All of us are not lucky enough to have been closely associated with our grandparents, both maternal as well as paternal.
Unfortunately, I did not ever see my paternal grandfather. He passed away many years before I was born. But as far as my other three grandparents are concerned, I spent a lot of time with them till I was in college. And things I learnt from them have stayed with me and stood me in good stead in life. Perhaps, at that time, I took them for granted. But as the years have passed and all of them have left us, their lives and values have started striking me as great lessons which I have been able to emulate to the best of my ability.
My maternal grandfather was a strict disciplinarian as he was from an Army background. By the time I was born, he had retired and lived a quiet life in a pleasant and neat house he had built in Delhi’s lajpat Nagar. From the time I was in Class I till the time I was in college, I remember spending all the summer vacations in this beautiful house, which was truly a haven of bliss. The space was not much but it accommodated all the grandchildren along with their mothers!
Nanaji, lovingly call Bade Papaji by us, would never give us any instructions except that for an hour in the long summer afternoons, we should all try to rest and not disturb his siesta, which he greatly valued. My grandmother, whom we called Bhabhiji, was suffering from acute arthritis and could barely walk. Both of them used to be dressed in impeccable white clothes. The linen in all the rooms was also spotless white and during summer, this gave a cooling effect. The punctuality and the cleanliness that were religiously observed sometimes irked some of my cousins. But it gave me a good feeling and I felt blessed to have such grandparents who followed an organised pattern of living.
They were not very demonstrative towards us but their love could be felt through all the little things they did to make our vacations so memorable. Bade Papaji would bring all our favourite goodies from the bazaar and Bhabiji would ensure that the cook gave us fresh and hot meals. From her bed, like a queen, she would run the house perfectly, giving orders to the servants in a soft but determined voice. Her transistor radio was always next to her pillow and she would hear the hourly All India Radio bulletins to keep up with the latest happenings in the country and the world. From her I learnt how to be calm and patient despite all problems and handicaps in life. I never once, in all those long years, heard her complain about her afflictions. She could hardly see or walk but remained always cheerful and optimistic. She was indeed a noble soul.
My grandfather, though he sometimes appeared stern, was a soft-hearted man. He looked after my grandmother as if she was a child. Without saying much, he would always think of her comfort. Theirs was a strong relationship, which did not need much talking. In the evening, after having tea, Nanaji would go to the nearby park with his friend Harichand who arrived at our gate at 5.30 sharp, wearing a hat and carrying a walking stick.He too dressed in white.
The house has been sold long ago. Even today, when I pass that place, the fond memories of my grandparents crowd my heart and bring tears to my eyes. I have never seen such wonderful people in my life again.They greatly enriched my life.My Daadi was as different from Naani as chalk is from cheese. She was noisy and aggressive and quite a tough one. She complained about everything and I never saw her in a serene mood. But despite all this, she loved us a lot and told us lovely stories, which Naani had never done. She gave us chocolates and barfis from her cupboard, which she guarded like a lioness. It was always locked. She had a different way of showing her affection, sometimes by throwing some harmless abuses on us! We teased her at times, which we would not dare do with our Naani.
All of them have gone. But till the end of our lives, we cannot forget the place they had in our lives.They were truly kind and benevolent.