Susheela Jadhav was 94 when she passed away of cancer on March 2 2009.
I never knew much about her, my Grand Aunt except that she was different. The word "different" was not that well regarded in the Matungan middle class Maharshtrian morality. In her fifties in 1970's, she was a picture of firmness combined with a wry sense of humour and correctness. But, above all "correctness" defined her - everything had to be in line, correct and must be completed. She was the last generation not grafted genetically into the internet and indeed the modern media. She had no Facebook, she did not blog or declare something to be del.i.cious or digg anything nor did she flickr. Yet , being the I_Am-Standing_Erect_And_Correct , she managed to live life beautifully, traveled far, and spent time and pleasured in the company of family and friends, what we call "hanging out". She loved travel, she carried her masale ande and tikhat puri, added Indian Railways to her Favourites list as she criss crossed India. Her mutton biryani was something of a family treasure and if she was better humoured, she could be the Julia Child of Matunga. Her end was a time warp, a sudden silence , save for a flickering eyelash and a deep breath of the mountains. This she could not have sent on a twitter.
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5 comments:
Hi YP, have you on my blogroll so get updates when you post (which is infrequent, do it more - grand aunt notwithstanding!).
Sorry to hear about your grand aunt.
Dear Yashu,
What a lovely eulogy to dear Susheelaji.
I found your descriptions of her uprightness and humour so apt and it jogged my memories of that sparse sitting room in Matunga.
I never tasted her mutton biryani, but I do remember her sukhe jinge which she would make in enough batches for us to take some home back to Canada.
The last few lines were very moving, evoking tragedy and tranquility at the same time.
Nitin
Hi Yashu,
I enjoy your blog! Sorry you couldn't make it to Victoria. Nice memories of Susheela Aji.
When I think of her I remember her strength and tough warmth, and can see her carrying steaming pots of boiling water from the kitchen for our baths.
One of my favorite memories is seeing Susheela Aji, along with a few other Aji's and Kakas and Atyas staying up late drinking whiskey and playing bridge and having a rowdy time in the Matunga living room. They sure knew how to have fun!
Manju
Beautiful. Thank you for bringing our Great Aunt back, if only in memory. You knew her far better than we US Bhapkars did.
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