My mother in law

Last month was a pretty bad month for me - both in official and personal terms. While I was on my business travel triggered by an emergency situation of my business being at risk, I had to return back urgently to India as my mother in law was battling for her life.

With Gods grace, both my self and my husband could travel from different parts of US to be with her for at least one and half days before she breathed her last.

This is a tribute to her - Not because she is my mother in law - but being a Very Great Woman she was. It is a tribute to all those women who silently struggle to bring up their kids and retain a family value in all that they done.

She was a treasure trove of information. She was 84 when she died, but what an intelligent brain she had. It became frustrating for us to answer her intelligent questions. She was an avid reader of books, magazines and news paper. She could tell what was happening in US markets to my husband just by reading the Tamil newspaper.

She lost her husband when her kids where in school and college. Of course, being a person coming from a landed family, she wasnt exactly in poverty, but she had to ward against the schemes of others to take over the lands. She individually managed the farming activities. When her body was kept outside the house before she could be taken to the cremation grounds, the whole village irrespective of all the caste came to pay homage to her. This showed the high esteem she has earned with one and all - despite coming from a conservative brahmin family and not stepping out of the house at all. How many people she would have helped in their times of need - whether feeding them when they are hungry or helping them with money for their studies or children's education or giving help for the marriage as well as conducting many a functions of others in her house. In all these times, she was fair to all the people rich or poor. She doesn't have the habit of gossiping at all, in fact we were feeling little bit unhappy with her because she didn't even confide in her children. She used to keep everything bottled up within her.

In all, she lived a Royal life, died in royal manner ( with all the relatives coming and seeing her during her final days) and all her after death rituals being performed in a royal manner by her sons and daughters.

I miss her very much, as she was keeping me much above her own daughters. She was even discussing the kind of stress and tension and the troubles I undergo at this age because of the business needs with my father feeling very concerned with my travel when I was having viral infection. In fact, every time I spoke to her from US, her concern was about my food and my travel only.

One thing I dont like in our Hindu religion is the fact that women who lose their husbands are considered to be unlucky and inauspicious. But they are the ones who serve their husbands and the family till their last breadth without getting any recogniziton from the society. While giving even a small amount of Rs. 5.00 to an woman with an husband is considered to be auspicious, it is considered to be unlucky if you see an widowed woman.. What a foolish thinking it is. These are the people who needed to admired.

What a woman she was and she is. My salutations and to Her and all such women of this world, who are the unsung heroes of our society.

May she be happy in Heaven