Like father, like daugther.. Love father
(Long Time Ago…)
It was already late. I looked at the clock in the hall. It said eleven. My brother, my mother and I were all waiting to see my dad… after nearly six months! My dad was in a transferable job and he rarely visits. My dad used to stay close to my heart only through the trunk calls he used to make when I was in my school. He always claimed that he had electronic media device fitted in my classroom, bathroom and house and hence all my actions will be recorded. I used to believe this until I was in 9th standard! How dumb!! My dad predicts almost everything I did. It was then I realized I’m typically like my dad. I had the skills of humour, leadership, communication, ego and pride, everything I did was a reflection of what my father did in the past.
Days passed, I finished School and decided to study in the prestigious College, GCT, Coimbatore. Now it was my turn to stay away from my family. We always had only 3 members in our family, either father or I moved in and out due to studies and profession. Appa wrote me many letters, and each letter was sent to me with a DD or cheque. Never did I have any regrets or complaints. But his letters were loud and clear, I still remember one of those letters which said:
“Kannama, please make sure you don’t strain, try not to get low marks but make sure you get at least the high marks!! Stay focused. Eat fruits not Junk foods.
Rest in Next,
Yours everloving father,
Venugopal”
I knew my dad loved me a lot but we were always at loggerheads in home arguing, finding fault with each other in English grammar usage, social views, etc. My father wanted me to become an IAS officer and I am still trying my best to stay focused on it.
After I joined inautix, I learnt how stressful job could be for a chief engineer like my dad recollecting the times when I used to ask my manager umpteen number of questions!
Currently I’m doing my MBA from University of Madras; I spent most of the time observing people and analyzing relationships during my bus travel.
Father… This was the first relationship that formed the moment I was born. I know my dad doesn’t like me being short and dark yet he loves me for being bold and smart. I remember the days when he made me sit on his lap and hold my palm around a pencil and teach me to write and he always ended up writing himself while my mother kept reminding him of the Ultimate Objectives (like a top manager) that it’s Asha who needs to write not appa!!
I remember the day when he slapped on my back and my thighs when I got my name’s spelling wrong in LKG (PUSHPA BHAGYAM TRV, such a big name.. phew!!) while studying in Mount Carmel School, Patna and mathematics wrong in class 5 (@ Velammal MHSS, Chennai). May be that’s the reason why I concentrated more on maths and at least scored 200/200 in my 8th standard if not later! (LOL)
The time when he bought me garlic chicken and made sure I get the lion’s share and declared “Pennai potri valakanum, aanai adithu valakanum (treat a girl with love and kind, while a boy with anger and stick)” still lingers in my mind. (But my dad treated my brother and me equally but for his words!!)
Every day he used to wake us up by 5am during exam and when the mosque head hails “Tholugaiku neram aanuthu, elorum tholugai seiya vaarungal…. (time to pray, all men come to pray!), my dad used to modify and say “Padippuku neram aanathu, padika elundhu varungal (time to study, get up to study) and in a count of 3 if we don’t get up, he’ll come and beat us. Sometimes, harsh treatments do work!
My father was from a Tamil medium school, Udayarpalayam (Ariyalur Dt.) and the only property he had until he finished college was 1 aluminium vessel at home. Poverty, hunger, discrimination have all been his reasons for struggle yet he overcame it all. He had a passion for English. He used to always sing this rhyme for which he won a dictionary in his class 5.
“Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and Cockle Shells
And pretty maids all in a row”
He used to conduct spelling tests, gives me random objects and he’ll ask me to speak on it for 2 minutes, it’s my dad who motivated and challenged me so much on English that I always made sure I speak good English better than my father. He is the man behind my success whenever I win competitions in school, college, office and university.
Today I sense my father being reflected in different occasions by different men as follows:
A father giving 5 rupees to his child and says “Buy Maggi and eat, dear!”
A father who kisses his child while lifting his daughter seated on the petrol tank of his Royal Enfield bike,
A father who buys Hajmola to his child from a medical shop,
A father who holds his daughter’s hands while crossing the road,
A father who speaks in different languages whenever he gets transferred to a new city!
A father who takes his children to planetarium,
A father who reads newspaper and discusses the issue with his child (child with no knowledge on the subject) and asks her to react,
A father who gives complete freedom to his daughter and teaches her to be independent by sending her far away from home to hostel/PG/Room,
A father who calls his daughter to enquire about her exams, eating habits but the actual reason is to find whether she took bath and to check if she is still sleeping!
A father who cries at another friend’s daughter’s wedding being reminded of his only daughter!
A father who sings Tamil and Hindi duet songs with his daughter lying on the terrace floor under the moonlight,
A father who asks umpteen numbers of questions and distracting his daughter from watching the movie,
A father who comments that his daughter looks gorgeous despite the reason that she feels it is an exaggeration!
A father who scolds for being with the mobile and internet all the time,
A father who has a round fat belly yet manages to lift his daughter off the floor as she holds his biceps around (in his 50s),
A father who asks his daughter to cut her hair because he feels growth of hair is hindering her physical growth in height!
A father who trusts and loves his daughter so much and feels so proud while telling to others about her!
My father… I love him… Appa… neenga en gundappa.. Papa… mein aapko bahuth miss karthi hoon!
Love,
Asha
(PS: This article is dedicated to my father, Mr. T.R.Venugopal, BE., MBA., LLB., FIE., FIV., PGDCM., (PhD) who’s currently working as Chief Engineer, LIC(I), Chennai)
It was already late. I looked at the clock in the hall. It said eleven. My brother, my mother and I were all waiting to see my dad… after nearly six months! My dad was in a transferable job and he rarely visits. My dad used to stay close to my heart only through the trunk calls he used to make when I was in my school. He always claimed that he had electronic media device fitted in my classroom, bathroom and house and hence all my actions will be recorded. I used to believe this until I was in 9th standard! How dumb!! My dad predicts almost everything I did. It was then I realized I’m typically like my dad. I had the skills of humour, leadership, communication, ego and pride, everything I did was a reflection of what my father did in the past.
Days passed, I finished School and decided to study in the prestigious College, GCT, Coimbatore. Now it was my turn to stay away from my family. We always had only 3 members in our family, either father or I moved in and out due to studies and profession. Appa wrote me many letters, and each letter was sent to me with a DD or cheque. Never did I have any regrets or complaints. But his letters were loud and clear, I still remember one of those letters which said:
“Kannama, please make sure you don’t strain, try not to get low marks but make sure you get at least the high marks!! Stay focused. Eat fruits not Junk foods.
Rest in Next,
Yours everloving father,
Venugopal”
I knew my dad loved me a lot but we were always at loggerheads in home arguing, finding fault with each other in English grammar usage, social views, etc. My father wanted me to become an IAS officer and I am still trying my best to stay focused on it.
After I joined inautix, I learnt how stressful job could be for a chief engineer like my dad recollecting the times when I used to ask my manager umpteen number of questions!
Currently I’m doing my MBA from University of Madras; I spent most of the time observing people and analyzing relationships during my bus travel.
Father… This was the first relationship that formed the moment I was born. I know my dad doesn’t like me being short and dark yet he loves me for being bold and smart. I remember the days when he made me sit on his lap and hold my palm around a pencil and teach me to write and he always ended up writing himself while my mother kept reminding him of the Ultimate Objectives (like a top manager) that it’s Asha who needs to write not appa!!
I remember the day when he slapped on my back and my thighs when I got my name’s spelling wrong in LKG (PUSHPA BHAGYAM TRV, such a big name.. phew!!) while studying in Mount Carmel School, Patna and mathematics wrong in class 5 (@ Velammal MHSS, Chennai). May be that’s the reason why I concentrated more on maths and at least scored 200/200 in my 8th standard if not later! (LOL)
The time when he bought me garlic chicken and made sure I get the lion’s share and declared “Pennai potri valakanum, aanai adithu valakanum (treat a girl with love and kind, while a boy with anger and stick)” still lingers in my mind. (But my dad treated my brother and me equally but for his words!!)
Every day he used to wake us up by 5am during exam and when the mosque head hails “Tholugaiku neram aanuthu, elorum tholugai seiya vaarungal…. (time to pray, all men come to pray!), my dad used to modify and say “Padippuku neram aanathu, padika elundhu varungal (time to study, get up to study) and in a count of 3 if we don’t get up, he’ll come and beat us. Sometimes, harsh treatments do work!
My father was from a Tamil medium school, Udayarpalayam (Ariyalur Dt.) and the only property he had until he finished college was 1 aluminium vessel at home. Poverty, hunger, discrimination have all been his reasons for struggle yet he overcame it all. He had a passion for English. He used to always sing this rhyme for which he won a dictionary in his class 5.
“Mary Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and Cockle Shells
And pretty maids all in a row”
He used to conduct spelling tests, gives me random objects and he’ll ask me to speak on it for 2 minutes, it’s my dad who motivated and challenged me so much on English that I always made sure I speak good English better than my father. He is the man behind my success whenever I win competitions in school, college, office and university.
Today I sense my father being reflected in different occasions by different men as follows:
A father giving 5 rupees to his child and says “Buy Maggi and eat, dear!”
A father who kisses his child while lifting his daughter seated on the petrol tank of his Royal Enfield bike,
A father who buys Hajmola to his child from a medical shop,
A father who holds his daughter’s hands while crossing the road,
A father who speaks in different languages whenever he gets transferred to a new city!
A father who takes his children to planetarium,
A father who reads newspaper and discusses the issue with his child (child with no knowledge on the subject) and asks her to react,
A father who gives complete freedom to his daughter and teaches her to be independent by sending her far away from home to hostel/PG/Room,
A father who calls his daughter to enquire about her exams, eating habits but the actual reason is to find whether she took bath and to check if she is still sleeping!
A father who cries at another friend’s daughter’s wedding being reminded of his only daughter!
A father who sings Tamil and Hindi duet songs with his daughter lying on the terrace floor under the moonlight,
A father who asks umpteen numbers of questions and distracting his daughter from watching the movie,
A father who comments that his daughter looks gorgeous despite the reason that she feels it is an exaggeration!
A father who scolds for being with the mobile and internet all the time,
A father who has a round fat belly yet manages to lift his daughter off the floor as she holds his biceps around (in his 50s),
A father who asks his daughter to cut her hair because he feels growth of hair is hindering her physical growth in height!
A father who trusts and loves his daughter so much and feels so proud while telling to others about her!
My father… I love him… Appa… neenga en gundappa.. Papa… mein aapko bahuth miss karthi hoon!
Love,
Asha
(PS: This article is dedicated to my father, Mr. T.R.Venugopal, BE., MBA., LLB., FIE., FIV., PGDCM., (PhD) who’s currently working as Chief Engineer, LIC(I), Chennai)
Comments
thanks for such a wonderfull post which cherished my child remembrance !!!!
“I finished School and decided to study in the prestigious College, GCT, Coimbatore.”
:) GrEAT
I am really impressed.
This moment, the harsh people towards their parents too should think about them & I pray god that they should bring them back if they are left all alone in some "OLD-AGE HOMES".
Regards
Bharath