A Photo Essay - WordPress.com€¦ · After Achan’s departure, Amma continued alone – on a...
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A Photo Essay
A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER
A TRIBUTE TO MY MOTHER
My mother ( Kandanat Saradakutty Amma ) passed away on 19th November 2010 at the age of 87.
Born in Kurumassery, she lived in Allahabad, Trivandrum, Ernakulam, Kottayam and her final 42
years in Vengoor, near Angmally.
My father ( Chandrathil Govindan Nair – alias Yogacharya Govindan Nair ) was a journalist and
author, with whom she lived 58 years and raised us four children.
At the time that she passed away, she had four children, five grand children and five great grand
children.
Amma was highly disciplined and virtuous in her personal life and taught us to be so with fervor. She
spoke her mind fearlessly. She nurtured and maintained life long relationships with many in Kandanat
Family – especially with those from her Kurumassery days during 1940s. During my yearly sojourns
with Amma, she wanted me to take her to those who were still living, which I did happily.
It is only rarely that we get to overview the entire life span of a person and appreciate the value
(or seeming futility) of human life, with its unfailing significance.
Welcome to this photo essay, which I dedicate to the noble memories of my dear mother..
Nandakumar, Dubai – 31 December 2010
This photo
was taken
soon after
their marriage.
My father’s
mother and
my mother’s
father were
siblings. My
father was a
journalist and
worked for
Reuters ,
which became
PTI in the
later years.
One of our earliest family photos – I am sitting on my father’s lap. My younger brother was not yet born.
This must
have been
in 1960.
My brother
was born.
My mother with her sister ( Vallimma ) on extreme left and sister in law ( Ammayi ) to her right. I
remember this photo session.
Same photo
session, with
more
members,
including my
father and
vallichan. It
is one of the
rare photos
of my
Vallichan.
Vallichan
was the
younger
brother of
Kuttipuzha
Krishna
Pillai.
Also seen are
my sister,
brother and
cousin
This is my father’s retirement photo, taken with his successor and his family – Kottyam 1964.
This must be
somewhere in
early 1970s,
taken in
Hyderabad,
where my sister
was living at
that time.
On a family picnic to
Bolghatty Island, near
Ernakulam
On the day of my marriage , before leaving to Guruvayoor
Soon after my
marriage, just
before returning
to Bahrain at the
end of a holiday
Achan and
Amma had long
and enduring
companionship.
I have never
seen them
fighting over
any issue . I
have seen them
discussing
differing view
points , trying to
evolve a
consensus that
eventually, but
invariably,
emerges.
This is the ‘parnasala’ that Achan built
with his own hands, with in the
precincts of our compound in
Vengoor. This is where he wrote
many of his books. This is where he
received most of his visitors, most of
the times.
Amma often joined the discussions
that Achan conducted with his
disciples and visitors.
Amma followed the footprints of
Achan, morelike Kasturba following
Gandhiji’s.
This is where Achan was cremated \
later and Amma too.
Another photo
session – now
grand children
and great
grand children
too…
Amma in a wedding gathering , sitting with a long-time friend. Occasion to meet family and friends
On a visit to Trichur, with the parents-in-law of a grand child.
Posing for a photo with some of Achan’s Yoga disciples
This was the last
photo of Achan
and Amma
together – August
2001
Achan departs 3 weeks later – this was the last family photo with Achan and Amma
Achan took leave of this world on 7th Sept 2001, lying on his own bed at home.
After Achan’s departure, Amma continued alone – on a visit to Chennai with Chechi to visit my brother.
On the hospital bed, after knee replacement surgery – both knees were replaced on the same day
On a visit to Bahrain in 2004 – Dinner with family and relatives
This was Amma’s favourite
seat , where she sat most of
her free time. either watching
TV or conversing with visitors.
Kochechi took
early retirement
from Amrita
Vidyalaya,
where she was
the principal,
and gave
company to
Amma with full
devotion,
during the time
Amma was bed
ridden.
Concluding Rituals on the 12th day of demise
Amma had lost her memory in the last couple of years. Thanks to her disciplined
life , yogic life style and an agile mind, she did not suffer from any ailments; she
succumbed to the natural aging process; she departed peacefully in full attendance
of all her children and lying in her own bed, where she had slept every night for
four decades.
19th November 2010, 0715 PM - The end was peaceful.
We do not recognize the passage of time, as it occurs. We feel time is slow and
sluggish. We appreciate time only when viewed from outside of time itself, in a
rewind and fast-forward mode, as I attempt to do in this photo essay.
Every moment of our life is hugely important, because, in a wink, that moment is
gone irreversibly forever from our lives.
Have a great day today and every day!