December 21, 2008

Paati Precious

This post is dedicated to my Paati (grandma)

Ever since we were kids Paati has been a big part of our lives, me and my brother's. More so because Appa was in the Gulf after the Gulf war, and Amma used to spend half the year there, we were left in Paati's and chittipaati's care. And that just got us closer. Indeed I remember the time when Paati had to supervise our 'studying' before the exams. I used to be big on Murugan lending library at that time and had tonnes of books to read even during the exams. I remember crouching in a corner with a storybook folded between the pages of a textbook while pretending to study when checked on by an unsuspecting Paati. And both my brother and I have adopted Paati's unrelenting taste for "bottomless chai", i.e, chai at any time of the day for any reason. She is always the one who makes the chai (Amma also now) on demand and helped us study through the nights those years when we used to pull all-nighters. I got reminded of this last night when I got back from sending off S at the airport. It was 1:30 in the morning and yet at 76, my Paati got up from bed and made us some chai to settle in for the night (unlike others, chai doesn't keep us awake necessarily - it's more like a nice hot drink to end the day). It also reminds me of the countless times that Appa's asked for bhajjis in the middle of the night and she's unflinchingly fulfilled his request based on some thoroughly unfounded funda of "raathri ketta illainu solla koodadhu" (if something's been asked for a night, it shouldn't be refused). Touch wood for her energy! Not just that, my Paati also has surprising knowledge retention. She remembers minute bits of information and through asking and finding out and her own self-cultivated interest in matters, is now a self-proclaimed expert on both French and US visa procedures and GRE and what not! Not to mention Paati's fabulous cooking is one of the main things I miss at any place abroad... Looks like I could go on and on about the many facets. But I guess what I am aiming with this post is to thank her for being her. Of course for those who didn't know, I am named after her. :D

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

paati...pav bhaji and gilab jamun pls...ippovae!

Jaya said...

Anon > Yaar aakum neenga?

Anonymous said...

agil :)

AJ said...

hey just stumbled on ur blog! nice stuff...somehow related completely to the bottomless chai!!! doesn't keep us up..we drink it as often as water...! wot a coincidence...my family is also really fond of onion bhaji and now its cauliflower pakoras!!!

Jaya said...

AJ -> Big coincidence.. You shd visit my blog more often.. maybe you'll find a lot more in common. :)

Anonymous said...

luck patti to have a grand daughter like u she now not onlyhas knowledge about visas and proceedures but also has entered ur blog can be read about by a lots of bloggers

AJ said...

omg ur so right!!! haha...i think its the similar background! check out mine too....we live in Qatar and keep visiting chennai!

Anonymous said...

thanks jaya... you make me remember my ammumma.. the bestest :)

Jaya said...

AJ -> Told you so.. Keep visiting for more similarities ;)

Karmanna -> Welcome back.. Missed yr comments :)

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