Ugadi Pachadi

As a young girl I used to dread eating Ugadi Pachadi.And then ammama used to make pulihara and dahiwada.Death nail.I used to steal left over rice and eat pickle rice.Its so funny how what you ate when you were kids it really stays with you.In our recent visit to Pune I was amused to see how Rampriya, aigo and me have same habits.We all hate curds only buttermilk for us.All so how we all love rasam.So this year is `khara` means moon.Today there are lot people who predict how the year is going to be. This year is good for common man. Not good for Politicians.(more Scams?)Good mansoon,good crops.No earth quake and psunami in India.
So Happy Ugadi to one and all.

mahashivaratri

Tomorrow is MahaShivaratri.
Ammamma`s birthday.
Tata loved MahaShivaratri.So Ammama had to prepare Sabudana khichadi,Boiled sweet potato in sugar syrup and lots of fruits.

Maha Shiva Ratri and Tata

sitafal

When we were building this house we were renting Parkumars house.One time Daddy bought lots of Sitafals and on the way they all got crushed and were mass pulp of the same.Tata was visiting us over a weekend.So both Nanamma and tata said how can we waste the fruit,So they both sat and consumed entire amount.Now Sitafal is one fruit it is very difficult to digest if you are not careful.So next morning both of them were catching their Tummys and running to loo every few minutes cursing the fruit.
Nainamma and Tata were good friends.She always used to tease ammama for ill treating her friend.And they used to have friendly verbal fights about tata.

cricket

After Tata came back from Australia he was posted to Kolhapur.There we lived in an apartment.So one day Tata asked us if we understood cricket.We had never heard of such a game.So next day he went and bought a black board and chalks.He made us sit around it and explained us about the long leg,short leg, slip position, what was an over etc.After that we all became cricket match addicts.In those days there was only radio commentary.Prasanna, chandrashkhar etc were the bowlers and Sunil Gavaskar,Patudi. I can never forget those thrilling close finishing matches.Spinners were on the top those days.In the school we used to go to office to find out the score in between classes.

Photos

When we were in Kolhapur,Tata every year used to perform annual ceremony for his mother.Which meant Amma had to have a bath and cook specific food for the Brhamins.Vada,Allap pachadi,etc.Now these Brhamins were supposed to eat to their hearts content occasionally burping loudly,so that my grand mothers soul will be well fed! Unless they finished eating non of us could eat our lunch.Which meant we used to be starving since morning till late afternoon cursing those brhamins.So cute tata used to hide some Vadas and bring them in to bed room and give them to us.Amma used to get upset, but he will say they are children and how long can they wait.That was the greatness of Tata, balancing old ideas with modern ideas!

tatas return from Australia

Tata returned from Australia with a slide projector and lots of slides.I was the official operator of the machine.Tata used to give the running commentary.Intially I used to feel very important doing the job.After wards I used to avoid it.Then he had also brought lots of Tapes and a tape deck(spool player),And had methodically taped lots of music.I remember ~Autumn leaves`,Dave Brubeck,Etc.He also was given one beautiful velvet red color cloth with white lace by his professors wife for me.Khode the tailor made a lovely frock for me.Which was my favorite.Tata took us to Sambhaji Park and took photos.And of course we had Bhelpuri there.
Even When we were in Kolhapur every Sunday we used to go to udpi joint for breakfast and then Ice cream.I think it was called Salunke Ice cream.

Romantic at heart

Tata was to come back from Australia after all most four and half years.He regularly wrote letters to Ammama.I remember he asking amma to buy a sky blue sari and wear it when she came to receive him at bombay airport.We went and bought a cotton sky blue with delicate white boarder.We went to one of our friends house (Mr.Sonavane)I think Nanimama and self and ammamma went,do not know why aigo and r`mavshi did not come.

Aigo's Post from Facebook - Tata's Shastipurthi

26th January 1980, we moved to 236, Sind Society. That is exactly 31 years ago. Which means I have spent exactly half of my life here. Amazing 31 years, everything important and nice happened in this house. The very function we had was Tata's Shastipurti in October 1980. Every one was there and we had a great time.

Post #4 from Facebook via Nanimama

(Dr TKT). Tata was always Jolly and a family Man. He held himself to very high standards - both professionally, Morally and socially. He made friends easy. 
He worked as a CHILLY specialist in LAM farm near Guntur when the Andhra state was created and he opted for Maharashtra in the earstwhile Nizam state. He moved to Parbhani as a principal, agricultural college which he developed and in a very few years it was elevated to be a college. We had a cook ( Hamid Miya aka. Subraminiyam - since his father wasn't supposed to know the cook was a muslim!). Meat and Chicken were described as egg-fruit bhaji or curry ( ofcourse never served to his father). There were parties in our house for ever!. He was a very popular teacher and mentor. His friends were one Feroz (owned local theater), local IAS collecter's, One Dr Chari ( a local doctor who later designed Hyderabad apollo Hospital) and so on. Badminton was played in our grounds. He played Tennis in a club close by. Ammamma was a great sport and support. Yethiraji movedto Parbhani for a while and Radharaman was born in Parbhani. K babu, Pillamma pinni were frequent visitors and she fecilitated their union. Almost everyone visited us those days (1951-1957). I was away in Andhra persuing my studies, if you call them that!. Missed out on a lot, I must say.

Post #3 from Nanimama via Facebook

DR TKT: Tata studied in Taylor High School, Narsapur. The environment wasn't great for education those days. Tata's ancestors had lands stretching from TANUKu to Narsapur. With no income and upper caste style of living these were squandered and sold till hardly anything was left by the time Tata grew up. He studied MSc(AGL) in Coimbattor and further (MA) in Banares Hindu university. 
He was always a very generous and kind hearted man - to the extent of 'annoying' Ammamma I ofcourse it didn't take much to annoy her :). ( She was also extremely kind and sensitive to other's needs...and her annoyance was largely 'pretend'!). Life wasn't easy for her. While in Ramachandrapuram, her mother died in Amalapuram. So her father moved to Korukonda with Ayyengar, Rangayya, Chudamani, Ammani, Ramanujam, Rajyam ) but Amalapuram ata's brothers refused to care for them for too long. This brought out the BESt in Our TATA. He took all the kids ( girls) to Ramachandrapuram till Amalapuram tata remarried and set up a home again in Amalapuram. While in Gurajala, Aigo was born in Rentuchintala. When tata was studying in benares (with A Ravindernaath, now in Toronto) Chandu mavashi was born in Amalapuram.

Post #2 from Facebook

(DR TKT): One has to consider How different Tata's upbringing was in the context of the prevailing conditions and customs in Narsapuram. His father was born in Vizag ( in a traditional and pious family) but adopted by a childless couple in Narsapuram and thus became a T K ! TK people were rich. Being from Sri Vaishnavite families t...hey were revered by the kings and were 'gifted' entire villages. Gradually the families split up. Our Grand father led a sedentary life - visiting temples...not 'doing' anything much but Just 'being'. ( my philosophy too: Life is NOT about DOING but about 'BEING' !!!). His neighbour and cousin ( Subhadra's Husband RANGA's father) TK Ramanujacharyulu was a great Sanskrit Scholar. Tata's Dad wasn't that gifted. However he was the local temple trustee and was offered the 'Prathama Theertham' (holy water given first before others after Darshan). Tata was always 'spiritual' and by-passed the religious route somewhat. His thinking was more evolved and did not need such a route. He more like 'served' and 'sacrificed'. Made people laugh. He could relate to any age group!

Post #1 from Nanimama - the facebook post that started this whole thing

I am just copying from FB here so we don't lose this stuff:

----
Tata (Dr TKT ACHARYA) was born Aug 30, 1920. His father T K Narsimhachari and mother Sithamma. Tata was oldest of 6 sibblings. Sathakopam Babu, Ramu's dad), One sister who died young (her son CV Raman lives in Vizag and another died), K. Babu, Yethiraji atta and Alwar babu. 
Tata studied B S C Agriculture in Bapatla College. He and Ammamma married young. NANI MAMA (1944), RamaPriya mavashi(1946) were born. He worked in Ramachandrapuram and nearby places as an Agricultural Demonstator. By then he had lost his mother ( My Nayanamma). So Ammamma looked after Yethiraji and Alwar both just small kids then. Ammamma herself was very young ( born 1927). to be continued)

Way Tata travelled.

When Tata was in Parbhani,he had to travel sometimes on duty.So, a great meal was prepared then it was put in a Carrier box which had several layers of Dabbas.Biryani, chicken curry with parathas etc.was the minimum requirement.Then the bedding was prepared,in which a small matress was tucked in the bedding and proper bed sheet was spread.The pillows were tucked in which included a small pillow to keep in between knees as he claimed they poke him.Now one peon was deputed to travel with him.His duty was to at dinner time open the carrier spread out the meal with proper dinner plate glass of water etc,then wind up the meal.Spread the bedding `properly`(single mistake he was doomed).Ane then travel back to parbhani while Tata proceeded to his destination.

parbhani memories

Tata was teaching in Parbhani Agricultural college or school I am not sure.
On final exams time students used to come to him and begged him to give clues for possible questions in the exam paper.He will tell them come one hour before exam to my house and I will tell you the whole question paper.And really he used to read the whole question paper,and he used to say if they have not studied in one hour these kids will not have answers any way.

Parbhani memories.

Oops forgot to upload the picture. Here it is.

This must be again either Rahuri or Ahmednagar. You can see from right to left Tinu,Tata, Ammamma, Atta,Nanimama, me , Sonu,Pappu, Baba, CM with the dog may be Maggie and PM with Chunmun. Looks like Pappal was not there yet.I can not say exactly which year but must be some time between 1972 and 1973. Correct me if I am wrong.

This picture was taken in November 1965 at the time of our Engagement.At that time N family lived in 1229 Deccan Gymkhana.

Tata, Ammamma and Atta in a sugarcane farm in Rahuri

Around the same time this picture was taken either in Rahuri or Ahmednagar

I am not very sure about when this picture was taken, however I think it was Tatagaru's 75th Birthday in Rahuri.

pocket money.

When I was in college my friend will sometimes plan to go to canteen to eat dosa.I will not sure how much money I will have in my purse.But to my delight when I used to open my purse there will be lot of change there.Tata always secretly opened my purse without telling me and put what ever change he had in it.Mind you we were really hard up with money in those days.
In those days he was in Bombay working in SBI Nariman point.Every weekend he used to visit us in Pune.I really used to wait for him eagerly as he would go to road side shops and pick up tops and kurtas for me.
When ever he came home from out station he never came empty handed.I still remember he bringing Lahariya saris for three of us,I think they was pink,green and purple.I was 3/4 years then and we were in Parbhani.

PM`s Birthday.

Tata was admitted in ICCU.It was 20th January.And ammamma said `do you not remember it is papa`s birthday today.Wish him happy birthday.` And Tata said in this place I do not know if it is day or night,nor day o the week leave alone date!Then he wished PM/Dad happy birthday.He passed away on 22nd night/23rd early morning.For many years I could not face PM`s birthday as it followed Tata`s anniversary.Painful memories.

Jam or Disco?

I have so many memories of Tata but some of them stand out more than others. When I was in the first year at PICT he used to check in on my financial situation from time to time - the status was always the same I was always broke. One day he said Chunmun I will ask your mother for more pocket money. What are you going to use it for? Buying Jam or going to the disco? I nearly fell over laughing. Only the cutest grandfather in the whole universe could ask such a question.
Chun

what to say

I become wordless when it comes to talking about Tata and Ammama.We all were very lucky to have them in our lives.Probably I never realised how important they were till they left us.And now every day we miss them.There is that strange emptiness in my heart which I know will never fill up.How we take our own people for granted and forget to let them know how much they mean to us! I think all of us should make a special effort in everyday life to appreciate small things people do to help you.Like making a cuppa in the morning, all of us( including me )take it for granted.I know what tata will like the most.If we all learn to be civil to our loved once.We are always nice to outsiders and forget to be nice to close people in our lives.Apart from remembering him and ammama,,in this blog (which is by the way such a great idea),let us try to teach true values to children and learn them ourselves.
By for now,But I promise to put some nice story next time about them!

A warm welcome to T K affiliated family members

Yesterday , January 23rd, marked the 14th Anniversary of TATA's leaving us. Although he left us in physical form I, like you all, feel his reassuring spiritual presence all the time. I seek his blessings and even permission before taking up anything new. Of course I must be wearing him out with the number of new ventures I undertake, some impulsively and some well thought out! But I press on with the confidence and strength that he had imparted to me as he brought me up.

I am sure all of you have drawn and continue to draw similar strength from him and Ammamma as you progress in your lives.

Let this blog, so thoughtfully initiated by Chunmun, be a starting point of something new, of sharing and caring in this beautiful family of ours. Each one of you must have a beautiful story
or stories to tell about tata and Ammamma.

That would be the best tribute we all can offer to the two great souls who shared and were part of our life's journey.