My mother

Mother's name was Ammukutty Pisharasiar. She was a beauty in her young days. Achan fell in love with her and wanted to marry only her. He was correct in his selection and we must congratulate him because she was the epitome of all the goodness in the world. Like Devi Sahasranamam, if I had to attribute a thousand good qualities to a person, it would be my mother. She was beautiful, loving, noble, understanding, honest, and dutiful. I have never seen her upset or angry at anyone unnecessarily. She was intelligent and wanted to study even after her marriage. Achan (Father) completely agreed, and employed a teacher for her. She learned English too. I have seen her reading English novels even in her eighties.

Amma (Mother) respected all religions and was a SARVA MATHA believer. So naturally Swami liked her and gave her Padanamaskar, blessed her on the head in her eighties and gave her created Vibhuthi. I had the good fortune to take her for Sathya Sai darsan along with Kochechi who was her younger sister. Kochechi used to follow Amma like a shadow. Amma was very spiritual and chanted Devi Sahasranamam every day till the last days. I remember both Amma and Kochechi spending the early hours of the morning in the Pooja room every day, praying to a few Salagramas and Shivalingas and a SREECHAKRAM, very religiously. So our pooja room was like a temple, where Shashti pooja, Vavu pooja (every full moon day) and so on were celebrated. Navarathri was celebrated in detail, especially the last three days, with POOJA VEPPU etc. Amma's attitude to Rema was not like typical mother-in-laws. She considered her as her daughter and vice versa. Even though she delivered 14, each child was special to her as if he or she was the only child for her. 

Achan (Father) was almost totally dependent on her in his old age. I have watched her consoling him repeatedly. In the evenings, she would read Adhyathma Ramayanam for him, and I used to listen to it, too. I realised that I was able to come to Sai Padam (the Feet of Sai) because I was born to her. It was most tragic and unfortunate that she lost five daughters when she was in her prime. Our parents' earnest wish and prayers brought us another gem into this world - Kamakshi Chechi. After Father's death, we saw Mother's true capacity and power, when she took up the duties of the entire household and managed it in superlative fashion. 

After Father's death, the only income was from the paddy fields we owned. After land aquisition, we lost that income too. Amma found a way to finance my medical education. Achan was serving a Cochin king called Madiraasi theepetta Thamburan. Amma knew his wife Paarukutty Nethyaramma well. A recommendation was put to her and she was gracious enough to immediately order for payment of Rs 100 every month to me as a scholarship. I got this money till my course was completed. It was entirely mother's foresight that made this possible. After I passed medicine, Amma and I went and met Nethyaramma for expressing our gratitude, and I touched her feet in reverence. 

Amma was with Kamakshi chechi till I returned from the UK in December 1974. After that, she was with me till the end in 1985 at our home, "Sairam", at Calicut. Up to the end, Amma always did her Namasmarana in the morning, including Lalitha Sahasranamam.