Since the death of my father in 95, we moved to my grand parents place and was living there till i got married. For me Ajji mane, is a house that is filled with many memories....
It is located in a most commercial place close to ESI in Rajajinagar. My ajja used to say that 50 years ago when he built the house, there were only paddy fields.... and today it is only shopping centres, there are just few houses. may be just 3 spared on this main road, one is ours and other is our opposite neighbours.....
The best part of this house is that though there is so much traffic outside, the backyard is pleasant and peaceful, because of all the trees we have. Backyard of my ajji's house has so much memory for me, where i have spent many playful days with my ajja, whom i loved the most. He lived till he was 90. I remember me giving him a shave as his hands used to shiver at the backyard with a medium sized hand mirror for him to check if it was looking fine., applying coconut oil to his body as his body would get very dry.... , watering all the plants.... trimming the grass.... , they just bring fresh memories even while i am writing this blog. We had many trees such as papaya, coconut, banana plant, curry leaves, neem , cotton plant to name a few. and flowers such as kanakambara, jasmine, spatika.....and off course not to forget the PAN leaves... they huge brindavan that was desinged to hold many little lamps that could be protected from rain, sun or the wind.... . My ajja was very fond of papaya and therefore we had 4 trees that would ripen each time to give its best.... i never tried it coz i somehow just dont like that fruit... . The tragedy was when my ajja died, just within a span of few months all the 4 trees perished, they just fell off or simply rotted... guess they were equally attached to my ajja.
now its been over 7 years since i moved out of my ajji's house and it has been a while since i peeped into the backyard... but my mom used to give me updates as to what is the new thing there. She had told me of a mango tree that had sudden begin to grow , no one had done any serious planting... but then yesterday she got the first fruit home... when i saw that " mavina kayi" I was amazed.... had time really flown that fast that a small plant is now a big tree with fruits.... My ajji now lives alone in that house and i ensure i keep visiting her. But i am really not able to spend that leisure time that i used to with her like before, due to all the hectice lifestyle... which is not god created but self created.
When i saw that mango, lot of emotions went thru me, i felt very guilty that i have not been able to be with her or spend the time... and today while i eat the " mavinakayi gojju" ( mango tangy curry) i promise myself to be this weekend with my ajji....
I love you ajji and ajja,,,,,
