5/100 #100sareepact
Grew up in a HUGE house, joint family of 16 members. My parents, 3 uncles, 3 aunts, 2 sets of grandparents and whole lot of cousins. The house always used to be packed with people, fun and action. On Sunday’s while watching Ramayana on TV with many other neighbors joining us, it would be as if we are sitting in a theater. Our backyard had lot of trees of fruits and flowers. I would climb one of them and hide while we played hide and seek.
All was well until it came to studies. Homework was a pain and I would perpetually get punished for not completing it. After a lot of coaxing I would sit with my work, and I knew the exact escape route too. Come up with some doubt when mum was busy in the kitchen, she will ask me to check with dad, dad would be in his home office with my other uncles, he would ask me to check with my aunt, my aunt would send me to my uncle and uncle in turn would send me back to my mum. After finishing a full circle I would run to the backyard to resume my play wink emoticon but, sometimes I would get caught. My granny, a fascinating story-teller, a badmintom champ, a member of civil disobedience movement, president of vanita samaj and a contestant to state education minister post of free India. She was one person everyone looked up to. She would catch me mid way and ask me what was my doubt and that my girls, that was the most terrifying moment for me. She would then not only clear every doubt that i could conceive of, but also sit with me for hours and go through every subject and every note book.
So today’s post is dedicated to the lady who inspired me endlessly with her intellect, love, strength, wisdom and grit, my grand mother, Smt. Nayana Walavalkar.

The Saree I wore to work day before yesterday, is from my granny’s pile. This was her style, a typical solhapuri Saree with white blouse. Miss you maa-aaji