Chittappa

A message from Tamilarasi

A legend in our family has passed away. Hard to believe when such iconic figure, who was a source of inspiration to many us, a know fighter, steel willed, has actually left us with memories that could be an epoch of Janarathanan.  

My memories are still fresh from the days when he frequented our house at Purasaivakkam and who amongst us can never forget his house at Montieth lane -home away from home. He played an anchor role in my wedding. His meticulous planning and the leader in him made the occasion that people even talk about today.

The bond between my dad and chittappa transcended the cousin relationship. Even when chittapa was confined to a wheel chair after the stroke, he trekked from his hospital to Apollo extending moral support and vicarious strength to the recently `by-pass` operated cousin. Such is the closeness between them that destiny chose his cousin to be the last one that he spoke to before his eventual demise.

I am eternally grateful to chittappa for being there during our times of tribulations and sharing our joy in good times.

I miss you chittappa!

Mullumama/chithappa

He was Mullu mama on some occassions, chitappa on others dont know why,

first he was known to me when I ate at his wedding and when full meals were a luxury it was great !
and then we moved in into the partitioned house
I have been there for six years when there were many incidents and he, as always, stuck up for us in the house maybe contributing to  the cost of a peaceful married life, he did many things for me and some debts can never be repaid,

the long drives in the car to varied schools, the election campaign, driving at 1230 night till 230 in an ambassador only to have fish in the morning and driving back again for long distances in the day
and doing that again for days and days ,,,,,,
fish was his life,,,,as many know
he can drive for hours and drive people to desperation as well,
the varied news articles written at 4 am in the morning and typed at the local typing  shop,
going for different places to a mixed response from the newspaper intially
deciding oh that news paper is far off- let them get it from the PTI ( press trust of India)
surprised to find it actually published !!!
the relentless energy ( derives from the family trait !!!)
theabundant humour
never a dull moment with him always schemes around
still remember his idea of a website in 1995 for tamilians when i didnt even know what the internet was
the power of politics, the interactions with political figures, constant thinking of who needs what,
remember him calling me and saying lets buy a car from UK and take it to Chelva in guyana,,,


I am sorry that he was not happy with me in the end , i did try,,

Thanks for the memories
the kindness can never be repaid
he did a million times more for me than my father
I will miss him
Rest in peace
Ravi

Mama

There is an old article in the Hindu which I found while googling

http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/article488726.ece. The picture is so absolutely him.

People reading this, I wish you would write at least a line or two about him. He must have definitely touched your lives in some way. And this is the tribute he would have enjoyed.

Also, Ramya and Arun in the US OF A are now the happy and proud parents of a boy. Congratulations!

mama we miss u

moudabadhi____-

yes -love him or hate him
       but u cant ignore him,

the people who really miss him are the cousins he grew up with.--all the mamas ,chithis and chittappas,

--they were the ones who supported him till the end, the ones he turned to in times of trouble
-the ones who never complained and were always ready to help him

hats off to them!!!!!!!!!!

mulu mama

dear mama,
i wish i was more accepting of you ,
i wish i was more caring with your problems,
i wish i had talked more to u,
i wish i hadnt talked against u to many,

oh there are so many things i regret!!!!!

but i am thankful and happy that:

-there was such a person in my life ,
-that you made politicians appear human to us,
-that u helped us in so many ways ,

i am grateful for :

-that u came to my house just i week ago,
that i was able to give u biscuits and sweets,
-that u insisted on ramesh calling sanjay, u just wanted to ask him hows life,
-that there was a person such as u ,

i have learnt from you :
-that u take life as it comes,
-that u dont complain against misfortune,
-that u never refuse help to anyone,
-not once did u seem depressed after your illness,
- that u always make the best of the situation.
-to find the humour in bad situations,



THANK YOU FOR WALKING A PART OF LIFE WITH ME 

mullu mama

sithapa funeral will be held on 1 st march at his sister's house in landons road kilpauk, chennai
around 10 am to 1 pm
sithapa or mullu mama we miss u a lot
goutham

Dad/ My Father -From Chelvi

Akka, when you get a chance pls post his in your blog, i dont have access to it-thanks

Family and friends - through my dad's side.
I mentioned dad's side only because there is no way i would have known you all without him. The beauty of life is death..as much as it sounds ridiculous the truth of the matter is that regardless of what ill feelings you have for someone and their short comings..once the person dies all the negative aspect of ones life is outside the window and the only thing that matters is reflection of all the positive effect he had on others. Thats why as much i am filled with extreme grief as it is my first experience losing a father!!!!!!! feels i am filled with gratitude to see that everyone is remembering him for all the good memories he has left behind. As much as most of you have known him for a longer period of time than me just for the fact that i am his first seed gives me that little credibility to talk about my father and thank you all for the mere fact of being his family..formality not intended.
I was never a great fan of my dad's personal life as all of you know, but im sure never short of being extremely proud of his political life- a great humanitarian and an unsung hero in short. I used to be mad as to the way he lead his life where he didnt care of what people thought and did what he thought was right according to him. Little that i realized that I am exactly like my father...where as much as a respect people never gave a damn...( sorry for the french) of what people or my family though of me and lived and still living the life that i feel is right..which is the grey area of life.
His shortcomings as a dad is merely a speck and regardless of how much time he spent as a father i am where i am because of him and there is no denial of it. His genes are dominant in a lot of ways including my nose:)
I am grateful to God that Hasini was able to spend quality time with her grandfather that actually lead him to write a book and if there one thamizl sentence sh learnt , it was from appa.

7:57pm
Ealachelvi Janarthanan
contd...
Last year when he almost kissed death, i was there with him fighting day and night and inspite of all the doctors giving up as he was on a week coma, i was determined to save my father just by faith. And the doctors would only talk to me and saved my mother for the most of the bad news and just when i was about to give up my father recoverd and got a 2nd life.... when he visited me before the stroke and when i took my last family album with him i requested him to stay back with me...all the while knowing that my offer will be declined...and then the massive stroke...
My last conversation with my dad.....was me begging him to stay in the hospital and recover and i told him that if he does that little favor for me ...as soon as he is able to walk he can come wiht me and stay with me forever and i promised him to fulfil his wishes of looking for a hous near the lake side ...just the way he liked...but he was very unfair and refused to give me that chance....
.I would give my life if i have to...to be there for the funeral as much as i hate to see my dad with no life...but i guess i will not be lucky on that part.
Anyway this long letter i simply to thank you all for being in his life and as much as he might have said hurtful things he truly loved his family more than his own and just for that i am very grateful to all of you and please dont think im formal i am simply thankful to each and every one of you to have had the opportunity to see him last and to have helped in your own way...
CHelvi

Janarthanam

This was who he was and chose to be till the end - a man on a public stage.
Arangananyagam came to the hospital on Monday to see him. And that was how he would have chosen to go - feted and sung by all the men he chose to be with. Men like him who choose the political arena and a world of ideas and talk.

Mullu mama

A man who lived life on his own terms. A unique person in our family. Someone who introduced us to more than middle class life. Someone who was larger than life.  A man who began life with great ideals. A person of great intelligence  who could grasp situations in a minute. A person of great charm. A man with a wonderful sense of humor who could mock all bad situations and make you laugh.  A person who could talk to anyone, child or adult at each person’s level. A person who introduced the family to politics. And to Annadurai. And to  Karunanidhi. A mesmerizing public speaker.

Maybe  a man who was a bad husband and a bad father. A person who didn’t want to be tied down by domestic concerns. But a person who was interested in people and each  member of the family. A man who turned up for all family functions, popped up when ever a person was sick or died. A person who hated strife. Who disliked family dramas and did his best to diffuse them. Who would have hated the discussions going on around his bedside.

He took a lot, assumed a lot, made people curse and run with his demands.  But he also gave.

Since we are being denied a funeral where we can all meet, talk, grieve and let it out, let us share in this forum our good memories.

I remember the excitement when he came back from foreign trips in those early days. Bolts of cloth turned into a large number of uniform dresses for all the girls which set us apart. The ‘sorakkai’ shaped radio which still lies upstairs in a cupboard in Sivananda colony.  The crazy days  of the MLC elections which ranged high whoever had exams. The many car trips. The ease with which he drove.  A 2’ walkie talkie doll which he carried for Dachu all the way from Australia.  

We’ve lost a big chunk of our childhoods.

And he’s gone the day his beloved elder sister died, twenty years ago. Im glad I had the chance to see him while he was still alive, barely though and say 'mama' for the last time. 

Jagdish and Haru spend a weekend at Ooty. This also seems to be the smart  young couple dress code on weekends out. Coordinated outfits. Black and blue jeans. Kap, didn't  you do it long ago?

On Death Row,,,, by Nandhika

I turned my head to the right As I tried really hard to see  But An empty room was all I faced After all, who would come for me?  My reflection in the glass, stared back With an expression I wished I couldn't read, Is it really a matter of birth and background  Or is it in what we believe?  I tried to feel something Anything at all  But all the anger and revenge  Failed to heed to my call I thought about the life I've lived Every word said and unspoken I thought about the people id killed And I knew I was the one broken A man in orange scrubs  Was the last person I had And from the look in his eyes I could tell he was glad I thought if I were to live What would I do?  But there's really no answers When the minutes are few  The thud of my heartbeat Filled both ears  I closed my eyes tightly  As I tried too hard not to hear My arms were by my side  Stiff and useless like never My fist was still clenched  And ready as ever  Suddenly the world spun I saw 342 faces flash by  When I opened my eyes for it to stop I saw more and more people cry They cried and they pleaded They screamed and they screamed And it hit me like lightning  What I was seeing There on that ceiling Was the face  Of every person id devoid Of another day I choked on air  As I remembered the scenes As tears filled my eyes  I tried not to plead The man in orange ran over And looked at me in shock He seemed unsure of what to do As the seconds ticked by on the clock  The needle was in his hand And my arm was tied down and ready But suddenly he realised, looking at me That an induced death was unnecessary  As I slipped away from the world I didn't try to hold on Because I knew what I was doing right Might just justify what I had done wrong.     ..............,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Some reading material :))

Hi guys
Just read a very nostalgic blog, which I am sure all of you can relate to. Check it out
http://thepoetryof.wordpress.com/2012/11/29/a-certain-south-indian-childhood/

Also, I have been writing for a local magazine here for some time and recently got my very first cover story.
http://www.indianlink.com.au/headline/one-thousand-images-2/

And I am reading a fantastic history of Delhi, "City of Djinns", by William Dalyrymple. Have any of you read it?