On my 47th Wedding Anniversary,I am so proud to have been u by a wonderful Life Partner by God all along my journey in this Life!Many unforgettable moments flash by and a few for posterity’s sake..some worth a theme for Sujatha’s Novels!
Me&and Sarasa@Robben Island
Just after my wedding I lost my beloved father and Sarasa was doing her M.Sc at Jipmer and I took care of my mother and two unmarried sisters in an apartment in Mulund Opposite to Johnson &Johnson.She visited me for the first time, Bombay on a Holiday with her mother and those days only correspondence was by letters or Telegrams.I presumed they would get down at Dadar but when the Train arrived as usual, very late in the Night, I searched and searched Dadar thoroughly and didn’t see Sarasa and her Mother!I was very much worried and rushed to VT by 3 AM.Since the train had arrived hours back the Platform was deserted and I saw them sitting in the Platform at 3AM..Luckily,Sarasa ,didnt trust anyone ,waited & waited and didn’t get into any Taxis !!When we arrived at4 AM to my apartment @Mulund,Sarasa was taken by surprise when my mother had made special Payasam for her and was waiting eagerly for her arrival without even eating..
That was the day in 74 a life long relationship of so much Love and affection between my Mom and Sarasa developed till my mother died in her hands in our Adyar House in 99!Sarasa loved my mother more than anyone else all thro’ her Life!
She is solely reponsible for getting both my unmarried sisters to get married and keeping a nice relationship with their In Laws too.
At Lantau Islands
When my last sister wanted to marry someone from another caste,Sarasa analysed all aspects well and said there was no other way but to accept their decision,& we were the only Two from our Family to attend her Wedding in a Revolutionary Marriage of just 6 Guys near Madurai…Later on when the same sister was in a Big problem Sarasa was the one who suggested to me that we should buy a small apartment for her in T Nagar which became a Life Saver for my sister and her two children… Opposite to TNagar Bus stand and just walking distance to Alpha School,where they got educated!
When this sister ,who was an out caste in our own family,at that time, was to deliver her first baby,my wife was the one who took care of her in Pollachi,where her son was born.Real affection!
Life is not just Reading Soundarya Lahiri every day..we must Translate every Scriptural Sentences into Practice!
Me&Sarasa in front of Mandelas house
Our Sastra stipulates Aparigraha as one of the Yamas.Don’t keep anything for yourself and give everything for others living a simple life!Sarasa believes in this Philosophy never bothered about herself!The next episode ia a Thriller!
In those days when we had some extra cash we wanted buy a Land in ECR!
After thorough analysis I was to buy a piece of Land in Neelangarai and I suggested to my next Sister(Those were the days when we had whats called ‘affection for each other’!)and when both of us were about to register,the Muslim Real estate Promoter requested me, to buy one more plot too!I told him “OK provided you get me the Patta within a few months..”On that promise I paid for that extra land in my another sister’s name in Bombay who has not even seen this plot..all because of my wife who said “Let us buy this for that sister..!”
Within a few months the Muslim Real estate owner came to my house and handed over the Pattas for all the 3 Plots(Mine/my two sisters out of which one was paid by me in 1989!)Later on I came to know from many who invested in that area ‘How Patta was never given to most of them and they all lost their investments completely..!From this angle if we analyse what I have done in 89 ,was a golden investment indeed for all of us! Our idea was to build 3 nice Bungalows and live a happy retired life with my Sisters!
I completely forgot about these plots for years ,as it was only an Investment!
It was 2009…some one by name Ganesan contacted me and said he got my no from my office in Perungudi..He said he is the POA for a big Real estate Man in Middle East and he was interested in my plot in Neelankarai.I asked him to meet me at my Besant Nagar house and he came one morning…My wife was standing next to me when he said :”Sir I have bought the adjacent Two Plots already for my friend Rabeek in Middle East and we are interested in your plot also as together only it will make some meaning for us..!”
I asked with astonishment:“You have already bought the adjacent Plots?”
“Yes Sir..Registered too..See the copies..”
I saw my sisters’ faces in the copies..I cdn’t believe..I asked Sarasa to have a look at them..Ganesan was nervous..He asked “Sir..anything wrong Sir..I asked them about your plot or contacts,they said ‘They don’t have any idea!“
I cdn’t control my tears..Ganesan asked Sarasa “Why..anything wrong Madam!”
Sarasa said “They are his own sisters..Infact for one of the Plots he has Paid..”
Ganesan(he is till living in Madras)..”OMG..Sir how many times I asked them about your plot..they said..they don’t know anything..!”
Ganesan cdn’t believe such things are possible in Life..I took the whole episode with a pinch of salt..Rabeek became my good friend after hearing the whole story…
We become absolute Idiots once its a question of Our Money….If its some one else’ we are all Highly PHilonthrophic!Its Money MOney Money Honey!
Thanks to my wonderful wife we never bothered about all such things in our Life as my mother has cautioned both of us about every one of her Children with these words…:
“All of them will use your Father’s (Rajah Iyer’s)name liberally but none will have the Will Power to Live by his preachings…You are the only one who has taken care of me ,and the last Two unmarried daughters when he passed away and thats why I want to die only in your hands..Thats why I want you,Sarasa to do Varalaxmi Puja to this Idol I have been doing every Year(see Pic)”
Knowing Sarasa quite well,she may not like me writing this Blog but I want the world to know ,one day or other how Selfish even Blood Relations can be for posterity’s sake..!
Apt wordsfrom Mahakavi Bharathi for such people:
“நெஞ்சில் உரமுமின்றி நேர்மைத் திறமு மின்றி,
வஞ்சனை சொல்வா ரடீ! – கிளியே!
வாய்ச் சொல்லில் வீரரடி.”
SRajah Iyer's Blog 