In 2007
In 2019
———- Forwarded message ———
From: Subha Srinivasan ssubha@ibab.ac.in
Date: Tue, Jul 30, 2019 at 8:19 AM
Vijaya Chithi,
It was nice talking to you this morning.
Do you recall when Appa’s mother lived with us during her last years of her life? When she was bed ridden and went into comma, you took care of her like a 24 hour appointed nurse. During last few months of her life all her children including her beloved youngest daughter (Rajambal) was near her bed reading Bhagavath Gita all day long. They were able to do that high level chant because you took care of her bedside needs round the clock. I recall that the last name she ever uttered before going into comma was VIJAYA. Hats off to you. You are a living example of “Karmanye Vadhika Raste Ma falechu Kadachan”. I believe Jashmati was sent by my Patti to take care of you just how you took care of her.
Do you recall when your eldest brother came to 4 Jhelam Road in failing health after prolonged fight with tuberculosis. He was soooo sick that we had to keep him in isolation in a room behind the outhouse that was separated from the rest of the main building. I guess he used the public bathroom behind the house (Do not recall). We were not allowed to care or see him. You were the default caregiver at that time. You took meals to him 3 times a day, washed all his clothes and dishes. Now thinking about it, he never came to the main building. Cannot imagine how much you must have run around to accomplish this. Given that you had all the reasons to be angry at him for abandoning you when your parents passed away and you needed him the most, you did this happily/cheerfully as a duty. Chiti, you are truly an amazing person. I am still learning from you how to give without expecting anything in return.
Do you recall how you used to keep everything ready for Amma before she prepared food? For example, I remember you putting just the right amounts of kaduhu, majanlpodi, kadalai parupuu, molahai vattal, ravai, water, onion and salt (Am I missing anything) in separate dishes so she can turn on the stove and make upma. I am not sure who was cooking? The upma tasted greatJ
Do you recall how you would remove boiling hot water in big aluminum containers using your belly to support one end to roll it away from the stove and pore it into the bucket kept ready (by you) below the counter so we can take bath in winter. We were too young to handle hot water.
Do you recall how you had to getup early morning at 4:00 to prepare the kari aduppu for morning cooking and hot water. If one didn’t attend for it at 4 in the morning, we can forget hot water and breakfast. I have never seen you irritated in doing these chores everyday. You kept on goingJ
Do you recall when we were back from hostel, how we will pretend to eat lunch with Appa and wait until he left for work at 2 PM so you can make chapathis for us in the kari aduppu outside the outhouse? They were so delicious and you made them so cheerfully. How?
As I write about our lives together, more and more incidences come to view that calms my nerves today and make me realize how we were crafted by you, Dharma Chithi and Amma together. I like that feeling. You are a BIG PART of all our success and happiness today. Our success stems from your selfless round-the-clock help and our happyiness is crafted by your sacrifices. To love ourselves we must love you.
I am told that you used to stitch fancy embroidery on sarees for use in weddings. I did not have the privilege of seeing how you did that. Perhaps other cousins can share some stories on that.
More later.
With love, Your’s Vasu
ThaneMozhi தேன்மொழி 