birthday to your blog :)

I am not surprised by your post on Woodie, wud have expected it sometime on this blog........ :)

btw i am reading the new potter, already 12 chapters over :D

Butterfly said...

@Rohit
Thaaaaaaaanks.:-)
Yes, you guessed right. This is my birthday gift for Tanni Didi. I know I am saying this again, but she will make veryone proud.
And, I am so happy that in these months, I have been able to interact with someone so humorous like you.:-)

@Kanu
Thanks.:-)
There will be more posts on this blog in future too.Hope you will comment on them too. Whether they will be great or not, will be decided by you all.

@Tanni Didi
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH TOO.:-)
And, I am so gald that you are happy.

@Richa
Thank You.:-)
And, I hope I will continue to receive more comments from you on my blog. You have been such a good friend, after all.

@Amiya Didi
Thanks.:-)
Oh yes, the letters were great.

@Baba
You are right. We do want to see Tanni Didi reach greater heights. And, of course, there's more to be said about the person in her.:-)

@Deeps
Thanks.:-)
What are you saying? You're reading it already?
But, there's not much time left for me to start reading it either. If all goes well, I'll be able to finish it within the next 48 hours.

Titash said...

straight from heart...did you like the new HP book, I am presently reading!

Unknown said...

@ Everyone
All your kind and generous words made my day! Thank you.

Butterfly said...

@Titash
I have finished reading the book already. I liked it very much. My next post will say everything.:-)

Banvri said...

Oh m late :(

but I wanna wish ur blog

a VERY VERY HAPPY WALA BIRTHDAY :)

n this post is as usual with loads of sweetness :)

whatever u wtite dearie its just reflect ur innocence..

:)

Butterfly said...

@Deepti Di
Thanks a lot. :-)
You have been such a good fellow-blogger.