The day had begun on the usual note with Mani fetching up at 20' past 6 and the proceedings getting on in right earnest. The crows were in attendance and I've been noticing a lonely woodpecker in attendance all these days!
* * *
My smaller uncle has come with another information which he was reluctant to part with because of its serious import. Mom had passed away on the 'Atham' day of the Malayalam calendar. It has ramifications on the person who's carrying out the ceremony - meaning your's truly. A 'Mrityunjaya Homam' needs to be done, the frequency and the exact set of 'pujas' will be informed by the family astrologer. In fact, he seems to have asked him as to whether I believed in these things! I need to play this down and quietly, guide the attention away......because these things have a way of putting unnecessary pressures on the people who love me! I'm of the firm belief that one's end is pre-ordained and it's simply futile to dwell upon such information!!
* * *
The house had started filling up with the folks from Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, Sanil, Ammu, my little maman and Usha ammayi had gone for the final round of marketing for the ceremony tomorrow. Vijayan, our caretaker, brought in the difficult ones that needed to be tapped from the resources around which only he was familiar with!
* * *
Jayasree's parents, from Bombay, along with Ramachandrettan had dropped by just before lunch and so did Omanakuttan, who was on his way to Konni, with a friend. By evening, the house was full and the sleeping slots oversubscribed. It was an exuberant dinner prior to which there were a lot of anecdotes about mom that were narrated!
Tailpiece.
Mom's first photograph that's around is when she was three along with her parents, her uncle and aunt and her grandparents! She was not happy with the dress that was chosen for the occasion.......and hence, is teary eyed!!(The explanation was given by herself!)
The next is her school group photograph while she was in class X, at the Cotton Hill Girls' High School, Thiruvananthapuram. She's clad in a long flowery skirt and blouse....looks very beautiful.
The third in the chronological order is while she was at the College for Women, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram and she's dressed in a saree-blouse combination, smack in the first row, center!
And then, comes her first photograph with dad, post marriage.........time really has flown!
* * *
My smaller uncle has come with another information which he was reluctant to part with because of its serious import. Mom had passed away on the 'Atham' day of the Malayalam calendar. It has ramifications on the person who's carrying out the ceremony - meaning your's truly. A 'Mrityunjaya Homam' needs to be done, the frequency and the exact set of 'pujas' will be informed by the family astrologer. In fact, he seems to have asked him as to whether I believed in these things! I need to play this down and quietly, guide the attention away......because these things have a way of putting unnecessary pressures on the people who love me! I'm of the firm belief that one's end is pre-ordained and it's simply futile to dwell upon such information!!
* * *
The house had started filling up with the folks from Thiruvananthapuram. Meanwhile, Sanil, Ammu, my little maman and Usha ammayi had gone for the final round of marketing for the ceremony tomorrow. Vijayan, our caretaker, brought in the difficult ones that needed to be tapped from the resources around which only he was familiar with!
* * *
Jayasree's parents, from Bombay, along with Ramachandrettan had dropped by just before lunch and so did Omanakuttan, who was on his way to Konni, with a friend. By evening, the house was full and the sleeping slots oversubscribed. It was an exuberant dinner prior to which there were a lot of anecdotes about mom that were narrated!
Tailpiece.
Mom's first photograph that's around is when she was three along with her parents, her uncle and aunt and her grandparents! She was not happy with the dress that was chosen for the occasion.......and hence, is teary eyed!!(The explanation was given by herself!)
The next is her school group photograph while she was in class X, at the Cotton Hill Girls' High School, Thiruvananthapuram. She's clad in a long flowery skirt and blouse....looks very beautiful.
The third in the chronological order is while she was at the College for Women, Vazhuthacaud, Thiruvananthapuram and she's dressed in a saree-blouse combination, smack in the first row, center!
And then, comes her first photograph with dad, post marriage.........time really has flown!
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