There were no words to describe him. He was a wonderful, godly person. Yes, he was my husband’s uncle. He was named radhakrishna by his parents. To his siblings he became radhanna, and to us he was radhanmam. He was a bachelor and stayed all alone in a lodge. Everyone in the family liked him very much because he knew how to talk with the people of different age group. With the children he became a child. I must tell you that he was a walking talking encyclopedia. He was aware of everything about everything under the sun…He showed interest in everything, never said no to anything. I feel there is no such a word to describe him, only I can say that he was a wonderful person.
Once in every year he visited us. Even my husband used to jump with joy and happiness.
I remember very well, many years back one such day, we received a letter from his uncle. My husband had read it loudly. Message was very clear: he was coming to Trichur on 25th, Sunday. He would be starting his journey on 23rd, Friday and then would go straight to Ernakulam, to meet another cousin. So he had asked my husband to meet him at the railway station at 8.30 am in the morning. My husband told me that the time was quite right time for the breakfast, so we will take breakfast to him. I was shocked to hear what he said and I was nervous too. My in-laws had gone to
Everyday I get up from the bed, my first job was pray ‘Oh God, please no guests or visitors today’. But now what I was hearing? I doubted myself, didn’t I pray today? I looked with mercifully at my God Ganeshji’s photo.
‘Jay, where r you?’ my husband shook me with a big jolt.
He was annoyed to see me not responding him. He yelled at me ‘how many times do I’ve to call you?’
‘sorry, sorry’ I said apologetically, ‘ I did not hear you. Please tell me what it is?’
He cooled down when he heard sorry from me.
‘yes, I was telling you to prepare idli and chutney, I will take them to R’mam’.
Suddenly I said ‘no, I don’t know how to prepare it’.
By the time he had disappeared from there.
I was very much worried, I never was tense this much earlier, even in my examination hall.
I had to be fast, the next day was his arriving day. So I ran towards the kitchen and soaked daal and rice. After two hours I started grinding the daal and rice. When it was done I took out the dough in a big vessel. I was surprised to see the dough; the quantity was just 1/4th of the container and was flat. Normally the dough becomes fluffy and reaches near the brim of the vessel. Then I reminded of mother in law’s words ‘getting soft and fluffy idlis hoteliers put soda-bi-carb’. I searched all over the shelves in the kitchen for that precious powder. Lo! I found the small dabba, I was sure it was definitely soda-bi-carb. I opened the lid and put a pinch into the dough and kept it for some time. I knew that the dough will raise near the brim after 2 hours. So I waited patiently for another 2 hours.
After 2 hours I opened the lid of the vessel, No, the dough was adamantly sitting flat in the bottom of the vessel. I thought of adding a little more soda and this time I put generously and stirred vigorously. I went to bed.
Next morning my husband woke me up at 5am. I silently prayed to god before opening my eyes. ‘oh god let everything happen good’.
My first job was to check the idli dough. No changes happened, the same quantity of the previous day. Neither raised nor fluffy! Just flat or gone down ½ inch below!
Without murmuring much I placed “PEDAAWAN’ on the fire and poured the dough into idli bowl. Every 5,10 minutes I peeped into the vessel to check whether it was done. Almost after half an hour I was satisfied to see the (flat) idlis. When I removed idlis from the bowl it popped out easily, without any stress.
Wow!!! Happy to see the idlis, I prepared them for the first time in my life!!!
By the time my husband came down dressed.
He asked me ‘is breakfast ready?’
I nodded my head and gave him the parcel.
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When he returned we sat around the dining table to have our breakfast. What would he tell now, what would his reaction be? Thinking of that I became nervous and more nervous. I served idli in the plate for him and slowly pushed towards him. I was watching his face to see his reaction.
He tried to take a piece of idli, no he could not break it with his three fingers. He stared at me and asked, ‘is it idli or stone?’. By that time he saw one small rat sneaking into the roof. ‘hmm…if I throw this idli on that rat, I am sure that will fall dead’. And laughed loudly at his own joke.
But I could not laugh, I was thinking of his uncle, R’mam. How could he have eaten? Poor man!!!
On that Sunday morning uncle arrived with his bag and baggage. We expected him but not this early.
We welcomed him. He saw me and smiled. I wanted to ask him how was the breakfast. But before asking him, he said, ‘jayashree, your breakfast was so yummy. And really I enjoyed it’ I was embarrassed to hear his words and I searched his face to see whether there was any ironic. But no!! I knew that he was trying to keep my spirit high!
Oh dear R’mam, although you are no more among us, we miss you a lot. We always need your blessings.
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