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Miss you Maa!

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My grandmother's life revolved around her family, whether it was shopping for her grandchildren, planning for their weddings, doing evening Bhajans with them.
The family was her central locus of operation, from keeping tally of house expenses, daily pooja, visiting temples, traveling.
5 years ago she had a paralytic attack which left her left leg paralyzed, she was able to recover from it with her strong will power but it was never the same, a couple of months later she started showing symptoms of dementia and Parkinsons, her dinacharya and responsibilities took a toll though she never gave up doing Hanuman Chalisa and Sunder Kand every day.
We still managed to go out at least once a month for a temple visit along with eating her favourite food Paani Puri outside.
In 2019 we went for a small pilgrimage to Kanchipuram along with her and some of my relatives for darshan of Athi Varadaraja Swamy when he was raised from Amritha Saras which happens once in 40 years, unlike us she couldn't have darshan of him due to the extreme rush but did manage to visit Kamakshi Amman and Ekambareshwar Temple, which turned out to be her last one. Yet last year was significant too she wanted all her children to have their own home and after the house warming ceremony of her last youngest child, her health started dwindling, she had no Blood pressure issues, no sugar yet dementia and Parkinsons had taken a toll on her 85-year old body.
She was hospitalized almost a month ago and somewhere we knew it was time, she was constantly saying only one thing, that she doesn't want to die here with all this equipment and pipes, in such an atmosphere, she wanted to go back home, stay with her family and leave at home. 
In a couple of days we got her back home, she spoke to all her near and dear ones on a video call, many visited her and since she liked bhajans we held a small Satsang on September 3rd evening and from around 9 pm she fell unconscious and passed away in her sleep on September 6th around 9 40 pm.

From she taking care of me when I fell ill or hurt myself, going shopping with her to me trying to console her in some of the sleepless nights she had in the last 5 years, trying to bring peace, doing राम नाम along with her, seeing her dwindle from being such a strong person to not being able to walk without someone's support, it was, to say the least heartbreaking, yet she passed away in her sleep gracefully under my father's lap and drinking her last sip of gangajal from my bhabhi's hand.

When I really look at her life she amazes me , the faith and perseverance she embodied, hardly ever complaining of her life situations and never backed away from her responsibility even when she had to run a cloth shop to take care of her family. I myself trying to walk the sunlit path, Integral Yoga, living with her up so close, I can say that her life is an example of not so popular grihastha yogi for me, one of the most Integral person I have seen in my life, 
I always remember and cherish the memories you have left back with me, Maa!

Maa in her youth, 20ish

Maa Bauji


Grandparent's 50th Wedding Anniversary
Maa with Bacha Party


Maa's 75th Birthday Celebrations (my parents)

Maa with my Nani
Maa doesn't want her sister in law to travel back to her hometown aka her home town too, Calcutta!

Maa with her children 5/6 

Maa with her eldest son(6/6) and sister in law
Maa on her eldest son's 60th birthday, Shasti Poorthi!

Maa, Beti and Gossip!

Maa, 2nd eldest son's 50th birthday and bahu


Maa-beti doing their favourite thing together, eating in a restaurant
Next to maa is her favourite grand child and her favourite care-taker aka nurse.
Tauji's 50th birthday
Papa being Papa! 
Papa is like " Selfie maine le liya"


Maa with her Bahus( Plural of Bahu please)

Maa with her favourite bahu, my mom!
Maa trying to put Mumma to sleep! :)

7/9, 2 cousins missing

Maa with her Eldest Grandson 8/9
Maa with her 2nd Eldest Grandson
9/9 Yay!
Maa dancing with her eldest Grandson's wife aka Bahu and eldest grandchild


Maa dancing with her Grandson's wife aka Bahu and grandson
Maa her grand daughter and her husband
Maa dancing with her latest (:P) Grandson's wife aka Bahu
Maa with college vaali chori
 Me being a nice grandson :P

Maa helping her 2nd favourite grand child aka sweety in cleaning vegetables for cooking

Choti


Maa doesn't want to eat Papaya

Maa cutting vegetables
Maa watching her favourite movie " Hum Aapke Hain Kaun"


Maa trying to walk alone

Maa with her Great Grandson


Last Trip with Maa, Kanchipuram
In picture is her devar,devrani, his son and aka you know us by know!




Me, my parents,sister and Maa
Maa Chilling


Oh, she always had her swag!



"Jananam Sukhadam Maranam Karunam
Milanam Madhuram Smaranam Karunam
Kalavashadiha Sakalam Karunam
Samyadhipateh Akhilam Karunam"

Essence of Chant by Adi Shankaracharya 
The beginning of life is sweetness,
Death is compassion! 





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