Unforgettable memories - this cycle is kept in running condition for 30 years, in her memory
The topic to write on Grandparents is pretty intense, thank you @galenkp for coming up with such a great topic. We had only maternal grand mother and we were very closely associated with her. Unfortunately, we do not have any digital photograph of her,with us, because we did not own any sort of camera that time, I have captured these photographs from some bindings kept at home.
The photograph above is from 1972, where she is sitting with my father, mother and my elder brother(1-2 years old). She was married very early ( could say child marriage, practiced during those times), lost her husband when my mother was yet to come to this world. And her struggle was not easy, belonging to a very conservative brahmin society, from those times. Imagine, they belonged to a brahmin society, where people from no other caste were allowed to enter their village lane, during any ceremony. She gathered courage, migrated to another place and did a job of health worker in government hospital, where she was going every day in cycle covering a distance of 9 km. Raising two kids as a single parent in sixties with these difficulties and giving them proper education and culture is really commendable. You can see my mother and my uncle in the below photograph taken yesterday on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. They still follow the discipline taught to them in childhood in their seventies. And it was the value taught to them, which helped them to upbring us with so much difficulties.
When we were in schools, there was no other forms of entertainment other than outdoor sports. And every year, we used to visit our Grandmother in summer holidays. That time, there was no proper communication. Only one or two buses were running, and then some private Tracker Jeeps were available. They would load double the passenger capacity and only then they will start. The journey was hectic in today's means, but we really enjoyed them that time - the joy of going to the Grandma's house was the most happiest times of the year.
She waits for us every year, and do the year long planning for us. She had quite a few small ponds, and there would be lot of fishes ( small and big), she would make people ready to catch fish ( Fish was the only non-veg items allowed to eat that time) when we visited. She also used to make some fishing rods ready, made out of bamboos for us and taught her how to do fishing. I remember, she would ask someone to gather some earth worms, as the food for those fishes and as soon as we finished her breakfast, she would go with us and spend time to catch some small fishes. After we do fishing for few days, she would call those men to put nets and catch large amount of fish from those ponds.
She had lot of coconut trees ( even today) and the entire time we were there, she would have one men come in the morning every day and get tender coconuts from the trees. Fresh from trees, I really miss them. Today we have coconut trees, but the amount they charge to procure from the tree, is lot more than the price in market. We just leave them, till they mature and fall down 😀.
One thing that I have not tasted since those times is the buried palm fruit cakes. Every year during the summer, she would get a lot of palm fruits and then call someone to dig the ground and put those palm fruits to rest for a year. And then when we visited, those will be digged again and brought out. The taste of the cake that would have formed inside those palm fruits, really hunts me till date. So much that, I have tried few times, to get them from my native place, and not succeeded.
She had lots of guava and ebony (tendu/kendu) trees in her backwards, and we would spend some good times climbing those trees and eating those directly from the tree. It's very difficult to find ebony (tendu/kendu) fruits now even in market. Her home was a descent home that time, with lot of space for us. I remember, couple of rooms were with ceilings made out of bamboos and mud. Though she had electricity / fans, it was barely available for few hours and we would take some hand fans and sleep in those rooms during day time. And they were very cool in the night. Spending a month at her home was always less for us. Sometimes we would demand to stay for some more days and ask her to come with us and leave us. But those days were really enjoying.
She is the one who gifted me a watch when I was about to appear my 10th board exam. I remember, it was a trendy watch, and having a wrist watch was kind of a status icon in that age😀 The cycle you see here, was gifted by her to my younger brother in 1991 in his thread ceremony. Thread ceremony is celebrated very grand in our religion, its more than a marriage. And this was from the top brand that time, parked like a bike in that function. We have kept this fit and running since then in her memory. I ride it sometimes even today.
She was a very disciplined lady and strict for my mother and uncle. I have seen they fear as well as respect her for the values. Interestingly, there were no rules for us. She would only scold some times, if we break something, that would cause damages. But otherwise, she was very friendly to us. She would barely come to our house, as going to daughter's house and staying there is considered unethical, even today. But her memories are with us forever........
Breaking the bond with traditional living to find a better life for her children was very brave in those day, many times shunned.
Learning from your Grandmother sounds like your childhood memories were wonderful spending time experiencing life felt would benefit you throughout life.
Most grandparents tend to spoil the children, we too had to learn to help with chores, certain rules never broken, memories like this is precious, you fortunate to still have something to remember this brave lady by.
Everything sounds so familiar.
My dad used to have one of those cycles when he started his job. My grandpa also had one of those in his youth days.
Now we have a car but when I was a kid, my family used to visit our village in a horse cart.
Even now, there are a few horse carts available to take people to a nearby village. But rarely anyone travels using it.
We too have guvava tree, and a farm filled with mango trees(in summer season).
I don't visit my village that often now, just once or twice a year, but during childhood, I would spend an entire month there.
During day, there was no light. So, we all would play out. No tv. Nobody even knew about mobile phones.
Childhood days were good.
Sounds like everyone's village life was similar. Full of hardwork and happiness🙂
Thanks for reminding me about those days. Only a few fade memories are there, but there are a few🙂
I would say they are still lucky, my grandpa didn't not even have any of those, they survived on farming, in fact during my grandparents days, they all went by foot to any places. Although my dad after 2006 he bought a bike to go to his office.
But my grand parents really struggled a lot during their day's.
I used to hear stories how my grandparents had only one of these lamps, to survive the dark nights.
Your post just reminded me of my grandma suddenly, she died in 2018 unfortunately 😌.
But memories will last forever 😊
Your grandmother sounds like a very special and very strong lady to have achieved what she did despite the restrictions she faced as a young woman!
Grandchildren do seem to get away with much more than their own children but that's what grandparents do!
That palm nut fruit cake sounds sooo interesting.
The bicycle is a beautiful memento of your grandmother!
Lovely entry @sanjeevm !
Nice to tribute to your grandmother. It was also interesting to learn something new about the culture and traditions of your country as usually... Great read, thanks :)
Thanks for your entry mate.
hello dear friend @sanjeevm good morning
I appreciate very much that you shared this emotional post, many things that you have lived with your abula, we have lived, especially related to teaching and respect.
I take this opportunity to wish you a prosperous week
Two pleasant articles in a row. Thank you.
I can tell you love your grandmother as much as I did mine. Very nice entry sir.
Wow, that's so sweet memories. The best part is the cycle is still looks good as new and in running conditions. A great family legacy to pass to your children 👍😊🙏
Incredible memories, love how brave she was to change her life so much <3, sadly there was not palm cake anymore but sure it would be great if you ever do one in her honor instead :D
I love the memory you kept. I like people of memory 🤗
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I remember I read another post about your mother and now this is great sharing about your grandma. My respect for both of them.
Your grandma was a brave woman. The childhood memories with our grandparent were priceless.
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Yours was one of those that made deciding really difficult. Thank you for entering, it's refreshing when the content is authentic.
The bicycle and the coconuts were a a great focal point.
I actually thought of writing not consider me for prizes, but then forgot before publishing😀. Let me know, for the next contest - I will contribute 50 hives
Very kind of you. Consider giving @galenkp a follow if you're not already, he's the blockchain go-to for contests. He's already orchestrating another one. 👍🏿