Sivakamu (Sivakamasundari) Natesan, my paternal grandmother , c. 1910-1982
My paternal grandmother's passport, given in March 1935. Please note, "Empire of India", and "British subject by birth"...and to allow "him" to "pass without let or hindrance" (wrong gender as usual!)
In a world where travelling by air was still rare, my grandfather (who was the Financial Advisor to the then British Government of India, or as my daughter says, a lackey of the Brits!) and my grandmother, went on a tour of Europe by ship!
"Sivakamu" (Sivakamasundari) Natesan was a doughty lady; she hailed from a village in Thanjavur called Nemam (which had a neighbouring village called Pazhamaneri.) The marriage was arranged probably when the two were children!
When my grandfather died at the age of 42, she brought up four children single-handedly, fighting off avaricious relatives as well (my grandfather was earning Rs.4000 in the 1930's, when 10 gms of gold cost Rs.18.... and I don't think there was income tax then. Of course, I wonder what happened to all that money!)
Her photo along with that of my grandfather (who was affectionately called "Babuji Thatha" because he lived in north India)
Both my aunts married only after completing their Master's degrees and working for a while. My uncle joined the police force and rose to a high position (his name is still remembered); my father studied electrical engineering at Benares Hindu University and went on to become the first Indian managing director of the Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation.
All of them would go to play tennis as children!
Stamps of various European countries on her passport
She managed finances with great competence, was shrewd and savvy and well up in the byzantine politics of the Thanjavur Brahmin community she belonged to. She was a connoisseur of food, sarees and jewellery, too, especially diamonds.
Having lived regally in Delhi and Shimla, she moved to Chennai and lived the rest of her life in a large house (5, Thanikachalam Road, in T.Nagar, which I still call 5TC!), had a wide circle of friends. What an amazing woman she was! An orphaned nephew was also with her; after he died suddenly in a traffic accident, his wife and sons took care of her. They lived in the "outhouse" in the garden. The first floor was rented out to only two families over a period of more than three decades. Both of the families became very close to all of us; we were a kind of extended family.
She passed away peacefully in 1982. I am not a savvy person and was scared of the family politics (not being able to handle it!), and I don't think she respected me, because I was not sharp enough. I respected her abilities a lot, and was in awe of her.
Now she's gone, my parents are gone, my brother is gone; my aunts and uncles are gone...I have only the memories left.
I keep in touch with my cousins, and a WhatsApp group that I started has helped a lot with this. One day, I too will pass away into the mists of Time....but right now, Paati, I salute your memory.