The first time I read this mail, I enjoyed it a lot, just like you. A minute or two later, I re-read it only to be reminded of Avva (Telugu for grandmother). She had once expressed a very contradictory opinion.
One afternoon in mid-August 2005, we were invited for an inter-caste marriage. After the invitees left, in an attempt to annoy my 80 year old Avva, I started thinking aloud about me marrying someone outside the caste. Avva wasn't too affected, nor was my mother. I continued it enough for my mother to make a foolish (sorry mom) comment, that she will leave the house if it ever happened. Irritated, Avva (Unknowingly, my mother achieved what I set out for) shouted at my mother telling her she had a right to stay in the house and in such an eventuality (of me marrying outside the acceptable castes), I was the one who should get out of the house. Knowing that she was irritated by this talk, I continued to ask if my sister could do the same. Avva thumped "Daughters can marry anyone and get away. I want to be comfortable with whom I live, and therefore I should approve who a son can marry". She had made a very thoughtful, and in my opinion, a logical statement.
Avva had mesmerised a lot of people (including the sender of this mail) with her intelligent talk, extra-ordinary general knowledge and clear black hair. A fortnight after the above incident, she suffered a heart attack and was in ICU for over twelve days. A day after she was moved to the ward, she was off the hospital gown and dressed in a more colourful gown, with hairs combed neatly when her doctor came for a checkup. Being a telugu-ite, he quipped "Yem(emi) Avva, neat-ga ready ayyinaaru?"(Granny, What makes you dress up well?). Avva replied "Please don't get me wrong". A pause and she continued "To impress young and handsome doctors like you!!". Do I need to say that the doctor was floored? That day onwards, he was as much a fan and a grandson of Avva as much as he was her doctor.
Avva, you will live forever in our hearts.
PS: Thanks Nagesha, for reviving some wonderful memories.
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