The day had begun at 5 AM and we went went about our chores with gusto. Dad's walking stick fell down with a loud clank even today! By a half past 7, we'd set off for Thiruvananthapuram through a slight drizzle. I'd fuel filled up in the Chevy and the tyre pressure checked at the petrol bunk at Kottarakkara, that I visit usually. We'd to wait for about half an hour for Padmakumar to fetch up from Pidavoor and were on our way by a half past 8.
As we entered the city, it had begun to pour and I hate such situations when you're scheduled to get down from the vehicle. Our first stop was at Lekha's uncle's place. All of 89 years, he was at his office adjacent to the house at PTP Nagar and wasn't he thrilled to see us? He looked weak but his sense of humour has not lost its sparkle. About 250 mts down the road was my aunt Vichani kunjamma's place and that was our next stop. My cousin and her family had already left for the wedding, that we're also going to attend.
Vichani kunjamma's memory has taken a toss. My shouting out 'Ninthiruvadi', on seeing her, did elicit only a smile and nothing else. During her heydays she used to, in the course of her morning prayers, utter "Ninthiruvadi, Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala" and it used to amuse me no end that the names were that of the chief ministers of Tamilnadu! From then on it used to be a covenant between the two of us that whenever we came in sight of each other, I used to shout Ninthiruvadi and she used to complete it by saying Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala! It was that retort of hers that I sorely missed this morning. She was lying on her back on the bed and was fully alert, so I thought. Her nurse told us that she had become very quiet these days.
I thought that the drastic change had come about when she was admitted into a geriatric home for a few days, a few months back! To my mind, she's registering each and everything but has taken a solemn resolve not to exhibit her emotions and she seemed to be thoroughly bored with the things going on around her. Her right knee has a bulge and the rest of the leg has begun to atrophy. The nurse said that her appetite was intact! The sight of a reaction-less Vichani kunjamma, which is a far cry from her actual ebullient and outgoing self, has begun to and will haunt me forever!
The wedding of Manu and Aparna went off like clockwork. His parents, Mohanachandran chittappan and Pappi kunjamma, looked very relieved at the end of it all because, at one time, they seemed to be quite sure that Manu would bring an American bride as he worked there! I met all our relations from my mom's side except for Sindhu, my cousin. Though I participated in the activities connected to the wedding, my mind was cluttered up with the sight of Vichani kujamma's helpless state.
A word about the dining hall of the Sumangali Auditorium which was the venue of the wedding. I believe its rental is comparatively cheap because it's the Devaswom Board's facility. Its defect is that the entry/exit of the dining hall is one, resulting in undue crowding and jostling. The authorities have made so much of profit over the years but haven't done anything to solve this dilemma!
Our next stop was at Indira kunjamma's house to look up Resmi, who has vowed not to attend any function during the year that follows her husband, Suresh's passing away. After having a cup of tea, we're off to Sree kochachhan's house. He's bereaved, in that, he had lost his younger brother recently and we'd dropped by to offer our condolences. Suma kunjamma's tales about her recent air travel from Madras to Thiruvananthapuram elicited a lot of laughter among us but it was also a grim reminder of the things that many of us overlook as passengers!
Our return trip to Raj Nivas was through darkness, after sunset. Padmakumar had got off at Kottarakkara as he was going back to his house to spend the night. We ended up yakkitiyakking but had a comparatively early evening at a half past 10! The good thing was that Lekha's dangling right toenail had fallen off sometime during the course of the day, without giving her any pain. Phew!!
Tailpiece.
1. Manu and Aparna, have a long and happy married life. You make a great couple! Take care!!
2. Mohanachandran's medical bulletin reiterated that he continues to be in the same state as what was mentioned in the last sitrep.
As we entered the city, it had begun to pour and I hate such situations when you're scheduled to get down from the vehicle. Our first stop was at Lekha's uncle's place. All of 89 years, he was at his office adjacent to the house at PTP Nagar and wasn't he thrilled to see us? He looked weak but his sense of humour has not lost its sparkle. About 250 mts down the road was my aunt Vichani kunjamma's place and that was our next stop. My cousin and her family had already left for the wedding, that we're also going to attend.
Vichani kunjamma's memory has taken a toss. My shouting out 'Ninthiruvadi', on seeing her, did elicit only a smile and nothing else. During her heydays she used to, in the course of her morning prayers, utter "Ninthiruvadi, Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala" and it used to amuse me no end that the names were that of the chief ministers of Tamilnadu! From then on it used to be a covenant between the two of us that whenever we came in sight of each other, I used to shout Ninthiruvadi and she used to complete it by saying Karunanidhe, Bhaktavalsala! It was that retort of hers that I sorely missed this morning. She was lying on her back on the bed and was fully alert, so I thought. Her nurse told us that she had become very quiet these days.
I thought that the drastic change had come about when she was admitted into a geriatric home for a few days, a few months back! To my mind, she's registering each and everything but has taken a solemn resolve not to exhibit her emotions and she seemed to be thoroughly bored with the things going on around her. Her right knee has a bulge and the rest of the leg has begun to atrophy. The nurse said that her appetite was intact! The sight of a reaction-less Vichani kunjamma, which is a far cry from her actual ebullient and outgoing self, has begun to and will haunt me forever!
The wedding of Manu and Aparna went off like clockwork. His parents, Mohanachandran chittappan and Pappi kunjamma, looked very relieved at the end of it all because, at one time, they seemed to be quite sure that Manu would bring an American bride as he worked there! I met all our relations from my mom's side except for Sindhu, my cousin. Though I participated in the activities connected to the wedding, my mind was cluttered up with the sight of Vichani kujamma's helpless state.
A word about the dining hall of the Sumangali Auditorium which was the venue of the wedding. I believe its rental is comparatively cheap because it's the Devaswom Board's facility. Its defect is that the entry/exit of the dining hall is one, resulting in undue crowding and jostling. The authorities have made so much of profit over the years but haven't done anything to solve this dilemma!
Our next stop was at Indira kunjamma's house to look up Resmi, who has vowed not to attend any function during the year that follows her husband, Suresh's passing away. After having a cup of tea, we're off to Sree kochachhan's house. He's bereaved, in that, he had lost his younger brother recently and we'd dropped by to offer our condolences. Suma kunjamma's tales about her recent air travel from Madras to Thiruvananthapuram elicited a lot of laughter among us but it was also a grim reminder of the things that many of us overlook as passengers!
Our return trip to Raj Nivas was through darkness, after sunset. Padmakumar had got off at Kottarakkara as he was going back to his house to spend the night. We ended up yakkitiyakking but had a comparatively early evening at a half past 10! The good thing was that Lekha's dangling right toenail had fallen off sometime during the course of the day, without giving her any pain. Phew!!
Tailpiece.
1. Manu and Aparna, have a long and happy married life. You make a great couple! Take care!!
2. Mohanachandran's medical bulletin reiterated that he continues to be in the same state as what was mentioned in the last sitrep.
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