SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Sripriya Satish
“I will chase you once again, Atthai-patti!” was what I used to call out to my grandma when I reached home from school by rickshaw. I can still picture her waiting patiently for me at the gate. Since my house was a short distance from the gate, my daily routine involved sprinting as quickly as I could from the spot where the rickshaw dropped me off and closing the door of our house before my poor grandmother could get inside.
Without a single frown on her face, she would patiently wait outside until I let her in. Instead of scolding me, she used to give me a warm hug as she came in. I remember doing this when I was 3-and-a-half years old. My Grandma, who was widowed from a young age, was there to look after me as my mother was away in her hometown, preparing for the birth of my sibling.
Looking back on this occasion, I can see how tolerant my grandmother was. She had taken my naughtiness in stride and would never complain about my shenanigans to my father. I still remember how much effort she put in to fill in my mother’s absence.
It was from her that I learned how to eat curd rice from the palm leaf with a delicious pickle. Oh! It had been a wonderful experience for me to take curd rice from the leaf with my tiny hands, keep a little achaar on top and eat a mouthful all on my own. She made such a simple process so delightful.
Let me narrate another incident that describes her love and care for me. I used to always look forward to going to her village. With greenery around and a lotus pond a mile away from her residence, the whole scenery looked appealing. The moment I woke up early in the morning, I would plead with her to take me to the Lotus pond and have a nice bath there. Her helpers would offer to take me, but I insisted only my grandma do it. Even though she would have a lot of chores pending in the kitchen, she would never turn down my request. Taking me lovingly by the hand, she would lead me to the pond and allow me to bathe there to my heart’s content.
Not only this, she would collect beautiful lotus flowers and hand them over to me, which used to truly make my day. Though my grandma is no more, her motherly and nurturing attitude is still fresh in my memory. I remember her as a symbol of forbearance and love.
How many of us know that to highlight the importance of grandparents there is a day called Grandparents day which is celebrated on September 8, even in India? There is a short history behind the reason for celebrating this day. It was first initiated by a homemaker from West Virginia, in United States, who really wanted grandchildren to appreciate the presence of their grandparents. Her efforts were duly recognised by the then President Jimmy Carter and thus the Grandparents day came in to existence in 1978.
There is a quote which goes “A grandma is warm hugs and sweet memories. She remembers all of your accomplishments and forgets all of your mistakes.” How true!
