shivam ‘ November 27th is celebrated as a ‘ Thanks Giving Day’ in USA. ‘The great souls, moving as in a black and white movie, whom am I to thank ?’ I asked, the innumerable faces moving past in my mind, while lying on bed, after dinner in a relative’s house in Delaware. Not one or … Read more
My wife had to undergo a surgery under general anesthesia, soon after my daughter was born. I was near her hospital bed, looking at her face awaiting the moment her closed eye lids would open up. My ears also were standing alert not to miss a single lip movement, soon after she recovers from sedation. … Read more
fantastic day today! Delighted to meet Shreya Ratna Perinkulam, who landed just this dawn to join Perinkulam family. She is my sixth grand child, third grand daughter . Shreya, lying on her father’s lap, looked charming, healthy and quite cheerful Atchu was elegantly holding his first child in his arms. From where did my quite, … Read more
Two years ago, I attended a wedding. The boy, a NRI, asked for a chair, as he could not sit flat on the floor, for the ceremony. It was not that he didn’t want to, but his knees were not cooperating. The girl’s father, an orthodox old man like me, didn’t want to sit on … Read more
When is your next visit to your mom’s house, Ammalu?” “Whenever you are at home for about 2/3 hrs. so that I don’t need to lock the house” “In between, I might get an urgent call and leave. Better have a duplicate key always with you” “No need. I have remote sensor in my cell … Read more
” Vrichika mAsam, Hastham- that is on 19th November- your birthday,” reminds my younger brother from Hyderabad. I have two more birthdays- Official, October 15 th, stamped on all my records and December 7th written by Mookkunni astrologer, in his own hand in a pocket note book, where he had mentioned the star and … Read more
A sister of mine, who is now in USA, corrected the position of my monkey cap, before boarding the car in our Boston trip. I reproached her: “remember, I’m not a child, but elder to you by 14 years!”. While doing pradakshinam in the Guruvayoor temple, long ago, she warned me:” anna, your veshti boarders … Read more
Mother was upset when learned about my job transfer to Hyderabad. “No, you are not going” she was assertive,”anywhere in Kerala, yes. Coimbatore or Chennai, where we have relatives, too is acceptable. Not a mile beyond that” Father’s reaction was not immediately known. “Get my chellapetty,” he asked mother to get his betel leaf casket, … Read more
“Why did you buy a new waist belt, Ammalu? I have three already” “Not for you. It is Ammini’s birthday gift” “Gone out of your senses? Funny woman!” “She is wearing her sari below her naval and her explanation is her waist becomes thinner by day and sari doesn’t stay. The belt should help” —————————- … Read more
My father left for Palakkad leaving me with our relative Doctor Vaidynatha Iyer who arranged my accommodation in Korangnathu pishAram, in the Vadakkan angAdi Road. PishAram is the house of pishArodi, or Sharodi in short, an ambalavAsi, traditionally a supporting staff for the temple activities. They used to serve temples and temples used to take … Read more