My Dear Thatha
Thatha's Devasham this year came on 21 Sep. As has been the tradition, all our parents are meeting in Trikkur.
It has been 17 years since Thatha passed away. Thatha passed away in Sep 2001 at the age of 92. I remember Appa coming home early one morning from Kalyanam Chitappa's house and was just so emotional and could not say anything. We knew then that Thatha had passed away.
T.R. Paramehswara Iyer as my dear Thatha was called, was an erudite Sama Vedic scholar. He was privately tutioned in English and other subjects. His English as I still recall from his lovely letters to us, is still the best. He was a very generous man. He woke up at 3:30 a.m. every morning and chanted slokas until 6:00 a.m.. Then he would spend time in the lovely garden he had created, collecting flowers for his daily Siva Poojai. He would then have coffee and an oil bath and then sit down for the Poojai which would go on until 1 p.m. After that came lunch and a short siesta, followed by writing letters, watering the coconut trees or going to the Thoppu or Padam (our fields). Once all this was done, it would be time for his Sandhya Vandanam or evening prayers. Following this would be a very simple meal and then time to sleep.
Thatha was very generous. He would just give away whatever he had, with no expectations at all - from gold rings on his hands to dhotis. His affection for his children and grand-children knew no bounds. I remember how worried he could be and would do so much japam for our well-being.
I remember how he turned up at the bus-stop one evening when I was late coming from Trichur to Trikkur, waiting without his shirt, and his walking stick held with his hands near his chin. And how he would sit with us during lunch and dinner to ensure we all ate well. And cover us with the blanket in the night, when it got cold. And would be so worried when we went to the Puzhai for swimming - which we did for hours. All our vacations were about - Puzhai, eating and the non-stop singing at the top of our voices. We had so much fun!
Perhaps my cousins Sheela and Srikanth enjoyed Thatha more than any of us did. Thatha totally totally loved Srikanth and Sheela, because they spent their childhood in Trikkur with Thatha.
All or vacations in Trikkur were special because Thatha was there.
Thatha how we miss you!
It has been 17 years since Thatha passed away. Thatha passed away in Sep 2001 at the age of 92. I remember Appa coming home early one morning from Kalyanam Chitappa's house and was just so emotional and could not say anything. We knew then that Thatha had passed away.
T.R. Paramehswara Iyer as my dear Thatha was called, was an erudite Sama Vedic scholar. He was privately tutioned in English and other subjects. His English as I still recall from his lovely letters to us, is still the best. He was a very generous man. He woke up at 3:30 a.m. every morning and chanted slokas until 6:00 a.m.. Then he would spend time in the lovely garden he had created, collecting flowers for his daily Siva Poojai. He would then have coffee and an oil bath and then sit down for the Poojai which would go on until 1 p.m. After that came lunch and a short siesta, followed by writing letters, watering the coconut trees or going to the Thoppu or Padam (our fields). Once all this was done, it would be time for his Sandhya Vandanam or evening prayers. Following this would be a very simple meal and then time to sleep.
Thatha was very generous. He would just give away whatever he had, with no expectations at all - from gold rings on his hands to dhotis. His affection for his children and grand-children knew no bounds. I remember how worried he could be and would do so much japam for our well-being.
I remember how he turned up at the bus-stop one evening when I was late coming from Trichur to Trikkur, waiting without his shirt, and his walking stick held with his hands near his chin. And how he would sit with us during lunch and dinner to ensure we all ate well. And cover us with the blanket in the night, when it got cold. And would be so worried when we went to the Puzhai for swimming - which we did for hours. All our vacations were about - Puzhai, eating and the non-stop singing at the top of our voices. We had so much fun!
Perhaps my cousins Sheela and Srikanth enjoyed Thatha more than any of us did. Thatha totally totally loved Srikanth and Sheela, because they spent their childhood in Trikkur with Thatha.
All or vacations in Trikkur were special because Thatha was there.
Thatha how we miss you!