Made for Each Other

Some memories of my beloved grandma

“It's been more than 50 years... and I can still smell the fresh aroma. The boathouse had never been used. The curtains had never been opened up. We were lucky to get a stay at the all new circuit house. Kashmir was called a Heaven on Earth…and it really is..

On one beautiful day, your Dada & I decided to try horse riding...The horses started walking...and then running…when somehow I lost balance on one icy street...”

..and we’d get lost in her beautiful memories. Memories of a lifetime, saved by the wife of a magistrate who gathered these pearls through their countless transfers all across the country every other year...

“...and that’s how I earned two fractures on the valleys of Kashmir.”

“What about the horse?”

“The horse? Ha..ha...you’re worried about the horse? Don’t worry…nothing happened, it was stronger than your grandma…ha ha ha”. And she bursts into laughter.

Her laughter…ohh…such an innocent laughter. At the age of 80, she laughed like a small girl…no worries…no qualms…only pure joy. My heart used to melt everytime seeing her laughter…and those childlike eyes.

“It’s great that you’ve traveled all upto Kashmir!”

“Upto Kashmir? I’ve been to Coachin, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, and what not! Name a city of this country, I haven’t been to, and I bet you’d have to end up inventing one!” She said with pure joy in her eyes!

“That’s...uhem...that's...lovely…ahh...cough” I said, with some cough.

“Throat infection again?”

“I don't know, maybe.”

“Did you again fast-gulped spicy & hot oily food, while coming here yesterday?”

“Yes, Baa.” She gained all of my attention. “How do you know?”. 

“You need some milk & honey.”

“It’s fine Baa. We’ll see the doctor if I get fever…”

“Try this, and you won’t need a doctor.”

And it worked. Every single time, her remedies worked! Even today, any doctor prescribes me azithromycin tables, anti-biotics for my strep throat, she could easily tell me the root-cause alongwith a remedy until the immune system takes over control again. Not to mention, I can read about antibacterial effects of honey easily online today, but she knew before even google was born.

“Where did you learn these all from?”

“Ohh, I learned it from one of the most meritorious doctor of India”, she was referring to her daughter & my late aunt, “who was also certified for practicing in the United States of America!” She said with great pride in her eyes! “You won't find many people of such high merit these days.” 

Grandma had great learning abilities, and she had exercised these abilities in wide topics ranging from medical science to tailoring her own cloths! She was just amazing! She had lots and lots of memories…all beautiful ones about the places she’d been with grandpa. Ohh, they truly loved each other and were meant for each other…till death do them part..

..but then death too, failed to separate them!

Rarely such an incident, or coincidence, takes place. It’s just been a month since grandfather passed away, and grandmother followed him. Medically, she didn’t exhibit any serious health issues, but since last month, she had significantly reduced her interaction with everyone. After a small talk, she’d close her eyes and goto sleep. It appears that she loved grandpa so much that she couldn’t express the feelings by words, and would just see his memories with closed eyes.

And after about a month of Dada's demise, this Monday, she too closed her eyes forever. Now all that is remaining with me is a pool of beautiful memories of Baa's laughter and wisdom of Dada's lifetime.

Rest in Peace dear Dada & Baa. You were truly made for each other.