Our landline rang around a few minutes past 5, this morning and it had the ominous tone of bringing in bad news and for sure, it was. It was Sathi chechi who'd called up to say that Radhan chettan had passed into the mist of time around 5 AM.
His medical problems that had become acute soon after my mom's passing away in Sep '16, saw him on a perpetual visit to the hospitals, nearby, on a continuous cycle. His was a case of 'Chronic Kidney Disease'. I remember my conversation with him at the Amala Hospital's Casualty ward soon after he was revived with an infusion of Oxygen, on arrival on 10 Mar. He was back to his normal self and had told me that I shouldn't have brought him to the hospital.....probably he knew that his days were numbered and he didn't want money to be spent on him 'unnecessarily'. He was, thereafter, wheeled into the ICU after which I saw his lifeless body only this morning, lying in a mobile mortuary.
Sathi chechi recalled as to how he'd got the frontage of the house painted a few months back, saying that it should look presentable when people came to see him, within the next six months! While we're returning after the last Neelamperoor pooram, I recall his answer to Sarala Kunjamma - his aunt - when she told him that they should meet during the next pooram, and I quote, "No, I don't expect to be there beyond six months. I'm ill and tired". Had he begun to see his end, I wonder?
* * *
The dashing, D Radhakrishnan was at Kottakkal as a TTE in the state's road transport corporation or KSRTC as we know it. He'd gone to the famous Arya Vaidyasala for treatment where Sathi, a hardworking nurse, happened to take care of him - that both were married and had children from their marriages was another matter altogether (His wife, Ammini, had sired three sons and she'd sired a daughter). Cupid had struck and they decided to live together as man and wife in '86! He retired as the District Transport Commissioner in '98, while he was all of 55 yrs and they had decided to settle down at Guruvayur, at a place, without knowing that Lekha and I were going to set up our nest 'The Quarterdeck', much later in Nov '13, which is just a stone's throw away from their house!
During our many interactions, he used to tell me as to how he used to carry me around when I was a child while staying with my grandparents, at their house, TC 804(The old number) at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram, when he did his classes IX and X. Lekha and I were witness to his tremendous love for my mom which was reciprocated in equal measure and more.....in fact, I can never forget the way he'd cried aloud seeing my mom's lifeless body in the ambulance, within the premises of the Rajah Hospital.
* * *
1. Lekha and I'd made two trips to Radhan chettan's house - one, in the forenoon and the other, in the evening - to pay our homage to him and to be with Sathi chechi and the others. Tomorrow morning, around a half past 7, we're scheduled to go to 'Ivar Madhom' at Thiruviluamala - about 70 km north from here, on the banks of the River Bharathapuzha - for the cremation and the final rites.
2. Look at the plight of Maheshwari peramma, all of 94 yrs. Both her sons have passed into the mist of time. She has carried herself with great composure and strength. She would return from Kottayam, after visiting her sisters, late tonight or perhaps, in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.
His medical problems that had become acute soon after my mom's passing away in Sep '16, saw him on a perpetual visit to the hospitals, nearby, on a continuous cycle. His was a case of 'Chronic Kidney Disease'. I remember my conversation with him at the Amala Hospital's Casualty ward soon after he was revived with an infusion of Oxygen, on arrival on 10 Mar. He was back to his normal self and had told me that I shouldn't have brought him to the hospital.....probably he knew that his days were numbered and he didn't want money to be spent on him 'unnecessarily'. He was, thereafter, wheeled into the ICU after which I saw his lifeless body only this morning, lying in a mobile mortuary.
Sathi chechi recalled as to how he'd got the frontage of the house painted a few months back, saying that it should look presentable when people came to see him, within the next six months! While we're returning after the last Neelamperoor pooram, I recall his answer to Sarala Kunjamma - his aunt - when she told him that they should meet during the next pooram, and I quote, "No, I don't expect to be there beyond six months. I'm ill and tired". Had he begun to see his end, I wonder?
* * *
The dashing, D Radhakrishnan was at Kottakkal as a TTE in the state's road transport corporation or KSRTC as we know it. He'd gone to the famous Arya Vaidyasala for treatment where Sathi, a hardworking nurse, happened to take care of him - that both were married and had children from their marriages was another matter altogether (His wife, Ammini, had sired three sons and she'd sired a daughter). Cupid had struck and they decided to live together as man and wife in '86! He retired as the District Transport Commissioner in '98, while he was all of 55 yrs and they had decided to settle down at Guruvayur, at a place, without knowing that Lekha and I were going to set up our nest 'The Quarterdeck', much later in Nov '13, which is just a stone's throw away from their house!
During our many interactions, he used to tell me as to how he used to carry me around when I was a child while staying with my grandparents, at their house, TC 804(The old number) at Thycaud in Thiruvananthapuram, when he did his classes IX and X. Lekha and I were witness to his tremendous love for my mom which was reciprocated in equal measure and more.....in fact, I can never forget the way he'd cried aloud seeing my mom's lifeless body in the ambulance, within the premises of the Rajah Hospital.
* * *
I can never forget an energetic Radhan chettan - fully tanked up - swaying to the prevalent music during one of the earlier Neelamperoor poorams when the entire PN Panicker family had attended sometime during the late '70s. Compared with that, during the last pooram, he was subdued and was lying in bed after an early dinner - and mind you, a vegetarian dinner when all the others were tucking in non vegetarian dishes, as is the custom! When Divakaran chittappan's sons took me away to dance at the bonfire, he'd words of advice as to how not to end up with cramps at the end of it - and I followed them without any deviation!
* * *
RIP, Radhan chetta. My tears and prayers. Here's wishing that the family recovers from the pain caused by your passing away. On a personal note, I'm relieved that you're through with your aches and your pains.
Tailpiece.
1. Lekha and I'd made two trips to Radhan chettan's house - one, in the forenoon and the other, in the evening - to pay our homage to him and to be with Sathi chechi and the others. Tomorrow morning, around a half past 7, we're scheduled to go to 'Ivar Madhom' at Thiruviluamala - about 70 km north from here, on the banks of the River Bharathapuzha - for the cremation and the final rites.
2. Look at the plight of Maheshwari peramma, all of 94 yrs. Both her sons have passed into the mist of time. She has carried herself with great composure and strength. She would return from Kottayam, after visiting her sisters, late tonight or perhaps, in the wee hours of tomorrow morning.
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