To Thatha, with love
This was a message from my granddaughter Aadrika to her grandpa six years ago......
"I've made many cards, many gifts for countless people. I had just done this as an act of courtesy, however this card is from the depths of my heart.
Thatha. Like any other grandpa in physical appearance. Pot-bellied, short cropped grey hair and the most annoyingly cute puppy dog eyes. He is one of the most sweetest and cleverest chaps I know.
My cousins are just like my Amamaa; strict disciplinarians, dignified blue stocking children. I on the other hand, have always wanted to have fun and enjoy life to the fullest. I never really found anyone like me but, I found I had a similarity with my Thatha. He is the only person with whom I share a proper equation. Both of us love munching bajjis, bondas and pakodas, love eating in Saravana Bhavan and Namoorathindi! We are typical foodies and enjoy every bit we taste, be it life or food. Many grandpas try to communicate a lot with their grandchildren. We don't need to. It's not telepathy, because we know each other super well! I love my Thatha because he has unknowing or knowingly taught me many things in life. Thatha and Amamaa bicker at each other continuously at each other like Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter, but just like Ron and Hermione fall in love and get married, Thatha and Amamaa care for each other so much! If someone ever needs to understand love, my Thatha can teach. Every time I fail, he looks at me with his twinkling eyes with fill me with new energy and determination to succeed the next time. All I want to say is, he is a great man from whom many can learn.
Love,
Aadhu"
Today, six years later, she has sent another message to him......
"Happy Birthday Thatha! Where do I start? One of the most beautiful souls, life has gifted me. In everyone’s life, there are a set of people who will inspire you, lift you from depression and propel you into happiness. One such person is Mr. K. Vaidyanathan. My maternal grandfather. There are so many things the younger generation must learn from you. There is not a single day without me smiling, thinking about you. You are an epitome of positivity. The progenitor of good looks, you spread smiles with your antics and behaviour. There is nothing cuter in this world, than watching you do Sandhyavandanam. Pot-bellied, with a round face, you sit down to chant holy mantras. With holy ash smeared on your forehead, you resemble Lord Ganesha. You are the roundest sweet kozhakattai of the family. You look like a giant baby, with your toothless chuckle. Describing you now, brings a huge smile to my face. You are a true inspiration to me Thathu. You come from a generation which did not have much exposure to highly educated, financially independent women. Yet, you are a frontier of progression in women and how women must be independent. Even through the years, many men are pretentious. They act like they want women to follow their dreams but tie them down. You were never like that. In fact, your favourite leader is also a woman; Jayalalithaa. You always tell me that I will be as multifaceted as Ivanka Trump Kushner. to When you see her on TV/paper you always call me to tell me that. Your ideal woman is strong, financially independent and powerful. You want your granddaughters to be the same. There are some things that must be retold as it is so priceless. You urged Amamaa to complete her education and find a job. You educated your three children equally. There was no discrimination in your parenting on the basis of gender. Marriage for you, wasn’t a deadline (which many men of your generation thought was). You never thought of my mothers as a burden. You respected your elder siblings like parents, you became a parent to your younger siblings, empowered your children, treated your nephews and nieces like your own children and mostly, have a large heart. You never ‘saved up’. Even when you were surrounded by debts, you never once thought about the expenditure and cutting it down. You always believed in investing maximum to reap maximum. That’s what you have always told me. “If I do my part today, tomorrow will take care of me.” From helping your brother unite with his loved one, to helping your brothers when they were suffering, you have done everything. You have always urged us (the grandchildren) to scale heights in academics and profession wise. You are a pure soul. I don’t think anyone can be this selfless and can love so deeply. The measure of a man is his progeny. The measure of how progressive a man is, is his daughters. The measure of the respect a man has for women is his wife, daughters and son. The measure of how caring a man is, is his behaviour with inlaws and grandchildren. You are a straight hundred in all these tests. I have always looked up to Mama and how much of a selfless man he is. He loves unconditionally and treats all the people around him so well. When the statue is sculpted by sculptors like you and Amamaa, the statue will truly be divine. That is the most precious jewel; your parenting and all the values you have passed to the next generation. We share a common interest; food. You are a true connoisseur of food. Bajjis, bondas, rava dosas, mor kali, jaangri, jalebi, badam halwa… The list is endless. We love food and want to relish life, every bit of it. When you were in Chennai, you caught an auto and went to A2B in Injambakkam and bought enough tiffin for 3 days. From having masala vada made by Punidha Aunty to walking in full-speed to Sangeetha, both you and I will go to any length to hog food outside (and get one nice whack on the bum from Amamaa). You love to dress up and the brand ambassador of Ponds’. Age doesn’t pull you down. You want to eat new things each and every day. With the advent of Swiggy and Zomato, it is a party for you and me every day. Thathu, I can go on and on about you. You truly deserve it. You are such a darling. I love you Thathu. I don’t think anyone else has such a beautiful grandfather. You are amazing, inside out. You are my Poornam kozhakattai. I love you Thathu. I have booked special Archanai in your name in Vaidyanathaswamy Koil (Poonamallee) and Swaminathaswamy Koil (Swamimalai) through EPrarthana on this day. Due to the COVID outbreak, all temples are closed. They will send you the prasadham through courier when temples start functioning. This is the least I can do for my wonderful grandfather. There is so much we all have to learn from you. You are the head of the pride; our Lion King. Stay the inspiration you are to us. Have an amazing day!"
Her love and affection for her Thatha has not reduced or changed one bit. It fills me with immense joy to see this amount of emotional growth and maturity in granddaughter in just six years. Aadu, me and thatha are the luckiest grandparents......ЁЯТЧЁЯТЧЁЯТЧ
"I've made many cards, many gifts for countless people. I had just done this as an act of courtesy, however this card is from the depths of my heart.
Thatha. Like any other grandpa in physical appearance. Pot-bellied, short cropped grey hair and the most annoyingly cute puppy dog eyes. He is one of the most sweetest and cleverest chaps I know.
My cousins are just like my Amamaa; strict disciplinarians, dignified blue stocking children. I on the other hand, have always wanted to have fun and enjoy life to the fullest. I never really found anyone like me but, I found I had a similarity with my Thatha. He is the only person with whom I share a proper equation. Both of us love munching bajjis, bondas and pakodas, love eating in Saravana Bhavan and Namoorathindi! We are typical foodies and enjoy every bit we taste, be it life or food. Many grandpas try to communicate a lot with their grandchildren. We don't need to. It's not telepathy, because we know each other super well! I love my Thatha because he has unknowing or knowingly taught me many things in life. Thatha and Amamaa bicker at each other continuously at each other like Ron and Hermione in Harry Potter, but just like Ron and Hermione fall in love and get married, Thatha and Amamaa care for each other so much! If someone ever needs to understand love, my Thatha can teach. Every time I fail, he looks at me with his twinkling eyes with fill me with new energy and determination to succeed the next time. All I want to say is, he is a great man from whom many can learn.
Love,
Aadhu"
Today, six years later, she has sent another message to him......
"Happy Birthday Thatha! Where do I start? One of the most beautiful souls, life has gifted me. In everyone’s life, there are a set of people who will inspire you, lift you from depression and propel you into happiness. One such person is Mr. K. Vaidyanathan. My maternal grandfather. There are so many things the younger generation must learn from you. There is not a single day without me smiling, thinking about you. You are an epitome of positivity. The progenitor of good looks, you spread smiles with your antics and behaviour. There is nothing cuter in this world, than watching you do Sandhyavandanam. Pot-bellied, with a round face, you sit down to chant holy mantras. With holy ash smeared on your forehead, you resemble Lord Ganesha. You are the roundest sweet kozhakattai of the family. You look like a giant baby, with your toothless chuckle. Describing you now, brings a huge smile to my face. You are a true inspiration to me Thathu. You come from a generation which did not have much exposure to highly educated, financially independent women. Yet, you are a frontier of progression in women and how women must be independent. Even through the years, many men are pretentious. They act like they want women to follow their dreams but tie them down. You were never like that. In fact, your favourite leader is also a woman; Jayalalithaa. You always tell me that I will be as multifaceted as Ivanka Trump Kushner. to When you see her on TV/paper you always call me to tell me that. Your ideal woman is strong, financially independent and powerful. You want your granddaughters to be the same. There are some things that must be retold as it is so priceless. You urged Amamaa to complete her education and find a job. You educated your three children equally. There was no discrimination in your parenting on the basis of gender. Marriage for you, wasn’t a deadline (which many men of your generation thought was). You never thought of my mothers as a burden. You respected your elder siblings like parents, you became a parent to your younger siblings, empowered your children, treated your nephews and nieces like your own children and mostly, have a large heart. You never ‘saved up’. Even when you were surrounded by debts, you never once thought about the expenditure and cutting it down. You always believed in investing maximum to reap maximum. That’s what you have always told me. “If I do my part today, tomorrow will take care of me.” From helping your brother unite with his loved one, to helping your brothers when they were suffering, you have done everything. You have always urged us (the grandchildren) to scale heights in academics and profession wise. You are a pure soul. I don’t think anyone can be this selfless and can love so deeply. The measure of a man is his progeny. The measure of how progressive a man is, is his daughters. The measure of the respect a man has for women is his wife, daughters and son. The measure of how caring a man is, is his behaviour with inlaws and grandchildren. You are a straight hundred in all these tests. I have always looked up to Mama and how much of a selfless man he is. He loves unconditionally and treats all the people around him so well. When the statue is sculpted by sculptors like you and Amamaa, the statue will truly be divine. That is the most precious jewel; your parenting and all the values you have passed to the next generation. We share a common interest; food. You are a true connoisseur of food. Bajjis, bondas, rava dosas, mor kali, jaangri, jalebi, badam halwa… The list is endless. We love food and want to relish life, every bit of it. When you were in Chennai, you caught an auto and went to A2B in Injambakkam and bought enough tiffin for 3 days. From having masala vada made by Punidha Aunty to walking in full-speed to Sangeetha, both you and I will go to any length to hog food outside (and get one nice whack on the bum from Amamaa). You love to dress up and the brand ambassador of Ponds’. Age doesn’t pull you down. You want to eat new things each and every day. With the advent of Swiggy and Zomato, it is a party for you and me every day. Thathu, I can go on and on about you. You truly deserve it. You are such a darling. I love you Thathu. I don’t think anyone else has such a beautiful grandfather. You are amazing, inside out. You are my Poornam kozhakattai. I love you Thathu. I have booked special Archanai in your name in Vaidyanathaswamy Koil (Poonamallee) and Swaminathaswamy Koil (Swamimalai) through EPrarthana on this day. Due to the COVID outbreak, all temples are closed. They will send you the prasadham through courier when temples start functioning. This is the least I can do for my wonderful grandfather. There is so much we all have to learn from you. You are the head of the pride; our Lion King. Stay the inspiration you are to us. Have an amazing day!"
Her love and affection for her Thatha has not reduced or changed one bit. It fills me with immense joy to see this amount of emotional growth and maturity in granddaughter in just six years. Aadu, me and thatha are the luckiest grandparents......ЁЯТЧЁЯТЧЁЯТЧ
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