Was listening to a new tamil film song "Andhi maalai neram"... A classical melody, sung by Sid Sriram... Still on...
Please listen to that song 'on a repeat mode', while reading this, so that you can relate to my writing. The music will do the wonder required 😊 And there is no necessity to follow the lyric☝.
I begin to write, just going by the flow...
Out of the blue, this song makes me feel like a child, running around, having nothing in mind but hope, love and good energy. Makes me feel like my entire family is around to take care of me. My home has the warmest roof in the world, made with love, protecting me from every harm. I have the best life.😃
Wandering around the house, helping thatha to pluck flowers for pooja; taking a bite of vadai from my paati's hand, in the middle of doing nothing; amma scolds at us for just fooling around and wasting time, appa asks 'class ku okkaruvela'. Giggling around, me and my sister walk through the staircase, to the first floor. We open our huge shelves, remove the usually worn good dresses for the class, wash our face, get ready, walk to the pooja room, murmur prayers fast and apply vibhuthi on our foreheads. Like good girls we are ready...
'Go to the kitchen and have tea', amma says.
'Go to the kitchen and have tea', amma says.
Paati's tea is the best in the world. Her warmth is the best any child could get. I still can recollect the way she used to put her hands around me while lying down and tell stories, starting with 'oru oorla oru...' and all Krishna stories. Blissful times... so many shlokas she taught me. It was with her, I went to watch a movie in a theatre for the first time. 'Ajoooba' film, and she wanted to show me how the big screen looks. Which paati could do that! Only mine 😎. I got scared though. She was the bravest when she held me tight, when I got scratched by a monkey on cheeks and legs. I was hardly six years then. She gave me all the first aid, before going to the doctor. I can still feel how much strength she gave me that day to believe that the pain will go. Her hand can make an ordinary curd rice taste like heaven. All cousins would sit in a curve, and show our palms. She would scoop a small ball of curd rice with her hand and place on our hands, one by one. Listening to stories, all of us would eat it showing no fuss and would actually enjoy the meal. She is the coolest paati in the world. Cracks the most witty humorous jokes, makes us laugh our heart over. God given gift to me, like no one has ever had. She built a lot of goodness in me. Sweetness and positive energy loaded, fills our home with so much fun and fills our heart with so much love.
Thatha is all strength of the house. He is that pillar of the family, which stands strong, providing hope and strength to the entire family. He used to walk me in pram around as a baby. I used to call him 'my vahanam' since he always offered to carry me and I readily climbed his strong arms, as a baby of-course. He is the richest I thought, as a child, since he used to count so many coins from the thiruppugazh hundi. 😁 He is definitely the bravest, who could shew away a snake from our house garden or take care of a wounded parrot and treat his injury, even while the parrot bit him hard. He came like a superhero to me when I was riding my cycle and got chased by a pet dog, in our lane. He shouted at the owner so bad that even the dog decided to keep quiet. He stood strong as a huge barrier to stop any harm entering the walls of his family. He assured me that he was always around to take care. It is his soulful prayers that has made me the human being I am. Believing in the existence of God outside us, within us, is all from him I learnt. Unconditional helping hands he has. He is a believer of 'service to community is service to God'. 😇 Live life meaningful is what I understand from him. 'Nothing can be achieved without faith in God and hardwork' is what he seeded in me.
I am blessed to have got such great souls, such simply beautiful human beings as my grandparents. Thatha has always been my role model. Paati has always been my inspiration.
Even now, I love to be around them, sleep on my paati's lap, listen to thatha's success stories, paati naughtily pulling thatha's legs for the n'th time, for telling the same story again and again. We never get bored though. Every time his stories gives new hope, love and laugh and tears. And everytime, paati's words gives me new energy and joy.
They will always be my heroes, my music, my Gods. My parents gave me the good values, taught about the world and made me understand how to live; while 'What to live for?' that is something my paati thatha taught me.
Am in tears already.
Andhi maalai neram, aatrankarai oram, nila vandhadhe... nila vandhadhe... Though the meaning of the song has nohing to do with what I have written, still it kindled my sweet childhood memories. May be the music, the melody, the energy and the voice of Sid Sriram, all connected me to my thatha paati. The energy and warmth my paati spreads and a feel of security and boldness around thatha, bundled together into just music...
Today, they have moved from our old home, to an apartments, for all good reasons. Old memories of the long wide garden and spaces, with our never ending rangolis during karthigai and Diwali; independent big house, lord Krishna statue above, adventures faced there, the beautiful sit-out, classes and functions done there, cycling practices, bursting diwali crackers, summer vacations with cousins, home plays as a kid with all crockery, books, terrace times, gardening times, dances we did there, that spirituality spread in and around the house and what not... I may miss the house, but my 'home' is where my thatha paati are. These memories will go with them to the new house as they continue to spread love, happiness and good vibes.
With my little one!
Love you a lot thatha paati... You are my truest heroes !!
Your Shwetha kutty/Shwetha kanna always.
