A Tribute to Our Elders

Sri A S Narayana Rao, we called him Narayana mava,  also known as ‘aNNaNNa’, passed away recently at the age of ninety six. He was my mother’s first cousin. There was a connection from my father’s side also. He was a classmate and close friend of my paternal uncle, my father’s elder brother, Late Sri M S Ramachandra Rao. His younger brother Late Sri Krishnamurthy (KiTTaNNa) and my father, Late Sri M S Srikantiah were classmates and good friends.  My mother has very fond memories of a childhood spent in association of Narayana mava.

Almost all of our relatives, belonging to this generation, have struggled in life, have had very firm beliefs, morals and values and had retained these qualities throughout their life. We, in comparison, have had an easy life but (at least me - let me not speak about others) have also gone easy on values and morals.

I have felt a sense of losing something very valuable every time one of our elders have passed away, starting with Sri Venkatesha das  (H/O Indira, known in family circles as ‘Inna’.) followed by, in the chronological order, My father, my uncles Sri Venkataramiah (H/O Smt lakshmi - popular as ‘Buchchakka’)  my maternal uncle Sri Vijendra rao  and Sri Anandatheertha rao (H/O Smt Savitri  - known as ‘Saatha’). All the ladies mentioned in the brackets are my mother’s sisters. I am unfortunate not to have known one of the couples Smt Satyabhama (Satyakka) and her husband Sri Venkoba rao, closely  (Sri Venkoba rao actually passed away long time back even before Sri Venkatesha das) and have missed another couple, my mother’s eldest sister and her husband (I do not even know their names) entirely.

The ladies of the family, mentioned above, had their own unique characters and each one of them, endearing in their own way. 

All of the family were highly dignified. It is a pleasure to recollect the way in which they always dressed, spoke and in general, conducted themselves.

I miss every one of them and feel a great sense of loss with each one of this generation passing away. This feeling which had remained dormant surfaced yet again when I received the message for Narayanamava’s vaikuntha samaradhane. A patient missed the appointment providing enough time to try putting my feelings to words. My vocabulary is not sufficient  to put down the feelings exactly and effectively but this will have to do as a tribute to all our elders. 

I might have missed or misspelt some and if so, request my kins to add/correct.