I recollect amma (my mother) describe Indira Nagar, Bangalore. I heard her tell about the tiny rented living space my paternal uncle had in Indira Nagar. Felt my paternal grand mother touch me while we were in Bangalore. Though achamma (acha=father; amma=mother i.e achamma= paternal grandmother), was in her late fifties, she could run the entire home on her own........achamma had a loud voice and took pride in pointing out the achievement her children had made or were making...at times, it was repetitive but then, that's how achamma liked to talk. My paternal uncle, Uncle Maddy (name modernised, as it gets a bit lengthier, if I were to key in the traditional addressing) was a budding mechanical engineer doing his evening class while working in another firm. We stayed with him so that achamma could care for amma and me, at the same time be with Uncle Maddy. My achan, was in a nationalised bank in our native place, Ottapalam, a serene, nature-rich, abound with influential residents in administrative, judiciary areas in Delhi yet getting drawn into the Gulf boom. Achan was never inspired by any kind of boom...he led a content life in the village with his friends, amma and me..though I knew, deep in her heart amma aspired to move out to a city to bring me up and eventually she would and we did..not to Bangalore though. Coming back to our stay in Bangalore...Uncle Maddy had a tangy sense of humor and amma would be the target. I knew amma did not like a particular Hindi film actor who had a super hero status...Uncle would ensure he gets the centre spread of Stardust of the actor and place it at strategic points, which would get immediate attention of amma. What happened to the centre spread in amma's hand brought the pulp out of the paper! At the same time, Uncle Maddy would narrate the stories of all movies he would watch to us, with perfect flow and pretty animated. He would get up from his chair, straighten his trousers and declare it is interval time in the movie and so it is in his narration,which amused all of us. We would have our dinner and get back to the story as he settles down to his story telling. Once, i recollect him having got us a plum cake. Achamma was inquisitive of what the names of cake,cookies or dishes are. Aloud from the kitchen, she called out to Uncle Maddy and asked him what is the cake called. Stumped for a nano second on what to answer back, quick-witted he is, he named the cake after a box-office smash hit - Dewaar and replied back with confidence - Dewaar cake!
Ocuh.....it is getting cold out there as it is winter. I am feeling pretty warm with all the happiness around me except when amma is hurt. I adjust to make her life less hassled and keep quiet,so that she does not have to tend to me. Achamma makes sure I get proper food and thus lessening amma's burden,yet I was so used to amma feeding me, I would wait till she had her food and eat with her. Am not sure if she looked forward to the feeding time, but then given my age, we both did not have a choice. Amma was very young, while we were in Bangalore...she was just 18 years old. She was slim, round face with almond shaped eyes and a very charming smile. She had silk-soft black hair but was not thick to be described so and of medium length. Amma was loved by all at achan's place. Coming to Bangalore was like a breath of fresh air for amma, as she was getting bored of our ancestral village and because of my age, I tagged along.
Amma knew it was coming. She washed her sari, packed a small bag with nightdress and other personal belongings and was ready at the door for the walk down Indira Nagar. My maternal grandmother's sister had joined us for a week as she missed my mother a lot. After my maternal grandmother's un-natural demise 18 months before amma was staying with her till she got married to achan. Ammamma, as I very fondly call her had taken care of amma, her elder sister and her own three sons since their childhood as we were in a joint family and my own maternal grandparents were in Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai as my maternal grandfather was working in CTI, a central government outfit.
So ammamma, amma, achamma and of course, I...we started to walk. Due to my age, amma was carrying me, achama took the small bag and ammamma closed all doors and windows. Uncle Maddy was already there. Achan was sent a telegram to start soon. We were all anxious as to how will amma take the coming days or to say how will take it all!
And it happened as it had been happening centuries on.... it was 12:17 am, August 21, 1976. Bangalore was going through a normal winter morning. Chinmaya mission hospital was very new with one block fully functional. The rest of the hospital was being build. Amma was sleeping well, after long hours of pain. I heard her breathe and saw she was in a bed near to mine.
Oh! I was not in a bed. but felt warm...not as warm as I felt when with Amma. I heard the door open, by then, it was daybreak and the doctor walked over to me, looked around...thew open the window and said " Let the baby get lots of fresh air".
I was born in winter.
