Got the depressing news this morning that Dharmettan had passed into the mist of time yesterday morning around 0730h. The wife and daughter had asked someone, who'd attended the funeral, to inform us but obviously, that someone had forgotten.
Sathiamma's - his wife - narration goes something like this, "He was awake around 5 o'clock and was keen to talk to everybody. Luckily, his sister and her children were also there....they'd decided to spend the night at the house after fetching up last evening. Dharmettan seemed to be excited and around 7 o'clock, he vomited blood and after a brief show of acute restlessness lay still".
So, his doctor the encologist of the Thrissur Medical College was right after all. He'd predicted a couple of more months for Dharmettan, around mid-November, after putting him through a battery of tests. Accordingly, his daughter's wedding originally slated for 31 Jan was advanced!
My mind goes back to the first time that I'd met Dharmettan. He'd paid up our electricity bill and had come to give us the receipt and I remember his reluctance to accept my thanks saying that he'd really done nothing! For Onam, we'd presented him with a shirt and a dhoti which he had worn and fetched us our share of the 'temple paayasam' on his own initiative. He'd to be really pressurised to collect the Rs.350/- which he'd expended for the purpose.
He was very fond of the clothes and used to wear them quite often. We'd called the family to play Diwali with us and I'd thrust a few sparklers into his hand during the course of the evening. And after dinner, he drew me aside for two things - the first was for Rs.500/- insisting that I shouldn't let his family know about it and the second that his wife would always remain with us much after he'd gone from this world! And wasn't he very effusive with his gratitude for having been invited to our place on the occasion?
The next and the last time that I'd met him was at the time of his daughter's wedding. He looked very, very tired and had clutched my hands as we parted. Did he have the inkling that he'd never be meeting me again, I wonder?
A noble soul, a wonderful human being and a kindhearted gentleman.
RIP Dharmetta! May your family have the strength to tide over these troubled times....their months of tremendous pressure and anxiety have come to an end.
Tailpiece.
(a) Sathiamma also had stated that he was dressed in his favourite clothes - presented as 'onakkodi' by us - while he lay in state!
(b) My mom and I'd prayed to Guruvayoorappan that we wanted him to be around with us till the next Diwali but obviously, He wanted him earlier. Really didn't expect to say adieu to you so early, Dharmetta!
(c) My mom recalls the evening that the entire family had come to spend time with her when we'd gone to attend a wedding reception. After a brief conversation and a snatch of television viewing - "Wasn't focused at all" - she remembers him having gone into a short nap till our return.
Sathiamma's - his wife - narration goes something like this, "He was awake around 5 o'clock and was keen to talk to everybody. Luckily, his sister and her children were also there....they'd decided to spend the night at the house after fetching up last evening. Dharmettan seemed to be excited and around 7 o'clock, he vomited blood and after a brief show of acute restlessness lay still".
So, his doctor the encologist of the Thrissur Medical College was right after all. He'd predicted a couple of more months for Dharmettan, around mid-November, after putting him through a battery of tests. Accordingly, his daughter's wedding originally slated for 31 Jan was advanced!
My mind goes back to the first time that I'd met Dharmettan. He'd paid up our electricity bill and had come to give us the receipt and I remember his reluctance to accept my thanks saying that he'd really done nothing! For Onam, we'd presented him with a shirt and a dhoti which he had worn and fetched us our share of the 'temple paayasam' on his own initiative. He'd to be really pressurised to collect the Rs.350/- which he'd expended for the purpose.
He was very fond of the clothes and used to wear them quite often. We'd called the family to play Diwali with us and I'd thrust a few sparklers into his hand during the course of the evening. And after dinner, he drew me aside for two things - the first was for Rs.500/- insisting that I shouldn't let his family know about it and the second that his wife would always remain with us much after he'd gone from this world! And wasn't he very effusive with his gratitude for having been invited to our place on the occasion?
The next and the last time that I'd met him was at the time of his daughter's wedding. He looked very, very tired and had clutched my hands as we parted. Did he have the inkling that he'd never be meeting me again, I wonder?
A noble soul, a wonderful human being and a kindhearted gentleman.
RIP Dharmetta! May your family have the strength to tide over these troubled times....their months of tremendous pressure and anxiety have come to an end.
Tailpiece.
(a) Sathiamma also had stated that he was dressed in his favourite clothes - presented as 'onakkodi' by us - while he lay in state!
(b) My mom and I'd prayed to Guruvayoorappan that we wanted him to be around with us till the next Diwali but obviously, He wanted him earlier. Really didn't expect to say adieu to you so early, Dharmetta!
(c) My mom recalls the evening that the entire family had come to spend time with her when we'd gone to attend a wedding reception. After a brief conversation and a snatch of television viewing - "Wasn't focused at all" - she remembers him having gone into a short nap till our return.
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