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Vanaja akka – she was akka for everyone. My thoughts go back to those days when myself, Radhu and Uri used to go to Santhome Beach along with periappa and akka. We would walk form Mandaiveli to Santhome via Kutcheri road and back. Walking the distance was never a problem either to us (small ones) or periappa and akka. We would look forward to one little break on way back at Kalathi kadai for the chilled rosemilk we would get. The taste lingers in tongue even now. Akka and my mother (whom she would call chithi) were great friends.
Vanaja akka had a way of predicting future for many people through her dreams (kanavu josyam) my mother told me that once akka had dreamt that my mother fell down the stairs and the very next day it turned out to be true. This was a rare instance of akka's negative dream. She mostly had dreamt of promotions, exam results, birth of children, foreign trips etc.
Once she took me with her to Sarada vidyala school where the teachers were submitting corrected answer papers. She proudly announced to the teachers that I would help them in totaling and sought permission from the then HM. The day ended up very nicely for me with a treat of Special masala dosa and grape juice at the Gita café or someother hotel in T.Nagar.
I remember one instance after my marriage. We were in Arumuganeri near Tuticorin . Vanaja akka and her friend Lllitakumari akka had come to Madurai for a Pooja at Meenakshi Amman temple. As desired by her, I wrote the directions in my letter from Madurai to Arumuganeri. She carried that letter with her and she became restless after the bus left Tuticorin. She was insisting to the conductor that Arumuganeri should come within about 30 miles form Tuticorin. She said, “look conductor my thangai (sister) has written like this .But now the whole area look like Pottal kadu (desolate place)”. The conductor promptly reported “your thangai will write so many things sitting within 4 walls. Actually this area is called pottal kadu and you can very well get down here”. She kept silent afterwards. She narrated this incident to us later. I had a sleepless night listening to her jokes, etc. My niece sudha and I would start laughing even now when we think of these incidents.
She was a noble hearted person with a ever-helping nature. Once when she was with Radha in Ranipet, she was not keeping good health. I visited her with my husband and daughter . She got up from the bed and prepared rasam and subji which was very delicious. There, she had an old lady as her companion and akka always used to share her eatables (whether from priya hotel or homemade) with the patti.
For Uri’s wedding she gave me Vetrilai Pakku with blouse & fruit in a plate. This plate has the following words engraved “BE GOOD”, Akka lived her life with this motto. I keep the plate in my Pooja room for saligramam and I feel I can see akka telling me to be always good.
Usha Raghavachari, paternal cousin
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