Padmachechi

In my childhood, I hadn't gone out of Thrissur. The first trip was in a train with Rajappachettan, I think, to Thrippunithura. Padmachechi was there in Banglavil Kovilakam as she had married into the Cochin royal family to Banglavil Thampuran. Rajappan (Rajagopalan) and Vijayalekshmi were their children. Rajappachettan was 3 years and Vijayachechi was 11 years elder to me. Rajappachettan showed me  all around that place, enthusiastically. We went one day to Ernakulam to see the beach - I was seeing the sea for the first time and was thrilled. We had darsan at Poornathrayeesa temple and also a speedy look around the Hill Palace where my parents had stayed and worked for 14 years a long time before that. Thampuran had food separately made by a Kuttysami (a Brahmin) and served separately, and separate bathing arrangements, too. A very aristocratic style. Thamburan would wear Poonool (Yajnopavita thread) as a Kshathriya. My sleeping arrangements were with Rajappachettan and Vijayachechi. Padmachechi looked after all my needs, still I started to feel homesick and Vijayachechi began to make fun of me. Finally, I decided to go back to Thrissur.

 

At another time when I visited them, I was taken to see Temple utsavam (festival) with shows like Pokkaali, Ottan Thullal and Kathakali. I was excited when Rajappachettan told me in detail all the secrets of those shows. This time,  I stayed with them for a few days - no homesickness.

 

The next trip to Kovilakam was for Chechi's blessings, when I was going for the first time to Trivandrum by bus to join Medical College. She was very happy and stitched a separate inside pocket on my shirt (or baniyan?) to make it safe for me to travel at night by bus. Chechi was so loving. By now you must have noted that I called both my sisters Chechi. 

Padmachechi was similar to my brother Machettan - very sathwik and pure, very saintly, never hurting anybody even in thought. She enjoyed music and knew quite a lot about music literature. A Bhagawathar used to teach her music, even at this age. Vijayachechi also was a musician, and was that Bhagawathar's student. Chechi also played violin. Her violin was there in Thrissur even after her death. 

After Thampuran died, Chechi had a very difficult time. She was already a chronic asthma patient. She lost a lot of money, taking loans for Thampuran's treatment. The Bungalow itself had to be sold and she moved to our house in Thrissur. She remained there till she died - Amma (Mother) was still alive then. She had mild Alzheimers in the end along with asthma. She also lost all her deposits which were in the Palai Central Bank when it went bankrupt. A very tragic end to a Goddess of love and compassion.

 

Vijayachechi's wedding was celebrated on a large scale in Sakthan Thampuran's old palace as I wrote before. Her husband Kochaniyan chettan was my father's nephew. He was in the Indian Bank, and worked in Singapore during the second World War. I remember him coming in a cycle rickshaw in a full suit and Vijayachechi waiting behind the wall in the evening just to see him before the wedding.

 

Rajappachettan had an easy end. He was about to go outside when he suddenly had chest pain and collapsed. He was mildly hypertensive and had chronic renal failure. He and Indira have one daughter and one son. Daughter Mini married Manu of BSNL, where she also worked. Son Unni (Jayakrishnan) is a Nephrologist in Brunei and his wife Indu a gynaecologist. Their son is a Medical student in the UK.

 

Vijayachechi's sons Jayanarayanan and Rammohan are working in the US. Her daughter Renjini is married to RV Pisharoty as I mentioned earlier. They live in Ahmedabad with one son who is a computer engineer. Dr Renjini works at a hospital - she is popular, and patients like her. She visits Thrissur occasionally. Her husband's relatives have been in Ahmedabad for years. Renjini was Vijayachechi's pet. She remembers most of our family history more than anyone else.