Few months back on December 31, 2014 my grandmother passed away. I would have spent that day different way but decided to hermit myself thinking about my grand mother and her memories. At times in our life, we feel helpless, fragile and do nothing other than accepting reality and destiny. She passed away after bedridden for few years. She was very special to me and left me plenty of wonderful memories. Her life itself is a very interesting journey with great challenges.
Diagnosed with cancer around her fifties, she proved everyone wrong and blessed with healthy life until few years ago at the age of 85. The elements that driven her life are very simple. I feel her strict diet routine and discipline might have played a big role. I never saw her sitting idle for few moments, whether it is our house or relative's or for that matter friend's place. Nothing would deter her lending a helping hand. She has strong personality but used to talk very less. I think she made sure these things were instilled in my mother as well right from her childhood. Sometimes, I watched my mother disliked her for keeping on the toes even until few years back. She lived all her life in the village until my grand father was passed away, but since then she stayed with our family.
The most admirable quality of her is the knowledge of different kind of leaves and their medicinal properties.She never had a formal education or training of any sort as far as i know. She has home remedies for everything right from simple cold to serious back pain and stomach problems. She used to pick leaves from our back yard and jungle near the village.
During our school days, we always used to spend summer holidays at our grand mother place, which was located in a beautiful village surrounded by two lakes and one canal. She use to maintain garden with various fruit and vegetable plants in her huge house. Her cooking style used to be very simple and yet exemplary, though she used to cook with not more than 2-3 ingredients and spices. The food used be very delicious and was incomparable to anyone i know in our family. She always used freshly pressed cooking oil from the village mill, whole grains and pulses from our agriculture fields for cooking, there was no compromise at all. Whether it is swimming in lakes and catching fish with grand father or eating home grown fruits and fresh organic food by provided by grand mother were my favourite things until now. I will always cherish your memories, care and love in all my life. Love you.
May your soul rest in peace in heaven, God bless!
