Like every other tambrahm family I was brought up by my grandparents but specifically maternal. I was very fond of the railways and I still am a Philatelist and a Numismatist. This was only because of my grandpa who used to lead a simple life yet all perfect.
A MAN WHO NEVER RAISED VOICE AGAINST HIS WIFE. He used to take me to show off the railways every evening no matter what because his grandkids are his life. He just loved teaching me even simple stuff from cricket news in The Hindu to playing a carrom board. He worked as the manager in the admin department of port trust and retired in the mid 90s in the ABK-AOTS DOSOKAI, an Indian and Japan collaboration office as a manager till 2004.
He used to take me to all the stamp exhibitions and flower exhibitions conducted by train. I know people talking about the OCD amongst the too perfect but when I was about to think that he had, NO. He is just a man of perfection who just comes home keeps his watch, spectacles, and wallet at its place, he would start doing SAVASANA by lying down on the floor to get more strength to do the next job and ease himself out if required.
Even if it is bandh or no-transport day, he used to walk all the way from beach station to Mambalam by the trackside. My grandma is only half his height and sometimes when going out she finds it difficult to follow him up😂 It was one of those summer holidays were I used to hangout with my grandpa. He came from his work and his yoga to give him a jolt because it's WEDNESDAY. He used to leave the home 3:30pm exactly and would ask me if I wanted to join him for buying veggies from the market across the station.
He was all ready with his bag scrolled up under his arms and asked me one last time, "dei na kelambaren variya illiya?" I was watching some show in the history channel his wait would be exactly for five minutes and the best part is he will not say bye to me😂 When the door shuts, I would realise, and run after him saying bye to my grandma.
He would know what to buy, where to buy and from whom to buy. All those sellers would recognise him and give him the correct veggies. One important thing about my grandpa is that "HE NEVER LIES" 👌I would forget this point everytime I go out with him and get caught by my grandma. I would willingly carry the bag for him till home he would resist but I would still do. There will be two shops near the Ranganathan street staircase, one would be the ice-cream vendor and other popcorn. My grandpa would look at me and notice that I would want one from each and he would buy me. On the way home, I would tell him," thatha please paati kitta solidadha", and you know what would have happened😇
Later on he joined a local religious centre here called Ayodhya Mandapam started serving people as much as he could because he can never stay home idle without doing anything. Because of his influence there I would get a seat in the front every time during the margazhi utsav and would get autographs of Mrs.Sudha Raghunathan, Embar Mr.Kannan, etc., and also would ask them to sing my favourite songs by writing it and sending a small parchment.
Till 2006 he stayed with us in the same apartment after which he was asked to vacate because of the landlord. Until then he stayed on his own legs and payed rent from his pension. HE WAS ALWAYS A MAN OF HIS WORDS. He would never mean harm to anything and till he was alright I have never seen him raise his voice against anything or anyone.
My grandparents had three daughters including my mother in the middle. My chithi(3rd) left to the US after marriage in 2003 and my perimma (1st) lives exactly opposite to the door which my chithi had bought initially. My grandpa was asked to move to her place and stay free of cost because it's her place. But, my grandpa who was used to standing on his own legs was not able to digest this. Ofcourse, it's his daughter and she is the one who is offering the generous flat.
The point was he wasn't interested in her daughter losing the rental money for his sake because he had to search for another place. My grandpa was such a hard hearted man that he wasn't able to say NO to his daughter's offer and also take that place.
In the initial phases of his life he had just completed PUC to marry my grandmother and later on he was working and studying and finished his colled in The Presidency college, Chennai. He had friends in his morning walk with whom he talked and even completed ICWA. He had started taking tuitions to manage the family by then.
Such a person was on his own legs and he had even made 6-month US trip thrice, the last one which went horrible because he was just confined to four walls when his grandkids were out to school. He also fell sick beacuse of it and somehow managed to come back home.
I was in tears when I received my grandpa because he lost his memory. He couldn't even recognise my face as he was high in DEMENTIA. He went back forty years in his life memory and identified me as his cousin whom he had helped. The man had cheated him in his good times so my grandpa always had a grudge for me.
But, gradually it didn't last long. He used to run away one day and sleep fully the other day. One fine May day the 6th 2009, he had decided to leave us all in just a fraction by walking in godspeed. He had been the first victim to the scorching agninatchatram. Since then I had taken rights for doing the final rituals and it's been 11 he has breathed his last.
A legendary man who kept things within himself. He had never let out voice against anything which had ultimately taken him to deep thoughts. You should not cage a bird which shouldn't be. My grandma used to tell me that it was his karma which he had to go through. NOPE
Man Proposes God Disposes
We may have thought of lot of things to say, to do but ultimately the end result is different. Wish my grandpa was still there to guide me through my life. Wanted to start my first blog about my grandparents and especially my grandpa.
LET LIFE ROLL ON AS IT GOES!
CHEERS!!✌️😇
Grandpa- S V RAMANAN
Grandma who just hit her 80, the proud S V RUKMANI
with them this Mambalam thachimamu
HARISH G
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