27 years back in '91, on this day, my Ammachi - G Chempakakutty Amma(Mrs.PN Panicker) - had passed into the mist of time, around 2130 hrs. The day had begun in a normal fashion, she'd washed her clothes and taken a bath after Muthachhan had left for office. She wasn't keeping well as she had a nagging cough but went about her normal chores as usual. It was around a half past 7 in the evening and she was watching her favourite soap on the television, reclining on the sofa, but her deep cough was a grim reminder that all wasn't well with her.
It was Muthachhan who'd coaxed maman to take her to the hospital and Mini, Sindhu and Vichani kunjamma accompanied them. The car made its first halt at the NC Hospital nearby, about which Ammachi had a very poor opinion. It was while waiting for the doctor that she went through a very violent bout of pain and consequently, tried to tear off her blouse during the discomfort. The duty doctor after examining her, advised that she'd to be taken to a bigger hospital with better facilities as her condition wasn't good.
They drove off from there and as the car passed through its gate, Ammachi had feebly asked as to which hospital it was. When she was told that it was the 'Sri Uthradom Thirunal Hospital', she sounded satisfied. As soon as they'd reached the main foyer, Ammachi was transferred on a stretcher into the ICU. By that time death had engulfed her and all that the doctors could do was to try to revive her but to no avail. She'd passed into the mist of time at 74 years of age. For the family, it was a great loss from which it's yet to recover! Muthachhan was hit the most, because he'd seen her off to the hospital with the words, "Do not worry, nothing will happen to you. You'll go only after me". Two hours later, he was shocked to see her lifeless body being brought into the house!
* * *
I was away at the Staff College in Wellington, Ooty doing the staff course and my parents had insisted that I shouldn't be informed about her passing away as it would disrupt my participation in the course. So, Lekha and I came to know of it only a month later when we'd fetched up during the tutorial break! I remember crying for her, for days on end, because she'd given me her unadulterated love all along. I was reminded of her words during my wedding, "Now that your wedding has taken place, I can go in peace". They were uttered on 16 May, just 40 days earlier! Was it a premonition? And I can never forget her response as I told her that Lekha and I'd love to have her and Muthachhan at our house in Ooty which was, "You tell Muthachhan and I shall ensure that we come and spend time with you to your heart's content", but that was not to be. That has remained a painful, unfulfilled dream! We weren't lucky to host the two of them in our house!!
* * *
I remember her carrying me that evening, in end Nov '63, when we'd returned from Bombay. I remember I was worried that she was frail but was carrying me - a kid, studying in class III! And you must understand that she'd a son, six months younger to me - my younger maman! We'd struck a deep chord and she'd prepare food taking into consideration, my likes and dislikes. I used to run errands for her, along with my young maman like, getting her favourite tobacco from one particular shop a bit far away from home, buying the monthly grocery as per the long list that she used to painstakingly prepare, getting the wheat ground from the nearby flour mill and so on. She was extremely sad that I was sent away to the Sainik School, in Jan '67, while I was in class VI. I remember her telling me that she was not gonna make the hand made 'murukku', anymore, as I was going away! She never made that again and that was that!!
She used to eagerly await my holidays and we used to do a lot of things together which she used to plan meticulously and to cite a few:-
(a) To watch movies - during the matinee shows - and the best part was that we both enjoyed
watching the movies of Sathyan, Madhu and a few others. We used to be very, very selective.
All the others of the house would be away in their offices/schools at that time!
(b) To visit the doctors - Dr. KN Pai or the Aryavaidyan of the Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasalaa - to
show her medical problems. She'd tell Muthachhan in the morning and he'd fix up the
appointment. He used to ask me later as to what the doctor had said, I wonder whether I was
able to satisfy him with my answers? On all those occasions, she used to proudly introduce me
as "My grandson studying in Sainik School, who is very good at studies".
(c) We used to go to Raj Nivas at Thalavoor, where my mom and sisters were, many times by the
road transport corporation's bus when Muthachhan couldn't make it. She had even walked along with me from Kunnicode to our house - about 3 kms through short cuts, criss-crossing the paddy fields - a couple of times. She never complained about it, though my mom and my
aunts chided me but her answer to them used to be, "He, too, is a kid and if he can do it, why
can't I? Moreover, we walk slowly and I enjoy the sights". She was in her early 50s then and
we did the stretch because there were no taxis or auto rickshaws and my parents didn't own a
car either!
(d) Visits to Paravaoor, where Leela kunjamma and her family was and to certain family friends
were also part of the itinerary.
She used to regale me with the stories from the epics and prepared snacks, that I like, for the evening tea. The best part was that none of the others minded my Ammachi's love and her preferential treatment towards me. What I used to feel sad was when she went through her bouts of arthritic fever and I used to sit by her bed after tying the crepe bandage around her right leg that would have a slight swelling. She used to sleep it out till the fever wore off.
I can go on and on about her. Ours was a unique 'grandmother-grandson' relationship and I miss her even to this day and feel sad that I was not able to give her back even an iota of the kindness that she had showered on me.
Ammachi, will we meet again, ever? Or is it wishful thinking?
Tailpiece.
We were hardly into our precious afternoon nap, when Anju, from the local private bank had called on us as part of its customer acquaintance measures. The young lady, from Mavelikkara, had joined her branch just a month back. The grumpiness of having broken my siesta was erased by her chirpy conversation and winsome manners.
It was Muthachhan who'd coaxed maman to take her to the hospital and Mini, Sindhu and Vichani kunjamma accompanied them. The car made its first halt at the NC Hospital nearby, about which Ammachi had a very poor opinion. It was while waiting for the doctor that she went through a very violent bout of pain and consequently, tried to tear off her blouse during the discomfort. The duty doctor after examining her, advised that she'd to be taken to a bigger hospital with better facilities as her condition wasn't good.
They drove off from there and as the car passed through its gate, Ammachi had feebly asked as to which hospital it was. When she was told that it was the 'Sri Uthradom Thirunal Hospital', she sounded satisfied. As soon as they'd reached the main foyer, Ammachi was transferred on a stretcher into the ICU. By that time death had engulfed her and all that the doctors could do was to try to revive her but to no avail. She'd passed into the mist of time at 74 years of age. For the family, it was a great loss from which it's yet to recover! Muthachhan was hit the most, because he'd seen her off to the hospital with the words, "Do not worry, nothing will happen to you. You'll go only after me". Two hours later, he was shocked to see her lifeless body being brought into the house!
* * *
I was away at the Staff College in Wellington, Ooty doing the staff course and my parents had insisted that I shouldn't be informed about her passing away as it would disrupt my participation in the course. So, Lekha and I came to know of it only a month later when we'd fetched up during the tutorial break! I remember crying for her, for days on end, because she'd given me her unadulterated love all along. I was reminded of her words during my wedding, "Now that your wedding has taken place, I can go in peace". They were uttered on 16 May, just 40 days earlier! Was it a premonition? And I can never forget her response as I told her that Lekha and I'd love to have her and Muthachhan at our house in Ooty which was, "You tell Muthachhan and I shall ensure that we come and spend time with you to your heart's content", but that was not to be. That has remained a painful, unfulfilled dream! We weren't lucky to host the two of them in our house!!
* * *
I remember her carrying me that evening, in end Nov '63, when we'd returned from Bombay. I remember I was worried that she was frail but was carrying me - a kid, studying in class III! And you must understand that she'd a son, six months younger to me - my younger maman! We'd struck a deep chord and she'd prepare food taking into consideration, my likes and dislikes. I used to run errands for her, along with my young maman like, getting her favourite tobacco from one particular shop a bit far away from home, buying the monthly grocery as per the long list that she used to painstakingly prepare, getting the wheat ground from the nearby flour mill and so on. She was extremely sad that I was sent away to the Sainik School, in Jan '67, while I was in class VI. I remember her telling me that she was not gonna make the hand made 'murukku', anymore, as I was going away! She never made that again and that was that!!
She used to eagerly await my holidays and we used to do a lot of things together which she used to plan meticulously and to cite a few:-
(a) To watch movies - during the matinee shows - and the best part was that we both enjoyed
watching the movies of Sathyan, Madhu and a few others. We used to be very, very selective.
All the others of the house would be away in their offices/schools at that time!
(b) To visit the doctors - Dr. KN Pai or the Aryavaidyan of the Kottakkal Arya Vaidyasalaa - to
show her medical problems. She'd tell Muthachhan in the morning and he'd fix up the
appointment. He used to ask me later as to what the doctor had said, I wonder whether I was
able to satisfy him with my answers? On all those occasions, she used to proudly introduce me
as "My grandson studying in Sainik School, who is very good at studies".
(c) We used to go to Raj Nivas at Thalavoor, where my mom and sisters were, many times by the
road transport corporation's bus when Muthachhan couldn't make it. She had even walked along with me from Kunnicode to our house - about 3 kms through short cuts, criss-crossing the paddy fields - a couple of times. She never complained about it, though my mom and my
aunts chided me but her answer to them used to be, "He, too, is a kid and if he can do it, why
can't I? Moreover, we walk slowly and I enjoy the sights". She was in her early 50s then and
we did the stretch because there were no taxis or auto rickshaws and my parents didn't own a
car either!
(d) Visits to Paravaoor, where Leela kunjamma and her family was and to certain family friends
were also part of the itinerary.
She used to regale me with the stories from the epics and prepared snacks, that I like, for the evening tea. The best part was that none of the others minded my Ammachi's love and her preferential treatment towards me. What I used to feel sad was when she went through her bouts of arthritic fever and I used to sit by her bed after tying the crepe bandage around her right leg that would have a slight swelling. She used to sleep it out till the fever wore off.
I can go on and on about her. Ours was a unique 'grandmother-grandson' relationship and I miss her even to this day and feel sad that I was not able to give her back even an iota of the kindness that she had showered on me.
Ammachi, will we meet again, ever? Or is it wishful thinking?
Tailpiece.
We were hardly into our precious afternoon nap, when Anju, from the local private bank had called on us as part of its customer acquaintance measures. The young lady, from Mavelikkara, had joined her branch just a month back. The grumpiness of having broken my siesta was erased by her chirpy conversation and winsome manners.
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