......

I lost my most beloved grandmother(mother's mother) 2 days ago.

Now,I have lost both sets of grandparents and it very very hard to comprehend.

I am still trying to come to terms with the fact that I will never ever see Komala patti again.I will always remember her laughter and her cheerful persona.It all happened within a span of 2-3 days and none of us have had the time to prepare ourselves.

Komala patti was the rock of the family who struggled with life long Asthma/ loss of her mother at a tender young age /tragic loss of her own daughter and finally loss of thatha too.
She faced all this with her characteristic humor and optimism. A bit of her lives in all her children/grand children/ nephews and nieces.

I remember the long summer holidays that I spent at pattis' house - when patti would drag me along to the temple and the park on the way back( which was my treat for accompanying her to the temple), the long afternoons spent lying next to her as she taught me slokams and told me umpteen stories about her childhood. Even when she spoke about her difficult childhood after losing her mother, she always sprayed it with her characteristic humor and positive views.I remember the umpteen trips to Meenakshi amman temple and the subsequent "shopping" for "choppu chovaru" and bangles in the temple bazaar. She was as excited about the plastic bangles as she was with the golden bangle my uncle got her :) .

When I was studying in college, I used to visit thatha and patti all the time-even at that age, they would have my favorite "Sevai" and moorkozhambu ready for me by the time I reached .

She saw everyone as equal and poured her love to them. Be it the velaikari's granddaughter( maid's granddaughter) or me , she would be willing to give away her vaira mookuthi(diamond nose pin), if we asked for it.

All I can do now is to cherish the memories I have .I will remember that one teary eyed look she had in her face when I was leaving for US and had been to her house to visit her and bid farewell. Thatha and her standing at the gate with teary eyes...

She taught me this slokam to keep the ghosts away at night and for a peaceful night's sleep and I still say it every night. I sent the same prayer up to God for her eternal Sleep.

Ramaskanda Hanumantha
Vainadeyam Vikodharam
Sainaiye Yasmadhe
Nithyam Dorsoppana
Thasya Nasya de.