My Nainamma, my family!

A Tribute to Padmabhushan Dr Mohini Giri by Avani Giri

Today is my Grandmother’s birthday, and what comes to mind was this poem I wrote 3 years ago – one of those RARE moments when my brother and I worked together and in complete agreement! Can there be anything better then, that I submit this same poem on this site, whose title says “Whose food we eat, their song we sing!” This one is food for the heart, for life and for wisdom – dedicated to my super special grandmother. She is Padmabhushan Dr Mohini Giri, social activist, a visionary for women’s place in this world, who has been Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, and of the Delhi State Social Welfare Advisory Board, who is known as the woman who works to eradicate hunger. She is my Nainamma who loves me, teaches me and above all, inspires me!

It all started with my brother Arnav and me telling our parents one day: “There are times when you confuse us a lot. Sometimes both of you tell us, ‘Learn to be silent’, and at other times, ‘Why are you so quiet? Learn to speak your mind’. Sometimes you tell us, ‘Don’t spend too much’, at other times, ‘You are going to your friend’s place in that ordinary shirt!”

We took this problem to our grandmother, Nainamma, and this is what she had to say – “Life is not always the same, in different situations, you will need different qualities. If politeness is a great trait, so is frankness, and so is diplomacy. Just as you dress appropriately for different occasions – at school, you wear a uniform; at weddings you look colorful; on the tennis court, sportive – the same is it with life too.”
So with dad and mom’s help, we put together a bundle, a treasure of qualities in those close to us. In this bundle, all of you who are our extended family have put in something – just by being special in your own right.  This poem was our gift to Nainamma on her 70th birthday in 2007. Here goes:

So hello Uncles and Aunties, cousins, Grandpas and Grandmas:
Often we do not like it when people compare
But on reflection, it is true that each one has something rare
So honestly now, we must declare
With each one of you we want to have a quality to pair
And what those are, we shall now share!

~ To be genuinely warm at heart like our beloved departed Thaathaiya – we would have loved to grow up under his loving care.
~ To be systematic and sharp, an affectionate disciplinarian at heart, we learn from Maadhu Thatha. To be gentle and caring, as we have heard Sathari Aunty to be.
~ To be brilliant in thought we must learn from Jayaram Thatha. And strong and resilient like Indira Ammama.
~ To be the perfect diplomat like handsome Amarnath Thatha. To be calm as a lake, to be shaant like dear Shanti Ammama.
~ To be gentle and polite in action & speech like soft spoken Badri Thatha. To speak French and play scrabble, to have a flair for languages, like Geetha Ammama.
~ To have a sense of humor and laugh at one’self, we have to learn from dear Uncle Ram. To have a free spirit and be able to drive a car on the hilly roads of Kodaikanal…from the excellent teacher in our family Chinna Nainamma (Padmini Aunty).
~ To dance in stilettos at 70, and make a party out of life is a rare gift to imbibe from unforgettable Kutty Aunty.
~ To love unconditionally, and to be recognized for it at the grand old age of 85! Wow! Cheers to world famous Pedatha.
~ To be a dashing corporate icon we must learn from our dynamic Uncle Preetham. To have Shah Rukh Khan as an admirer we’d love, like our amiable Aunty Vrinda does!
~ From Rekha Aunty to learn how to encourage talent in other people.
~ From Sarsu Aunty and Dinesh Uncle – to complement your partner at every level.
~ To learn to be so deeply in love like Savathri Ammama and Pedanana.
~ From Giriraj Uncle – to be a quiet, resilient and loving family man, and to be an efficient business woman, we must learn from the Go-getter Suraksha Aunty.
~ To stand tall and resolute like a candle in the wind we will learn from admirable Sarla Ammama.
~ To work from the heart – like handsome Sainath Uncle, and to stand by whom we believe – our lovely Sonia Aunty.
~ To find wit in every instance and make every instance funny (sorry punny), like Giriappa Uncle and from Mini Aunty we must learn the rare art of simplicity.
~ To play the guitar with a flair, from far away Jaggu Uncle, and to laugh aloud without a care like lawyer Shakki Aunty.
~ To be bold & beautiful like smart Jayanthi Aunty and to hone ones innate intelligence like DIG Ravi Uncle!
~ To be the quiet worker behind the scenes, like unassuming Mohanrao Babiya.
~ And from Kamala Aunty we must learn the quality of gentle sensitivity & forgiveness.
~ From Madhuri and Satish to be dependable children to their parents.
~ To learn from Shivesh Uncle…prioritizing at any cost! (Now this is a naughty one…u can see my dad’s hand at this! He says u gave up diving to save your hair!!)…but let’s move on… From M.E Aunty to be ever smiling & so endearing.
~ From Gautam Uncle, Rachna Aunty and the beautiful trio of sisters Shobha, Tara & Nalini aunty(s) to be the perfect siblings.
~ From Vani Pinni 1 – to be hard working, bubbly, and down to earth.
~ And from Vani Pinni 2 – to be fit & gorgeous & to sing like a lark!
~ To be fun loving and young at heart we have to learn from our sweet Balaji Uncle. To be undeterred in will and affectionate at heart like darling Amloo Atha.
~ Petite and charming we will learn to be like our healer, who still fits into my clothes(and I’m just 14!) our indispensable Khushali Maasi. To be Stylish and happening from Pranay Maasa we must learn.
~ And to be a rock of Gibralter through every trial, we’d like to learn from our cool dude Thatha, Mom’s Dad. To have a heart full of affection and a mind full of knowledge we shall learn from stories of our dearest Ammama.
~ And Hardik Mama…we would have loved to know you…from what our mom tells us, you were the heartiest human being ever! And from Madhu Maami we must learn to smile from the heart and remain dignified through the toughest of life’s tests.
~ And to all of Nainamma’s friends and our parents’ friends who have stood by them through thick & thin…from you we must learn the art, the science of undying friendship & loyalty.
~ Thank you Pratibha Aunty for encouraging us to write this down and to present it here today. And Prashanthi Aunty for teaching me how not to swallow my words.
~ From our dad – Naana – to be so fit that he can beat 13-year-old champs at a game of tennis even when he is 45. From our mom, to dance like a peacock in the rain.
~ From both mom & dad, we will learn to be the best parents in the world.
~ And from our most special Nainamma, thank you for always chatting with us, for telling us stories, for sharing with us. Thank you for teaching us these values, Nainamma. For those whom we haven’t mentioned, our sincere apologies……we have tried to remember all who we’ve met or heard about in the past few years!

And our most special toast to today’s special woman
Who is simply awesome, simply beyond compare!
She’s capable, she’s cool, she’s totally dependable!
How many people she’s helped is unimaginable!
But what’s so special about her is that through it all, she is so so very loveable!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAINAMMA!
That was 3 years ago. Today, here is a pot of hulipalya just for you my dearest Nain from your favorite cookbook “Cooking at Home with Pedatha” – I still remember how excited you were when Mom got this recipe right after one of her visits to Pedatha. As you might guess, I am going to ask Mom to add the recipe from the book, because honestly speaking, I’m not much of a cooking buff – after all, I am your granddaughter, my darling Nain .

Written by Avani Giri