The Grandmother. ( Meri Pyari Aama).
I miss this lady the most in my life , whenever i think back and take the cloak few years backwards.I was the first child and a son, my father had her as single parent and she had independently brought him. It was't always hunky dory like this as today, she married my Grandfather at the age of 13 , a normal marriageable age those days. Dwarahat to Sansket ( Jaurasi) approx 50 km with lot of hills and steep heights. She had narrated me these incidents while she was alive. She traveled the distance by foot and had to carry her stuff ( dahej) herself. The happiness did not stay for long in the family , within few years she lost 4 of her children and her husband to an incurable epidemic. Father was just 4 years when he lost his dad. Approx at the age of 18 she had seen it all, lost most of her family including her only pillar of strength , her husband. Life became a living hell for her. You can understand the treatment society would have given to a widow who had lost everything. She never lost hope and single handedly brought up dad. Left the village and settled herself with her only son in Udlikhan ( my current village). But the torture from immediate family did not stop here, all the food grain she grew had an irrevocable share of the other family who lived in Sansket. The buffalo when started milking the family took her also to their place. Such were the days and she always suffered silently with none to fall upon for support.
She kept her hope alive and got my father schooled till 5th standard. My dad then shifted to Delhi and started with a meager paying job. She supported him initially by sending money from village , whatever she could earn by selling the grass and grains. The son was married off soon , but the bad phase did not leave her here also, within the six months of marriage , my father lost his first wife. Granny was inconsolable this time around but she did not loose courage and got my father married within a year to my mother. The fortune took a sudden turn and i was born and so my 4 siblings, the family now became a complete home. My granny loved me the most since i was the eldest and she never stayed away from me till i crossed my 6th class and had to come to Delhi. She was one of the strongest woman i had lived with and without any management degree she managed everything spic and span.
The management of the complete household, had to see we had enough to eat , wear and celebrate. The money management , i learnt from her was immaculate. The love was spread all over the place. whether home or away. A epitome of love , care and inspiration, she had it all in her charismatic persona. Though she is gone few years ago to the almighty , but her constant concern are still taking care of me and my beloved family. A real iconic figure , though she had no bookish knowledge...but what she knew even google will never be able to define. Salute to you Dadi...i will always miss you and you will always remain in my prayers.
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