I was getting ready to leave for my
office. It was 9.00 am. The landline in the house started
ringing. I picked up the phone.
“Hello, this is Ram here…”
“Hello, I am Veda mami, remember
me...” I immediately recognised the voice. It was Veda aunty a relative who was living in a distant suburb of Chennai.
“What aunty, what is the news....”
“I am angry with you. There is
some good news in your family and you did not even inform me..”
I realised that she was referring to the birth of the
second grandson in our family, whose punyakavachanam (naming ceremony) we had
conducted a few days earlier.
“Sorry aunty. It was a small function which we had at home with
only immediate family members attending”
“Oh, that means I am not included
in your close family…”
Aunty's tone was accusing. . I did not respond. After a few more exchanges, she said she will
be visiting our house the following week to see the new born and bless him.
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Veda aunty was related to me from both my
side and my wife's side. She was married
to Srinivasan, 10 years older than her when she was only 15. Srinivasan was the third among 5 brothers and two
sisters. He was a qualified engineer.
His job took him to different parts of the country. Srinivasan was a quiet and unassuming introvert.
He would not mix easily with people.
A voracious reader, he was also spiritually inclined. Veda aunty, on the
other hand was a very friendly
sort, who connected with people easily.
She was enthusiasm personified.
She was ever helpful to anyone in
need of any physical help, any time.
Unfortunately the couple had no
children. But that never deterred Veda
aunty from being social and cheerful.
During her annual visits to Coimbatore, where a few of her brothers -in-law`s
families stayed, she would enjoy the
company of her nephews and nieces. Treating them like her own children, she
would shower them with gifts. Naturally
she became a popular lady in the family circle.
As the nephews and nieces grew up, got married and settled down in
different parts of the country and abroad, they would think of Veda aunty, whenever they
needed physical help during the time of protacted illness or on the impending arrival of a new born in the family and so on. She would
rush to offer her help to any one who summoned
her services leaving behind her
non-complaining husband to fend for himself
By being constantly in the
company of her nephews and nieces, she never missed the absense of a family of
her own.
In
course of time, Srinivasan retired and decided to settle down in a small
two bedroom house, owned by one of his nephews, who was away working in the middle
east and who had no plans of returning
to Chennai in the near future.
While he was content spending his time reading and watching television post
retirement, Veda aunty would be busy visiting friends and relatives. She would not miss any function, big or small
being held in any of our relatives` homes.
It did not bother her, that she had no invitation for the function. If she came to know about a function, she
would be there to enjoy the company of her near and not so dear ones.
Years rolled on. Srinivasan passed away at
the age of 85. Veda Aunty also had to
move to an old age home, when her
nephew's family whose house she was occupying returned from the Middle East to
settle down in Chennai. It was the same
nephew who was also looking after her expenses at the old age home, now. Veda
aunty continued to be an uninvited guest at all functions of her relatives.
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It was the first birthday of my third grand
child which we were celebrating in a small hall located nearer our home. I saw an auto stop in front of the hall and an
old lady, getting out. When I went
nearer I realised it was Veda aunty.
After paying the auto driver, she looked at me
and said, ”once again you forgot to invite me
to the function. I heard about it from
my sister-in-law and here I am.”
She grinned sheepishly. I was surprised to find her walking with a stoop
and a stick as a support.
“Welcome Aunty, what happened? When did you become like this? You were walking straight the last time, I saw you.”
“Oh, it is nothing. Six months ago I fell down in the bathroom of the Home where I am living.
My back was badly hurt. I was in the
hospital for some time. When I returned, I was advised complete bed rest. I was getting bored. I found out that I could manage to move
around with the help of the stick.” She was nonchalant when
saying this. What she said next
completely floored me.
“You know.. I am going to Bombay next week by train to attend the wedding of my
grand niece”
“Who is accompanying you
aunty? Hope you are not travelling alone
in this condition... “
She laughed and said “what
is the big deal? . I will ask somebody from the Home to help me get on to the train at Madras Central
and my niece`s husband has promised to receive me at the station in Mumbai. If I need some help in the train some fellow passengers will surely
help me, no...”.
I realised that it was this positive attitude towards life that had kept Veda aunty going, helping her live her life on her own terms.
While I was lost in thoughts, Veda aunty
had already gone inside the hall to exchange pleasantries with my family members..
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Over a period of time, Veda aunty's health
started deteriorating . Yet she would continue to visit people's homes to attend functions. Sometimes trying to overstay their hospitality. People started avoiding her. They were worried that if something untoward happened during her brief visit, they would be
stuck with the responsibility of looking
after her. A stage reached when she
could barely move around within the room in the Home where she was staying. I
also heard a rumour, which turned out to
be false, that she had passed away.
While relatives were breathing easy because she was not visiting
them anymore, she continued to keep in
touch with many of them through a mobile
which had been presented to her by one of her nephews. The mobile phone became her lifeline to the outside world. While Veda aunty had almost become a forgotten
entity in my family, I was surprised to receive a call from her one afternoon..
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“Hello Ram, this is Veda here… Remember me?`.. I could sense a sarcastic
note in her voice.
“Hello aunty, how are you? I heard that you were not well and you are
not able to go out any more.”
“That was six months ago. Thanks to my grand niece from USA who visited
me and took me to a specialist doctor, I
am much better now. In fact, today is my 90th birthday and thanks to my nephew
all of us in the Home are enjoying a feast
for lunch today”
Her enthusiasm and happiness were evident
in her voice.
“What else aunty? When are you going to visit us? The wedding of my grand daughter is scheduled
next month. I will send you the
invitation.”
“I will be very happy to come
provided you arrange to pick me up from the Home and drop me back” She responded without hesitation.
“Sure aunty. I will ask my cousin Venu who is staying near
your Home to bring you to the wedding.
Take care.” I disconnected the line.
I could not stop marveling at the
indomitable spirit of Veda
aunty. Her enthusiasm and her love for people was amazing.
I am sure she will live to see 100 years. At 80,
with all my health problems, I am not sure if I will be alive to attend Veda
aunty's 100th Birthday celebrations.
Feedback welcome on rvrajan42@gmail.com
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