Monday, March 11, 2013

Adieu, Prabha chechi.

Prabha chechi, a close friend of my second aunt, Vilasini kunjamma, has passed into the mist of time. My aunt cried and cried in front of her friend's lifeless body and people have observed that she'd not displayed so much of emotions, even when her own husband had passed away earlier.

I suppose that is an indicator about the depth of their relationship of which I was fortunate to be privy to, albeit in a small way, during my school days. I'd just been admitted into the class III of the Holy Angels' Convent at Thiruvananthapuram and Vilasini kunjamma's office, the Khadi Board, used to be located behind the Government Secretariat, at the Statue junction. I used to feel terribly homesick and would trudge my way to her office at the slightest pretext. Prabha chechi was my kunjamma's best friend at the office and I'd observed that they shared an easy rapport and a camaraderie without frills. In addition, what I remember about them was that they're always immaculately dressed in their khadi silks, both strikingly good looking and had the propensity to laugh spontaneously. I've this sneaky feeling that chechi played an important role, as the messenger, when my kunjamma was in love with her future husband.

Prabha chechi was fond of me and used to shower me with gifts and chocolates while advising me that I'd to concentrate on my studies for which regular attendance in the classes was a pre-requisite!

She used to keep track of my progress subsequently and I used to make it a point to meet her whenever I came down on holidays. And according to Vilasini kunjamma, she was very keen that I married her daughter but, as luck would have it, she was taller than me and I feel uncomfortable when girls 'look down upon me'! So, that aspect did fizzle out without much ado and more importantly, without heart burns! A few years back, while I was at Delhi, I got a call from her saying that I must help her son-in-law to buy brass clips, handles and other knick-knacks for his new house, under construction, and wasn't she very, very effusive in her gratitude for rendering that trivial help?

RIP, Prabha chechi! You shall always remain in my heart and I shall cherish the fact that I was a special guy in your life. Here's wishing your family the strength to tide over these difficult times.


Tailpiece.

Did she have a premonition about her ultimate journey? She'd a two hour chat with my aunt, just a day prior, touching upon people and events whom they'd encountered in the course of their lives! 

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