Grandmother and Grandfather: The author's earliest memories of his grandmother was a stooped and fat old lady with innumerable wrinkles on a pale and puckered face and constantly moving her lips in inaudible prayers, who had remained so old for twenty years. It was beyond anyone's wildest imagination that she could have been young or beautiful and even have a husband at any point in her life. A portrait of his grandfather, sporting a big turban and some loose-fitting clothes, hung above the mantlepiece in the drawing room. He had a long beard that covered most of his chest making him look at least a hundred years old. He looked as someone who could have a lot of grandchildren.
Grandmother as a Good Companion: In the initial years, the author grew up in the care of his grandmother, because his parents had migrated to the city. During those days, the old lady used to wake him up early in the morning, feed him, get him ready for school and take him there herself. She used to chant the morning prayers which the author listened to, because he loved her voice. In fact, the author's school was at the local village temple where she used to read the scriptures all the time the children were taught by the priest. After the lessons were over, the two of them would walk back home together.
The Turning point in Their Friendship: The turning- point in the friendship of the grandmother and the grandson came when the author's parents settled themselves properly in the city and called over the duo to stay with them. The old lady found it increasingly difficult to adjust herself to the city life and receded to her own cocoon whereas, the author who was a young boy then adjusted himself to the city life like a fish in water. Although the two of them shared the same room, the author's grandmother did not accompany him to school any longer. In fact, she was aghast at the fact that at school her grandson was being taught the western sciences, but there was nothing about the scriptures.She was even more scandalised when grandmother f learnt that her grandson was being given lessons on music because her ancient belief was that, music and songs were the domain of harlots and beggars, not of decent people. The bond of friendship was completely snapped when the author went up to the university and was given a room of his own.
Grandmother's World in the City: The end of the friendship between grandmother and grandson led to her receding into her own cocooned world. She busied herself with her spinning-wheel and her prayers. Her constant companions were the little sparrows whom she fed with crumbs of bread every afternoon. The time spent with those winged companions used to be her happiest moments of the day. Otherwise, the old lady rarely talked to anyone.
Going Abroad: When the author decided to go abroad for further studies, he was apprehensive that 1 his grandmother would be upset at the fact that he would be away for five years. However, contrary to his fears, she was not at all upset-she went to see him off at the station but neither talked to anyone nor showed any emotion; his grandmother simply continued to say her prayers and count the beads of her rosary. But she silently kissed him on the forehead. The grandson expected it to be the last sign of physical contact between them.
The Author's Return and the Grandmother's Demise: She met him at the station and had not changed at all in those five years. However, grandmother still did not have time to speak to anyone as she was constantly reciting her prayers and fed her winged friends a little longer. By evening, she was a changed woman-instead of praying, she gathered the women of the neighbourhood, found an old drum. and started to sing about the home-coming of the warriors. This continued for quite some time and was finally persuaded to stop lest she overstrained herself. It was for the first time in his life that the author had seen her not praying. The next morning, the old lady was taken ill and she had the premonition that now she only had a few more hours to live. She shunned communication with all her relatives and died quietly while saying her prayers.After the End: The events following the death of the author's grandmother were remarkably eventful. When the author and the others went to take her body for the funeral, they found that thousands of sparrows were sitting scattered on the floor of the verandah and her room, right up to where her body was lying wrapped in a red shroud.
They were no longer chirruping but mourning the death of their dear friend in their own way. Everyone felt sorry for the little birds and the author's mother fetched some bread and threw it towards them as little crumbs just like the old lady used to do. But they were not in a mood to eat and those crumbs of bread had to be swept away by the maid the next morning.
nice
You must be logged in to post a comment.