As we bade farewell to members of our family after a week-long stay in JP Nagar for Srimad Bhagavatam, we said: ”Ok, bye. Next time we will have a get-together at my place - at least for four or five days.”
“Certainly. But, not just for 4 days, may be for 10 or 12 days,” reassured in unison both my younger sisters, in their 70’s. “ “You must be kidding,” I said. “No, we are serious. It is for cataract and retina treatments.”
“My piece, “A Tale of Two Cataracts,” had worked wonders, and they want my help with Narayana Netralaya where I had my surgery,” I guessed. No, far from it. Both sisters, and all their families, are ardent devotees of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar ji, and they planned to get it done from his Ashram. My place is the closest to the Ashram. Thus began a two-week family reunion, all over again, so soon after the seven-day stint.
Determined on their mission, both sisters did a terrific spade work. They knew that it was an uphill task to convince their hubbies and children for charting into an unknown territory - Ayurveda for eyes. Their own husbands and brothers have chosen the beaten track - surgery.
Hence they collected in advance sufficient case histories of happy patients at Ashram’s treatment. “In one Kalpathy Mami’s case,” they argued, “she had a successful treatment months back. She has now brought all the way from Hyderabad her husband, with insulin as his parallel partner, for treatment. He was totally blind on left eye, but now after treatment he can read the first three lines of the Eye Chart.” A series of telephone calls to USA and UK back and forth ensued before both managed a go-ahead from all quarters.
At their request I accompanied them to the consultation room. After examining, the Ayurveda doctor confirmed a 12-day combo treatment of medication and eye exercises. In passing he apprised them of the possible adverse consequences after a couple of years should they choose modern surgery. “I wish I had waited outside,” I felt, as this observation will now haunt me for months and years. Anyway.
On the positive side, I could have with me both brothers in law, in their 80s, for full two weeks. In the days of yore, one of them was my role model for dress-sense, his command over English, his diction (a bit of artificiality notwithstanding), and the way he carried himself. As for the other, he is a Delhi-ite, like me. Hence soon after the engagement with my sister, we have been moving around together to movies, restaurants and what have you. “Rather than with your sister?” you might ask.
They adjudged the grand seniors’ evening walks at Joggers Park as the salient feature of the stay, not to speak of the endearing qualities of SFV’s senior community with whom, they felt, it was a privilege to come in contact at these sessions. So much so that when a slight indisposition prevented the elder of the two from joining us for walk one evening, he was ill at ease with himself, walking restlessly to and fro at home, and stepping out to the balcony after every third round, to wave hands from afar to his new friends seated on the park bench engrossed in discussions on the day’s cricket, Ram Mandir, the MP’s fiasco in the airplane, 83 contesting for 1 seat at RK Nagar by poll caused by Jayalalitha’s death…
The farewell session at the park was marked by my brothers in law inviting their new-found friends to their residences JP Nagar and Bannerghatta Road, and the SFV seniors reassuring them, “Yes we would join Sundaram uncle on his next visit to your places.” Now the onus is on me. “We would no doubt miss the fresh, gentle breeze of the forest,” said one to which the other replied, “But you have the Ayyappa temple at 50 meters from your apartment, and I have a full-fledged market as I step out,” said the other, good at counting one’s blessings.
Amidst this multiplicity of activities there was yet another that was cooking but rather quietly. Yes, the lady of the house on her part, left no stone unturned to treat everyone with her different pan-India dishes morning and evening, trying to match her wits with everyone’s requirements: coffee with no sugar for one, double sugar for the other, and steaming coffee, between light and medium, and half spoon sugar for yet another (thank God, he (yes it’s me) didn’t specify 47 grains of sugar)…
As we saw the two families off in the cabs to their respective homes at the end of the session, one sister asked: “So, will the modern or traditional medicine take us back to the doctor again, after a year?” “Let us hope neither,” I said, as an incurable optimist.
V V Sundaram
Maple 3195
29 March 2017
1 comment:
Entertaining and well written as always mamaji!!
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