June 20, 2010
This time, again, in blogland after a hiatus!
I dont know what happened to me - seems there is some Bloggers' Irregularity Syndrome haunting me for sometime (beginning this year??)!! Honestly, there are many thoughts penned down as semi-blogs/semi-posts in draft mode, but am not getting sufficient courage to finish and post them. May God help!
Today, June 20th is referred to as Father's Day (in my honest opinion, every other day should be Father's day or Mother's day or Beloved's day - and we must remember our parents not only on a particular day as specified in modern day calendars, but always!).
These penned thoughts of mine, written on this auspicious day - is dedicated to my Daddy and Achan (Malayalam word, meaning father).
Daddy and Achan? Please don't frown!
To move forward together, please let me reproduce a few lines from my introduction blogpost ("About me...knowing my immediate family..." October 2009).
QUOTE
Born on an April 6th (year undisclosed for the time being!!) to Capt. K. Prabhakaran Nair (Retd.) (hereafter referred as "Daddy") and Late Sarada Amma (hereafter referred as "Mummy"), I was brought up with due care, love, affection by Daddy, Achan, Amma (please refer the definitions above) and my siblings from both these family branches. In short, I was "Handled with Care" as I must have had a cover on me with a "Fragile" marking. Thanks to the Almighty for gifting me such a nice and happy family.
By the time I stopped my post-birth crying and started to open my little eyes (getting developed!) to see this beautiful world, Mummy had left to the other unknown world! I was told much-much later that she had brain tumour and I was operated prematurely and brought to this world by medical science, knowing the destiny of the life that carried me for nearly eight months! Thus, Daddy was left with four children, the eldest daughter aged 15 then! Being a father of two children now I, much painfully realize the mindframe my Daddy would have experienced and been in, during those tensed days. Daddy, as I write this blog at a place geographically far away, I bow down at your feet to offer my Pranams, hugs, kisses and respects !
Those days, Daddy was serving as an Asst. Commandant in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) outside Kerala and hence due to his travel and other schedules, it was difficult or next to impossible to look after a premature-born-infant on his own !
Within a few hours, and without any kind of hesitation, Valliamma (mother's elder sister - but I address her as Amma, meaning mother) and her loving husband, Achan took the vital decision to take up the utmost responsibility of looking after this prematured, ugly-looking, toad-like object (as my siblings now tease me!) as a Guardian. I honour and respect Achan and Amma till my last breath for their selfless commitment towards my well being and sustained happiness. The fact is that I was brought up by Achan and Amma with a spoon of additional affection, more than what they had been providing to their own five children. Looking back, that was a great decision and a great step, considering the risk of bringing up a child not born to them biologically! Till the age of 12, I was not aware of these thrilling stories and that Achan & Amma were not my own biological parents!
Thinking aloud, today, in the present scenario, global conditions, nuclear family atmosphere and recession all around, would me or you plunge into this kind of an action? I have my own doubts !
UNQUOTE
Till this day, and forever, Daddy and Achan have been my mentors and role models and are equal to me in all aspects and respects. The love and affection they show to me is something immeasurable!
Daddy is living for his children. He knowingly avoided a tragedy of having a "step mother" for his children and hence dedicated his life for his children ONLY. Daddy, I have no words to explain your magnitude. Thank you very much for being such a wonderful father! I am sad because, I can never be a father having good qualities of yours, to my children.
Daddy is, for me, in simple terms :
- A very positive, practical & pleasing GENTLEMAN
- A loving father, father-in-law, grandfather, friend, brother, uncle, husband & neighbour
- A social and a helpful personality
- A compassionate, selfless friend for fellow citizens
- A punctual, disciplined soldier
- Never say NO human being
- Always there for you even before you seek his help.
- Always there to receive you at Airport/Railway Station when you come back home.
- A God-loving, pious devotee
- A responsible and a systematic officer
- A person who loved, nurtured and cared relationships
- A UNIQUE & CARING human being who TAUGHT me and my siblings how to live and let others live (unfortunately, I have not passed all his tests and am still learning).
Achan ("technically", my Valliachan, meaning mother's sister's husband) is another systematic, organized and a caring human being, As I mentioned earlier, Achan is one of my role models. He showed extra affection to me and always ensured that I am given an (undue) mileage and support whenever we were together.
Achan taught about the necessity of one having regular exercises (he never broke his habit of evening walk till date). During my childhood days, he used to call me for giving him a company for his evening walk. Considering my in-borne laziness, whenever I refused to accompany him, he offered me (and bribed me by buying them for me too) snacks, typical Kerala lemon soda, robusta banana and other eatables that I liked the most, enroute. Achan, I am missing those old days - when we both were relatively younger!
Achan, introduced me to the epics, history, Indian Independence, other bedtime stories, well known personalities and also to the lives of inspiring people who lived around us. I am surprised, as to how he remembered numerous stories, characters and also his own past experiences! He never failed to replenish his stock of stories for narrating them to me during bedtime.
The above picture was taken last year, when I went home on vacation. Roles changed, but Achan found time to narrate another novel bedtime story to my son on his own style. I could not avoid lying down with them beside - and true, I had a wonderful walk through those memory lanes. I could see the enjoyment my son had while hearing those narrations - the same feeling which I had many many years back, in the same room, on the same bed !
THANK YOU, DADDY !
THANK YOU, ACHAN !
Our newer generation must learn a lot from these loving, affectionate and caring human beings who had their majority of their life with much lesser luxuries and fortunes (when compared to what we "exploit" today).
If I have succeeded in my life (its a relative expression), its just because of your love, affection, care and the lessons you have been teaching me.
I am getting sentimental, hence cannot do a proof reading before I post this - so please ignore the typos/mistakes, if any!
Happy Father's Day 2010!
Renjith P Sarada
(C) Renjith P Sarada 2010. All rights reserved.
