Leo Tolstoy – ​fiddling with the book in her hands she sta​re​s blankly at the​ ​w​indow across her as I mention the name hoping that she would be able to recall ‘War and Peace’ or any other work by the ​great ​n​ovelist. She had read the Hindi translation of the masterpiece when we were very young, later all of us read both the English and Hindi translations. ​Today, the name didn’t ring any bells. Recalling and going back in time is an effort for Ma unless it is something to do with her childhood. I said, ‘today you look like Tolstoy without a beard and with a new cap’ – she blushed.