Paati(grandma)... It's been 3 years since she left us. I am trying to start on this my mind is jumping from one memory to another constantly... Let me start like this... I had 2 grandmas but she was the one whom I cared mostly. There is a reason behind it because we were 6 grandkids, but she had a special place for me because I was the one who stayed longer than all of them. During covid I was mostly in my grandma's house that was the time I gained more weight. During that time I would eat like 5 times only food. She took complete care of me and made sure I eat only healthy food. Whenever my thatha/parents scold me she would come into defense for me. But she won't scold me she would just tell me don't do it and I just stop that. Even if she scolds me its just because of me fighing with my sister and she obviously supports her because she is the first granddaughter for her. But for sometime my sister kept on going to store to buy snacks. She told not to go and she didn't listen. At one time when my uncle came she just told to him and I was standing behind my grandma and my uncle got angry and slapped my sister on her cheeks. I was like laughing inside of me. After that time for some days my sister didn't speak to my grandma and somehow my paati made her speak by giving more attention to her. Since my father was strict and during my holidays in my native I should not leave the house at all but in my paati house I will just inform her and just go with my friends to play. During the afternoons I would play dice with her. Whenever my dad ask me to come my paati would defend me and made me to stay 2-3 days more. The one thing about her is whatever the day may it be she would always offer milk to god and sing some devotional songs. If I lookback in time she had gone to very little places in her life like kasi, palani and thirupathi that too long back. She hasn't gone more than 30 kms for a very long time, she just stayed in home most of the time. Whenever me and my mom stay there we usually go out to lock the gate and she usually would stand near the gate to spend some time watching the people in the road. She would be the one who unlocks the door as well like 5:45 - 6AM everyday. I had selfies with her and whenver at night I ask for dosa, my mom at times will not do that but she would do that. At times we just have chit chats after dinner till 10,11pm and she just answers to all my questions at young age the questions would just be silly and she would answer that. When I was alone with her she would say stories to make me sleep at young age. After I started going to office whenever I come I would first go to see my paati and only then I will go to native. Since I will arrive at morning she would always make my favourite arisimparupu(arisi parupu sadham). Even though my mother will also make it but her style(kaipakkuvam) will always be unique. When she was bedridden I would always go and visit her every weekend and during her last stage she was asking me why I was coming today you didn't have work, I could see that she had lost the track of time and she forgot some of our relatives and it was painful to watch someone who raised you and looked after you like that going through all of that. But that's life isn't it you would be close with some one, we would be like we still have time but within 6months time you would go through all this, cherish when you have it...
