A Life Lived Full Circle

A student who wanted to be a teacher, was soon married off when she was in the 9th standard. Her dreams shattered and unfulfilled. 

Soon after she gave birth to 4 children,  moved from being the youngest of 9 children, to being a responsible DIL , but she was a child. The child within her had never grown up. 

When the youngest son was still a kid, her husband died due to heart attack, when he was returning after his monthly Guruvayur dharashan. 

 By the grace of her extended family , she started raising her children. She ensured that her daughter became the first person to graduate from her extended family, and got her married only after she had a job of her own. Necessity or determination, who can clarify now?

Then her elder son got married and had a son and daughter of his - unfortunately when they were little, he passed away. His wife continued to stay with them, and she raised them like her own. 

Gradually her other two sons also got married - she had her share of illness and also her child like innocence was intact throughout. Her house was an inn for all her relatives. 

With lack of space at home, one son had to move out. Both daughter in law's wanted to. With people visiting and extended family, it was not easy for an outside modern day girl to adjust. 

There were rotations, especially when the younger who was with her, went to London for a brief period of time. The other son and daughter in law moved back with her. 

But when he returned, again the debate who will stay where. There was the family partition, grandchildren started getting married. 

Where it be the royal family from UK, Ambani's or common man, the story of every household is the same. When there are two sons - who will take care of parents/mother? Should it ever be a question? 

She had gangerine - her leg was cut off, she would recite the newspaper heading when Mahatma Gandhi was killed - 'Bharathathinde bhagyadeepam polichu - konathu Nathuram Godse. '

Also about Rabindranath Tagore and Shanthinikethan. She loved songs, cricket, food, travel. Her husband having had a business in Bombay - Colaba then, and  daughter being married off to mumbai, she had made countless visits. 

Unfortunately Corona took her daughter, nobody can say for sure if she was aware of it or not. She too presumably had corona attack. But before that her fingers were cut off due to Gangrene attack.   

After a years stay in one sons house, he and his children took her to another sons house. He was adament that she would die in his home and will not go from there. So did it happen. Over the years, she had stayed with three daughter in laws. 

Elder unwell, astamatic and having lost her husband early and with her son and daughter married and out of state most of the time, had to take care of her grandchildren. 

The other two had their children and family to treed to and when it came to MIL it was Tu Tu Main Main. Will anyone do that to their own mothers? One sending to the other persons home, the other going to visit her daughter out of country, and she having to come and stay here and MIL having the last drop of water from her at the age of 93. Who is right, who is wrong - Every story has four sides - Your story, my story, what is seen to the outside world, and the truth. 

Wishing and praying for peace and truth to prevail. 

She had become just like a child, toothless, curled, with a smile, unaware of the time and events happening around, doing potti in diaper, eating when given, no questions asked. Bedridded for years. 

As her funeral rituals are over, here comes a shining star in the sky. 

With her is her daughter's MIL a self made women. Similar yet different.