It was in the morning, when our maid told us, that we'd come to know that Abdul Rahim Rajah - our immediate neighbour, all of 77 years - had passed into the mist of time, last Sunday. I still can't believe it! He was fond of us and that too, immensely!!
I'd spoken to him on 24 Nov but since the coverage was patchy, he'd said that he'd call back which he did the next day. I was surprised to know that he was in Madras and I told him briefly about my itinerary for the following 10 days. I never knew, in the wildest of my dreams, that I was speaking to him for the last time, then. This evening, I gathered that he'd gone to Madras, by road, for a medical check up regarding a swelling of his hand and on the return trip, had expressed a desire to see his factory - an 'activated Carbon' producing unit - at Madurai. In the evening while at his guest house, he'd developed respiratory difficulties and the doctor, in attendance, had asked him to avoid travel. On Sunday morning, by about a half past 6, he'd developed complications from which he never recovered!
Our friendship had begun sometime in 2010, when Lekha and I had gone to visit our prospective neighbours, after buying our house at Guruvayur in end 2009. There was a cattle shed - which housed a combination of over 10 cows and buffaloes - just across our boundary wall within his compound and the associated smells along with a few typical insects that were overwhelming and I'd silently told myself that I'd request him to do something about it once we shifted into our house - lock, stock and barrel!
By 2013, once we'd the date of shifting fixed, we'd paid yet another visit to the Rajahs. After a conversation that lasted for almost an hour on various subjects and over an exquisite 'sherbet', he'd said all of a sudden even before I could broach the topic, "I'll have the cattle shed along with the livestock removed to my elder son's house where a dairy is being set up. You can also order fresh milk for use". His visit to our house during the housewarming made ripples because he rarely made social calls and we realised that, for us, he'd made an exception!
Mr. Rajah was a renowned industrialist and philanthropist who had a massive empire consisting of diverse activities. Beginning with tile factories, ayurvedic spa, a hospital - my mom had spent her last few hours at the Rajah hospital - a vineyard at Kolhapur, the list is endless. But the key industry was the famous 'Kajah Beedi', started by his father, which provides employment to thousands. He'd been wanting to take us to the spa at Chettuva, a few kilometers from here, for a weekend!
He has left for his eternal life leaving behind a host of memories which I'd like to share with you to show his kindness towards us:-
* He used to address me as Captain sir. And I used to call him 'Ikka'(Elder brother) after taking
his permission. Respecting his age, addressing him as 'sir' would have been right but my take
was that it would sound too formal and distant!
* One day he'd called up to ask whether we'd mind having food prepared by them. I'd told him
in no uncertain terms that in my house we're never taught religion and I simply loved their
cuisine. From then on food used to be sent across on every festival and bananas from the
organic farm, grapes from the vineyard etc became a continuous trickle.
* I'd called him up when mom was unwell and it happened to be a Sunday. The ambulance was
arranged, the Medical specialist and the Cardiologist were standing by when mom was wheeled
in. When it was all over, he'd insisted that no bill would be given, sent his wife, sister-in-law
and daughter to pay the last respects as he was indisposed and arranged for an ambulance to
take mom's body home.
* He'd called up once while I was away at my parents' place, asking as to where we were and the
duration for which we'd be absent. I remember him saying that he hated the sight of
our closed, silent house. It was then that we'd established a covenant that I'd keep him informed about my whereabouts from then on.
* He, even, kept a track of my walks everyday and was fascinated with our frequent forays out of
Guruvayur for meeting up with friends and family. He used to pass on this information to his
children!
* After hearing about my throat congestion, he'd a vial of 'Dasamoola Rasayanam' sent across to
me and wouldn't take money for it. Further, he'd told me that I should ask him for replenishment
because the ones that are sold have a commercial twang!"
RIP Ikka. My tears, prayers and salute to a fine gentleman and a fantastic human being who gave me kindness and love, in abundance. I'm sure there must have been a connection between us in our previous birth. Here's wishing that god gives strength to your family to tide over these stressful times.
Lekha and I had gone across, in the evening, to offer our condolences to the family and it was then that his daughters told her about every snatch of conversation between the two of us having been meticulously passed on to them! I felt humbled as I was too small a person to be covered so extensively. I did make a faux pas when I asked his son as to whether I could meet his mom and speak to her personally when he reminded me that the custom demanded that she didn't meet any man, outside the family, for thirty days!.......And I shall do so after those thirty days are over. Meanwhile, his daughters have requested Lekha to visit their mom more often, once they leave for their respective destinations after the mourning period was over.
Tailpiece.
Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.
"There's not much of a change from the last sitrep. The family is planning to shift him to CMC, Vellore for PMR(Physical Medical Rehabilitation) after discharge.....not as a referral". From Suresh Laxman,
I'd spoken to him on 24 Nov but since the coverage was patchy, he'd said that he'd call back which he did the next day. I was surprised to know that he was in Madras and I told him briefly about my itinerary for the following 10 days. I never knew, in the wildest of my dreams, that I was speaking to him for the last time, then. This evening, I gathered that he'd gone to Madras, by road, for a medical check up regarding a swelling of his hand and on the return trip, had expressed a desire to see his factory - an 'activated Carbon' producing unit - at Madurai. In the evening while at his guest house, he'd developed respiratory difficulties and the doctor, in attendance, had asked him to avoid travel. On Sunday morning, by about a half past 6, he'd developed complications from which he never recovered!
Our friendship had begun sometime in 2010, when Lekha and I had gone to visit our prospective neighbours, after buying our house at Guruvayur in end 2009. There was a cattle shed - which housed a combination of over 10 cows and buffaloes - just across our boundary wall within his compound and the associated smells along with a few typical insects that were overwhelming and I'd silently told myself that I'd request him to do something about it once we shifted into our house - lock, stock and barrel!
By 2013, once we'd the date of shifting fixed, we'd paid yet another visit to the Rajahs. After a conversation that lasted for almost an hour on various subjects and over an exquisite 'sherbet', he'd said all of a sudden even before I could broach the topic, "I'll have the cattle shed along with the livestock removed to my elder son's house where a dairy is being set up. You can also order fresh milk for use". His visit to our house during the housewarming made ripples because he rarely made social calls and we realised that, for us, he'd made an exception!
Mr. Rajah was a renowned industrialist and philanthropist who had a massive empire consisting of diverse activities. Beginning with tile factories, ayurvedic spa, a hospital - my mom had spent her last few hours at the Rajah hospital - a vineyard at Kolhapur, the list is endless. But the key industry was the famous 'Kajah Beedi', started by his father, which provides employment to thousands. He'd been wanting to take us to the spa at Chettuva, a few kilometers from here, for a weekend!
He has left for his eternal life leaving behind a host of memories which I'd like to share with you to show his kindness towards us:-
* He used to address me as Captain sir. And I used to call him 'Ikka'(Elder brother) after taking
his permission. Respecting his age, addressing him as 'sir' would have been right but my take
was that it would sound too formal and distant!
* One day he'd called up to ask whether we'd mind having food prepared by them. I'd told him
in no uncertain terms that in my house we're never taught religion and I simply loved their
cuisine. From then on food used to be sent across on every festival and bananas from the
organic farm, grapes from the vineyard etc became a continuous trickle.
* I'd called him up when mom was unwell and it happened to be a Sunday. The ambulance was
arranged, the Medical specialist and the Cardiologist were standing by when mom was wheeled
in. When it was all over, he'd insisted that no bill would be given, sent his wife, sister-in-law
and daughter to pay the last respects as he was indisposed and arranged for an ambulance to
take mom's body home.
* He'd called up once while I was away at my parents' place, asking as to where we were and the
duration for which we'd be absent. I remember him saying that he hated the sight of
our closed, silent house. It was then that we'd established a covenant that I'd keep him informed about my whereabouts from then on.
* He, even, kept a track of my walks everyday and was fascinated with our frequent forays out of
Guruvayur for meeting up with friends and family. He used to pass on this information to his
children!
* After hearing about my throat congestion, he'd a vial of 'Dasamoola Rasayanam' sent across to
me and wouldn't take money for it. Further, he'd told me that I should ask him for replenishment
because the ones that are sold have a commercial twang!"
RIP Ikka. My tears, prayers and salute to a fine gentleman and a fantastic human being who gave me kindness and love, in abundance. I'm sure there must have been a connection between us in our previous birth. Here's wishing that god gives strength to your family to tide over these stressful times.
Lekha and I had gone across, in the evening, to offer our condolences to the family and it was then that his daughters told her about every snatch of conversation between the two of us having been meticulously passed on to them! I felt humbled as I was too small a person to be covered so extensively. I did make a faux pas when I asked his son as to whether I could meet his mom and speak to her personally when he reminded me that the custom demanded that she didn't meet any man, outside the family, for thirty days!.......And I shall do so after those thirty days are over. Meanwhile, his daughters have requested Lekha to visit their mom more often, once they leave for their respective destinations after the mourning period was over.
Tailpiece.
Mohanachandran's medical bulletin.
"There's not much of a change from the last sitrep. The family is planning to shift him to CMC, Vellore for PMR(Physical Medical Rehabilitation) after discharge.....not as a referral". From Suresh Laxman,
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