When I read this topic for competition, the first person who came into
my mind is my Grandma. She’s no more physically but in my thoughts she still
lives. She was a very strong lady. She was married to my Grandpa when she was just
13 or 14 years. At that time, it was considered a late marriage for a girl. My
Grandpa was working as an employee in Andhra Government. She took charge of her
in-laws house kitchen from that day onwards. She was always busy cooking and
taking care of other businesses in the family. She didn’t have time to look
after her own kids also. But, she didn’t show any regrets. When my grandpa
died, grandma was left with 5 kids (4 boys and 1 girl). Only my eldest uncle
was in college and my aunt was in her teens. All the other 3 kids were just
entering their teens. My grandma’s mother –in-law took the only house built by
my grandpa in her possession and sent her away with the kids to Chennai. My
grandma came to live in Chennai which was an unknown place for her with her 4
kids (1 daughter and 3 sons) with a meagre pension amount and some jewelry.
After coming to Chennai she started helping ladies in their daily chores and
brought home food given by them for her help. She was also skilled in treating
malaria fever, typhoid and jaundice using herbs. She didn’t take money to treat
the diseases since she would say it will not be fruitful if it is sold for
money. Many doctors in our area would recommend my grandma’s name to treat the
patients. At one point, she completed
her daughter’s wedding with the jewelry she had and sent my father to a
residential school (which was provided on scholarship). Both my uncles got jobs and started earning
for the family. When my father completed his S.S.L.C exams, he was sent out of
the hostel and as soon as he returned he got a job and started earning. Even though, they brought home money she
didn’t stop her job of helping ladies in the locality or providing medicines.
She also helped her neighbours when they were hospitalized and also when they were
not well. When her mil was about to die, she reached there and stayed till she
breathed her last and made her bil to complete all the last rites for her.
After my uncles and my father got married, she started travelling from Chennai to
tirupati to stay with them. When she got bored she would visit her brother’s
place which was in a village. She didn’t take anyone’s help to travel from one
place to another till she reached her 85th year. For sometime, she
travelled with us. When she got her legs fractured, she stopped travelling and
was staying in my uncle’s house. Till she breathed her last she was doing her
daily routine by herself and did not depend on others. She usually would advise
us that we should not depend on anybody (especially menfolk) for anything. We
should be always be brave self-independent. Even though she was not educated,
she was very particular about Grandchildren education. She was also very happy that we were career
oriented women.
In the fond memory
of my loving, caring, bold and independent grandma I am dedicating this article
on her as a “Woman Made of Great”.
