Tuesday, May 4, 2010

My 23 yrs 25 days 11:01 hours wid HER

Whos she? What has she got to do with me and why do I have to count till the millisecond th of time I spent with her? Well this write up is about the princess of Padmanabapuram near Nagercoil,TamilNadu with whom I happened to spend all my time. Lucky me to have had the time of my life spent so.

I feel like telling the world what kind of life I have lived. I dont know who held me when I was born but I would be the happiest to know if she did first. When clock strikes 4 in the morning I dont know how many have seen it. Thats when the day starts for her. A typical South Indian Brahmin 5 feet tall,a four layered specs clad in her "Madisar" (name of attire) would be the first sight for me every morning. Let me delve more on that attire. The length of the saree is so much that five families can launch tents and live comfortably. Besides the length of the saree one feels like a roller coaster ride seeing the number of twists and turns it takes to wear it. No homework or lab assignments or issues to be fixed by EOD but she makes it a point to wake up at 4 and prepare coffee for the others.

By the time I wake up the coffee would have completed half day from its time of preparation. She wont mind to heat it up again and hang around till I finish brushing my teeth and hand it over to me personally. Her brisk life doesn stop there. She helps out to prepare the day's meal before retiring. She and her huby look after the home when all are gone for the day. Disaster strikes seven years hence when her huby fails to stay anymore. Everything in the room was sad and full of tears. A small boy aged seven came running in, opened a freezer box and laid 'vibhoodhi' (sacred ash) on her huby's forehead and ran out of the room quickly whispering "Dont Worry. I am there and will take care of you" to her.


I really dont know if I took care of her after that. All I know is I spent all my time after school with her. When everyone was gone she had to stay all alone at home. The fearless and bold woman in her gave her all the strength to spend at least 8 hours all alone without much worries. Watching TV and smashing the maid for her mistakes was her only time pass. The manager in her came out when she showed her mastery at getting work done properly from the maid. She made sure all the vessels were clean, house was swept properly and all the clothes especially the longest one in the universe were washed properly. The poor maid had to dry it out on her own. It requires atleast two people to do the job but thats how solutions with limited resource is achieved. She brought out all the managerial skills in her and took care of all the payments from cable,gas etc.

The drama actress in her comes out when she watches TV. She goes so much deep into the serials that she feels hit if a character is hit on screen and starts screaming for it. Whenever there was an exam for me I come back home by noon. The TV volume can be heard anywhere down the street. I have no other choice than to sit with her and watch the parallel dramas. A villain comes and chases the heroine. He would get cursed so much before the hero comes in and saves me from hearing it anymore.

I would go for a snacks session before lunch as she was busy with the serials. By the time I get hold of the chips packet a hand grabs. For a moment I thought she would ask me to put it off as I wont have lunch properly. It would be the other way. She fights with me for her lion's share. I would go in for a lil video game session before preparing for the next exam. She would be chanting calling me for lunch and gets exhausted. Finally she goes in takes the meal in hand and runs around me feeding. By the time it strikes six she would start searching for her son and would be really worried if it crosses eight. She would be asking for him every 2 minutes. The first sight of him gives her all the relief on earth. I challenged my mom be like her. My mom would kill me if she sees this but she herself would agree to it.

I was fourteen by then and had so much craze on cricket and got a cricket kit. I had to search for a company to play when my friends prepare for the next day exam. I had no other choice than calling her. Since she is not used to playing cricket I tied the leg pads, gloves for her myself and finally put up the helmet on her. The writing pad used to write the school assignments would be our stump. It was an under arms game with a tennis ball. The gloves and helmet were just to give an additional effect. Can you imagine a game of this kind played? Whenever she fails to give company I use the house wall for company. She would be screaming all the time at me for washing out the wall paints hit by the ball and breaking tube lights and lamps. She would be ready to lodge a complaint on what I broke that day to the concerned person. Once I finish off the punishment formalities it would be quarrel time with her.

The holidays creep in soon after the exams and my house would be completely filled with my gang. She hates the noise we create disturbing her peaceful day's sleep. There was one peculiar aspect where I used to have a quarrel with her every day. She fills water bottles and keeps in the fridge. The water bottles are meant to be for the family members was her principle. The so called gang got to move stealthily and steal a water bottle out of her sight and drink. But none of them succeed from the bull's eye. But the guys had the trick of pacifying her in different ways. Her main worries on any day would be some one needs to take the milk from milk cover everyday on time, the idly flour needs to be prepared and placed on fridge. There are shops doing it. She wouldn't be satisfied if the flour vessel doesn reach home on time. My guys took advantage of these aspects and pacified her every time they get caught.

I had to be away from her for a while as I left for studies. What was inherent in her came out just then. I got blessings from her and dint expect the next thing which happened. She came out to me and kissed on my cheeks blessing me. I dont remember if someone ever kissed me before. I gave a hug and that was the first time I was away from her. Semester vacations pop in. The moment I step into the house the first thing would be to go to her and get that kiss on my cheek from her before talking to anyone else. When I leave back she would somehow have to give me something when I get a blessing from her. She walks up to her almira and keeps something special in hand waiting for me. She developed a craze for limca during this time. She infact had a feeling anything can be cured by a drop of limca. If some one refuses to get one for her his head is torn out. I make sure to get one everytime I step into her room. I used to advice her its not good for health but she feels the joy in it. So I din't stop her anymore.

What started as a small gap between us went on for years and I could meet her once in four or five months duration and ended up more of talks over phone. As time passed by she could not hear properly. Time has passed too much now.

I got a call two days back when she breathed her last. I dint know what to react. Everyone were around her except me at that time. What have I lost now? A treasure or my second mom or my first girl friend or a legend or my best teacher or the bold woman or my all time companion or the most caring soul on earth for me or what not? I have lost everything together at one sight. I dont know how to treasure the times with her. I would like to have a kiss from her this second. I miss all the love and care she had. I miss all that superficially but nothing can shake a bit of what she has put in me during these 23 years. I love her so much and she knows it too ... Its time for a walk with her reading her life ...

11 comments:

  1. I Feel sorry da..I didnt know that she stayed with you only..:(

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  2. such a nice post kau!! even i have started missing her reading this :(..dont worry..she will always be with you in form of these sweet memories :)

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  3. no words... just shows how much u miss her..

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  4. Even i miss my grand mom now. When she was there i used to fight alot with her for silly reasons. Hope you will recover soon..

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  5. dai really moving write up...can und how it feels to miss someone n above all not to be der wid thm durin the last minutes...eyes waterin!!

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  6. Thanks guys .. I just wrote up watevr came into my mind ..

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  7. Ur writeup is surely a tribute to her...Such a nice person da..I wish i cud hav met her..Her blessings will always b der for u :)

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  8. Very touching kaushik.. May her soul rest in peace...

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  9. my eyes r moist...seriously...i didnt spend as much time with my grandma...but i kno how i felt whn i lost her...i can imagine how u must b feelin...she will continue to bless u kau...she must b proud of u... :)

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  10. ipshi s ryt..tears just rolled down..:'( very nice write up da..the way u have expressed the tyms spent with her..simply amazing!she had been a grt person and her blessings will b ther 4 u always!!

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  11. Thanx ppl n sorry if it hurt in anyway .. i hope it wudn have .. wud hav reminded of some nice memories ..

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