Maheswari peramma, passed into the mist of time this morning around 0700 hrs. All of 96 years, she was going through a host of medical difficulties thanks to a fall that she had, about two months back. She'd broken her hip in the bargain, the treatment for which was delayed due to certain purely local conditions.
She was with her second daughter in law, Valsala chechi, at Bangalore till the end of last year when she suddenly decided to return to the familiar surroundings of the ancestral Puthuvayil House where her father, P Kesava Panicker and uncle, PN Panicker had spent their childhood under the watchful eyes of their parents, P Govinda Pillai and Janaki Amma. P Kesava Panicker and Peramma have four beautiful daughters viz. Maheswari, Gomathy, Santha and Sarala. Of them, the first two were senior to my mom and she used to call them, Valiyechi and Kochechi.
Gomathy peramma was the first to leave us, last year. Maheswari peramma was very sad that her younger sister had left before her and she was inconsolable then.
She was very fond of my mother and used to tell me as to how she always got what she wanted. I can never forget this story that she'd told me. Mom was at the Puthuvayil house during her school holidays, having come with her dad, from Ambalappuzha. There was a mango tree, full of mangoes at the courtyard and mom had insisted upon her uncle that she wanted to pluck the fruits herself. Valiya Muthachhan, capitulating to her wishes, had got a makeshift wall made so that my mom could stand on it and pluck the fruits!
Peramma was married twice and she had a son, each, from both her husbands. She always used to feel bad about her ill luck because both her sons - the younger, Sasi chettan was followed by the older, Radhan chettan - had passed into the mist of time much before her.
She'd come to stay with us for a few days some time back. We had gone to the Guruvayur temple and I'd asked the Administrator for a special darshan for my mom's eldest sister. He was impressed by the way she walked and carried herself that he, too, had joined us in the circumambulation of the sanctum - she was 92 then! She had enjoyed that visit thoroughly and kept thanking me as though I'd done something great.
She was a compulsive 'paan' chewer and that was the main reason for her to hate life in the flat, at Bangalore.
In the final days, she was back at Puthuppallil house at Kottayam but by the time she had reached there, she must have realised that there was too little time left for her to settle down and enjoy the familiarity of the place!
RIP Maheswari peramme! With tears and prayers. Shall always remember the abundant love that you'd given me and the kisses that you had showered on me when we had met at Gomathi peramma's funeral. Shall always remain indebted to you.
Tailpiece.
Got up at 6, the chores and was off for the FBS/PPBS tests. Unfortunately, the path lab near to my house has been shut down and so, Hamid took me to the Rajah Hospital. Had to make two trips and the results were passed on to Dr Satish Bhat, who has further tweaked my medicines.
The Quarterdeck was systematically shut down by evening but what was heart rending was Kittu's angst at the prospect of our journey. Suma will look after his food requirements but from the past experience, he never comes this side during our absence!
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