My Tryst with Mahaperiaval- episode 3 The informal betrothal of my sister was over. The actual betrothal was fixed for Feb 8, 1987. My father was a widower. My paternal grandparents were alive and at the fag end of their lives but yet active. My grandfather was a rich zamindar of the erstwhile South Arcot village of Kattumannnar Koil, 25 Kms from the temple town of Chidambaram. I was myself brought up in my childhood (1966-1971) by these grandparents only, at Kattumannarkoil. My father desperately needed their moral and financial support for the marriage of my sister. The invitation was printed in my grandfather’s name as is the custom to print such invitations in the names of the oldest member of the clan. My grandfather was 72 and he suffered from age related health problems. He would develop chest pain after walking some distance. We were all worried. I was praying to Sri Paracmacharyal and was banking on the blessings already given by Him. On Feb 8, 1987 the betrothal function of my sister was performed very well at Trichy, Ponnagar residence of the would be in laws. The marriage was fixed for April 8, 1987 exactly 2 months after the betrothal function. For us, these 2 months were like a aeon because of the deteriorating health of my grandfather. On Feb 15, my father, my sister Bhuvana and some other relatives left for Kanchi Mutt with the sample invitation of the marriage to see Paramacharyal for His blessings again. Somehow I did not accompany them to the Mutt. I must peruse my 1987 Diary to see what better thing I did on that day instead of going to the Mutt!! Sri Mahaperiaval reportedly kept a coconut with shell ( Matta Thengai) and vermilion (kum kum) on the invitation and blessed . When the news reached me I was elated and even exclaimed .” Oh! That means our Thatha is not going to die before April 8, 1987 the day of the marriage!!!!!!! What a blessing!!! “ Readers -Please do not mistake me for my selfish thoughts! I would rather expect you to appreciate me for the faith that I have developed for Maha Perivaval in 3 months’ time!!! I was thoroughly convinced that nothing untoward would happen to anyone especially to my grandfather until the marriage because of Periaval’s blessings!! My grandparents arrived in Chennai on April 5, 1987 for the marriage. My brother, who was an Engineering student at the Annamalai, Chidambaram accompanied them. He had a torrid time with my grandfather as the latter developed chest pain in the train and my brother had to seek medical help for him on the wayside stations. At last the D day had come. The marriage of my sister Bhuvana was indeed celebrated pompously on April 8, 1987. After the marriage was over, my grandfather once again developed chest pain during the reception time on the evening of April 8, 1987 and was again nursed back to safety. After the marriage our groom Sridharan left for US on May 5, 1987. Bhuvana had to wait full 20 months for her green card and landed in US on the Christmas day in 1988. My grandfather passed away on March 16, 1988 and lived full 11 months after the marriage although he did not live to see his granddaughter go to US. She was the first lady in our clan to go abroad and settle down permanently there. Until then US was a never never land for us existing far far away or hanging in between earth and the Sun!!! We only had seen it in our school Atlas and even in the Atlas, US was to be seen in a remote corner as seen from our country. Bhuvana was the front runner for many girls of our clan to go abroad and settle down. It was out and out the blessings of Sri Mahaperiaval!!
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 10:29:56 +0000