Photos

My Maternal Grandfather - Shri K.S.Subramaniam, Music Teacher, Nellissery, Palghat


I remember Smt. Visalakshy (Chithammai) telling me about her short life with her father.
She was of age10 or 11 when he died, and the mother had died earlier. The two elder sisters, Ankichi (Parameswaran's mother) and Singari had been married and moved out. He took as good care of Chithammai as possible, and got the support of his widowed sister, who had no issues.

In fact, after my mother's marriage at 12 or 13 years, when she came to the Kalpathy house, not knowing anything at all about being a house-wife etc., Athappaatti, as she was called came to support my mother. And, she did an amazing job of homogenising the already large family of 4 children and my father. My father, who rarely complimented any outsider, had wholesome praise of her and her love and caring attitudes.

My Thatha (Chithammai’s father) died suddenly. He might have been around 45 - 50 then, and all that was available were the house, a Harmonium and a Violin - he was a music teacher in the Dist. Board schools. Athapatty and Chithammai came back to their ancestral home in Nellissery - Palghat.

My father was the Village astrologer for Nellissery, and had lost his wife in small-pox epidemic. There were 4 children to look after, and he had to be moving and away to carry on his profession. It was a desperate situation for both my father and my mother (who was under the care of my uncle who was the Village Vadhyar) and the aristocratic village elders brought about their marriage, which itself was a simple, morning affair. My father had told me that he spent Rs.50 for the marriage and brought her home. And, my mother brought all the prosperity, which my father explored across South India. He was famous as the Palghat Josier, expert in predictive astrology and Prasnams. On several occasions, I had seen him in action, at Josier House upstairs, stunning visitors with astonishing predictions .
Chithammai never, ever, asked anything for herself. She accepted my father, 27 years older than her, a daughter (Pahi), older than her, Manian (same age), and Raman and Krishnan, too young, as if everything was very natural. She loved all of them very very dearly. They all reciprocated this love totally, and many of you would have seen and heard about this.

Thatha, I have heard, was a very, very upright person, would never hurt. I have seen these qualities in Chithammai, and her two sisters, who were very fond of her. I feel very very proud of this family background.

For my Matriculation English, I studied a poem ON THE RECEIPT OF MY MOTHER'S PICTURE (William Cowper), and receipt of this picture kindled in me thoughts of my ancestry. I felt like recording these tit-bits for all of you to know how gently touched I am, seeing my grand-father in picture. Love to all of you.
Appa
K.V.Narayanmurti