… In the blink of an eye. It’s so difficult for me to imagine that Amma is 80, not for anything else, but the fact that I always think of her as a child. It’s probably wrong on my part, but am so used to taking care of her right from when I was a kid, that I don’t see it any other way.
Her ishta devta is Hanuman, so we decided to celebrate at the Ashtamsa Varada Anjaneyar temple at Peelamedu, Coimbatore. The other reason to celebrate at this particular temple is that the two Bhattars (pandit), Narayanan and Murali are Amma’s school friend’s sons. Seshi Mami and Amma’s house were next to each other in Tirunelveli and even I remember passing food items through the common well as a child :).
For Amma’s 75th we had been to Tirunelveli and Seenu Mama had come over as well. What a trip down memory lane that was. Down Memory Lane – Amma’s 75th @ Tirunelveli. It’s also very difficult to imagine Mama is no more… he and Amma were very close. Actually Mama was the glue that held the Thiruvadi Iyengar family together. He would visit everyone, speak to everyone, keep posting on the family WhatsApp group and generally keep up with the happenings in everyone’s life.
On Feb 27th, Amma and I wore our new sarees and we all trooped into the temple by about 9.30 am. Before Narayana Bhattar came by and started the Archanai (Pooja), Rukku Mami and her friend Chitra, Rohini, Athimber, Athimber’s elder sister, Saravanan and his wife, all had reached the temple. Latha came by within 10 minutes. We hadn’t told Amma that Latha was coming from Chennai just to be part of her birthday celebration and she was thrilled to see her.
Am sure that day, Seenu Mama came in spirit with his daughter Latha…. it just felt that way.
After the Archanai, we all had an amazing “treat” at the temple and lots of food to bring back home as well. The “sheerannam”, also known as Kesari or “Sooji Halwa” that is made at this particular temple is simply divine.
A pictorial journey of Amma’s 80th birthday –
Rukku Mami’s elder sister is married to my Mama (Amma’s elder brother), so she is family too.
We missed taking a picture with Saravanan, his wife and Rukku Mami’s friend Chitra. They were sitting on the other side and in fact Chitra Mami took the beautiful pic posted below.
We got back home and had a long happy conversation between us sisters – Rohini, Latha and I. Krishnan and Amma added some comments but I guess we three just kept discussing amongst ourselves :):). The thought of a cousins’ reunion was floated and hopefully we will get to it sometime this year.
The ice creams from Polar Bear completed the celebrations. Latha had to return to Chennai by the evening flight, so we dispersed quickly.
Here is a collage of Amma from when she was a young girl, to getting married and then with me …. What an awesome journey she has had, coming from a town in Bharat’s southern tip to moving all around the country and visiting a few foreign countries as well despite not being keen to travel :).
For me Amma was the only person who supported me unconditionally and without any expectations till I met Krishnan and then it has been the two of them. That kind of support is priceless !!
Thank you Amma for being there always, and for passing on the awesome genes 🙂 Love you to the moon and back. Wishing you many many happy returns of the day. I just wish Appa and Seenu Mama were around to enjoy these celebrations in person, but such is life and their presence was felt throughout.