Our sojourn at Hazard KY....a fortnight preceding to Ram's marriage at Michigan ...
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Being on visit to USA since July 2016 it was decided to go to Hazard KY some days in advance in joining the Narayanan's family and being of some help in the days preceding the marriage on 4 th Sept at Michigan...
My eldest sister Parvathi was married when I was 6 years old and remember being in our large family at Trichur during her marriage . There were no occasions for us to be within four walls of a house and live as brother and sister .Ofcourse I had occasions to be in Bangalore where she was since 1963 for a few yeras But during my present visit to Hazard ,she was also there.It was pleasant. I could spend a few days with her in Hazard and during the marriage of Ram at Michigan ...
She is very firm ,blunt,frank and very transparent in her views. Being eldest in family whatever opinion she expressed used to be accepted as correct.She was particular in food being a pure vegetarian would not like any dish containing onion or garlic It was very meticulous of her to see her wash and clean the utensils used for drinking coffee,etc Being a teetotaler she had an anathema towards use of any word denoting any form of alcohol.No less particular she was about the dress code and didn't much like the garments,costumes,style,etc of modern generation.
She had a good command over English language,.and other subjects like cricket world history ,Geography, epics,temples,,etc ..Much knowledge she possessed about cinema stars,movies,etc and liked
Kannada,Malayalam,Tamil but not Hindi.She used to call herself an experienced critic in many matters.
Now and then she used to speak high of Bangalore and her children, grandchildren,etc.No doubt she enquired about all others in the family now and then.
She had a smartphone brought from India ...I had opportunity to guide her in charging it regularly,keeping the phone within her reach ,using WhatsApp,Facebook,etc although she was not fully conversant with the computer system etc. In the morning when I get up for coffee I used to see her sitting in front of Apple desktop computer ,reading news,etc and I just showed her how to contact friends,send message,etc in Facebook....
She used to express her pang of separation from children,grandchildren etc in Bangalore and was desirous of returning to India soon.Ofcourse having come to USA from India she had not seen many places in USA Initially during her journey to Nashville there was flight delay at New York and had to stay there with her nephew Karthik who had accompanied her from Bangalore and she used to narrate all difficulties she faced at New York etc
While at Hazard she had chance to go to Louisville and watch Tamil movie Kabali with Narayanan and probably didn't relish it and came out of the theatre in the middle.She used to recollect and state her opinion.
We used to spend time discussing politics,seeing movies in TV,she used to watch all Tamil serials...many and enjoy the characters,criticise them etc and spend time
She had occasion to meet Doctors at Hazard...Dr Yalamachi Dr Roy Varghese,Dr Lilli,Dr Kantha abd others and probably visited some of them at their residences .Also went to ARH Cancer Center Hazard KY.l Pitza Hut,etc and Hazard Pavilion..
She would avoid going near the dog at home but would be happy to pose for any camera clicks etc.
Now and then she would criticise the food,surroundings,etc
It was a most memorable time I spent at Hazard in the presence of sister Parvathi and manni.
Children used to be fond of Parvathi athai and Periyamma or manni and enquire about them always.
Ofcourse she used to remember the difficult times she had and the recent demise of her daughter Susi but would feel satisfied and contended having served 26 years in Canara Bank and had brought the children up well educated and settled in life. She used to telephone and inform her children daily with uptodate news at her place
I had privilege of being with her during marriage journey from Hazard and the wedding of Ram and Gunjan at Michigan..which she remembers as one of her memorable occasions.
I realise I would have been more disciplined and well behaved had I lived for a longer period as her brother in the family
Today,She telephoned to me expressing her depression on account of our separation from her
This is written in a hurry so that she may read it and others may know what is the essence of relationship and attachment between a sister and a brother...
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