There were no after effects of yesterday's long journey and by 20' past 10, I was off to the Amala hospital to look up Radhan chettan and to bring in Maheshwari peramma(My mom's eldest cousin, who's all of 92 yrs!). I'd reached the reception, went through the procedure of collecting a visiting pass and after a short wait for the lift, had fetched up at the sixth floor that housed the coronary care unit a few minutes after 11, the time when one visitor per patient was permitted to enter!
Sathi chechi had given my name and so, I could get in without any wait. He looked good and I was told by the attendant on duty that his condition was much better and that he'd be shifted into the ward later, this evening, after a scan - since he has been complaining of a pain in the abdomen. That was definitely good news and armed with that, I'd proceeded for Guruvayur taking along Maheshwari peramma, Sathi chechi and Valsala chechi, her daughters-in-law with me.
From the time she'd stepped into our house, it's sheer pleasure for Lekha and me, as anecdotes came in thick and fast from her childhood days, centered around mom. She was emphatic about mom being adamant about getting what she wanted! The story about her wanting to climb up a coconut tree, sounded cute regarding the manner in which Valiya muthachchan(P Kesava Panicker, the elder brother of PN Panicker) had made a platform, close to the tree, so that mom could stand on it and touch the 'short-and-full-of-fruits' coconut tree, that stood in the courtyard of the Puthuvayil House at Neelamperoor.
Maheshwari was the eldest of four daughters of Janaki Amma and P Kesava Panicker. My mom's family was at Ambalapuzha, consequent to Muthachchan's nurturing of the nascent library movement but the children used to shuttle between Neelamperoor and Ambalapuzha, during their school breaks.
It was during teatime that she expressed the desire to visit the temple. Without ado, we'd alighted at the 'padinjaare nada'(the western entrance) soon after, walked the short distance and I'd taken the administrator's help for a quick 'darshan' of the deity. He, even, had offered the services of a wheelchair when I'd told him her age but she didn't need it as she walked briskly! She could place her offering at the sanctum sanctorum of Guruvayoorappan and was quite happy about it, telling everyone as to how I'd made the entire visit to be a short and sweet affair!
The discussions that we had, before and after supper, were interesting and she was quite sad to hear about the last few days of mom as her tears started to pour, continuously, on hearing my narration.
Tailpiece.
How I wished that mom was here because she'd have been the happiest to host her elder sister!
Sathi chechi had given my name and so, I could get in without any wait. He looked good and I was told by the attendant on duty that his condition was much better and that he'd be shifted into the ward later, this evening, after a scan - since he has been complaining of a pain in the abdomen. That was definitely good news and armed with that, I'd proceeded for Guruvayur taking along Maheshwari peramma, Sathi chechi and Valsala chechi, her daughters-in-law with me.
From the time she'd stepped into our house, it's sheer pleasure for Lekha and me, as anecdotes came in thick and fast from her childhood days, centered around mom. She was emphatic about mom being adamant about getting what she wanted! The story about her wanting to climb up a coconut tree, sounded cute regarding the manner in which Valiya muthachchan(P Kesava Panicker, the elder brother of PN Panicker) had made a platform, close to the tree, so that mom could stand on it and touch the 'short-and-full-of-fruits' coconut tree, that stood in the courtyard of the Puthuvayil House at Neelamperoor.
Maheshwari was the eldest of four daughters of Janaki Amma and P Kesava Panicker. My mom's family was at Ambalapuzha, consequent to Muthachchan's nurturing of the nascent library movement but the children used to shuttle between Neelamperoor and Ambalapuzha, during their school breaks.
It was during teatime that she expressed the desire to visit the temple. Without ado, we'd alighted at the 'padinjaare nada'(the western entrance) soon after, walked the short distance and I'd taken the administrator's help for a quick 'darshan' of the deity. He, even, had offered the services of a wheelchair when I'd told him her age but she didn't need it as she walked briskly! She could place her offering at the sanctum sanctorum of Guruvayoorappan and was quite happy about it, telling everyone as to how I'd made the entire visit to be a short and sweet affair!
The discussions that we had, before and after supper, were interesting and she was quite sad to hear about the last few days of mom as her tears started to pour, continuously, on hearing my narration.
Tailpiece.
How I wished that mom was here because she'd have been the happiest to host her elder sister!
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