My Grandmother Mariyamma Chacko Chakkalathara. turned 90

When the schools closes for the long vacations, me and my sister we always wanted someone from my mother’s house to come and take us to My grandmother house. She used to stay in a place called Kainakari in Alappuzha district. the only mode of transport to this place was boat at that service. We used to go in the government boat and then a small stretch we need to cover in a rowing boat (kadathu vallam). then for around half a kilometer we will have to reach Chakkalathara family house. The house is in a peninsula where the vattakayal in the front and two small canals on both the sides of the property. to reach the house from either side we need to walk on one of the one feet wide bridge, a bridge made of one single wooden block.(ottathadi palam).

There were lots of mango trees in different verities near the house. and we used to pluck , eat lots of mangoes in this period. any dish that she prepares was tasty. In such vacations I used to get Avalose unda, a sweet made of rice, with coffee in the evenigns from her. Now she is staying with her grandson in Trisure district. She was married to a farmer (my grandfather, Chackochan Chakkalathara, who owned around 100 para paddy field and 50 acres of rubber plantation at the age of 15.

But both of them lived a very simple life.

They have six children out of which my mother is the eldest, my mother had two brothers and three sisters. The last 22nd of Aug, me my mother, my brother, my wife and my child went to see her in Trichure.
She has just turnd 90. a few months back. She felt very happy seeing all of us. When we were about to go and asked her permission to go, she said. "Alright, would you stay back if I ask you to"? I could actually see that she is missing all her children and grand children. It was not that easy for her now. with age she feels that it is important to see children and her grand children. She is one of the most loving person I have ever seen. My father the first person I love in the world loves her like his own mother. He has told this many times to us. She now lives with the help of a walking stick.