7th Octogenerian Meet

The 7th octogenarian MEET was attended by VC Kamala, S Ramanujam, S Srinivasan, Kanakam, Kamakshi, Saraswathi all of them past their 80s.

' I fight for good roads and tree lined avenues,and good governance' says Kamakshi MAMIwho is 83years old and still fights for all her basic rights with the corporation.She is the oldest member of the Timelife group,besides being a co founder of the NGO 'nizhal'she also is a founder member of DIgnity club for senior citizens.She was an inspiration to my friend and me,she is full of entusiasm for life cheerful and full of zest.
Gandhimathi pati, as I like to call her,who is all of 84 years old is a musician ,who has learned from stalwarts and has performed for dances ,sung bajans,and given katha kalakshepams.She never fails to give us a performance .We see and learn from her a whale of values like confidence,a spirit to never give up ,(she wants to teach even now)good cheer and a willing ear.

Srinivasan mama , 87 years old, is full of information , very alert, and has a good memoryof dates and has a great sense of humour.

Saraswathy mami,though past 80 is just' mami' to us.she has a lot to narrate as the wife of a police official.

Ramanujam who served the Central government defence department is also 88years old,has a lot experiences to narrate and a wide range of events to recall from.

Kamala krishnaswamy hailing from a very distinguished family in Mylapore is also 90 years old and has a wealth of tales to tell.

The topic this time chosen by one of the octogenarians was ;'an event ,unforgettable and in which he or she has been involved.'
So started the tales.............
Kamala mami recalled the times when Olcott durai visited her grandfather VC Seshachari, a leading advocate, and howh er grandfather donated the entire Beasant gardens to the theosophist movement...and more interestingly how her grandfather was excommunicated when he lifted the body of Olcott durai.......some philanthropist he was.........

Saraswathy mamy bent over with laughter when she told us of the times when a thief entered her house and when he was about to slide away with a lot of booty , happened to see her husabands police uniform hanging in the hall, and in terror dropped everything and ran away.

Gandhimathy pati remmembered the time when she had a 25 day old baby and had to perform on stage and despite a lot of pressure she went to a friends house and dressed up for the performance and came back successfully....she is full of life and mischief...this one.....

Srinivasan mama had a different tale to tell.Once when he happened to visit Baroda on official work he also visited Dhakoor nearby.There he met a Sadhu who spoke to him in Telugu ,to his friend in Bengali and to
another colleague in Gujarathi.
What was amazing to him was the fact that this man was breaking his fast 'mouna vratham'and these three friends were chosen for that purpose and the Sadhuwas none other than the Sankaracharya of Dwaraka.Srinivasan mama believes that everything has a design behind it and all is predestined.sO BE IT......

Ramanujam or more fondly called Jam......had a very memorable experience,very much unforgettable to him.He visited the Kanchi Paramacharya at Sattara and to his surprise the Acharya came nearer a window from where he nodded to Ramanujam.......not understanding the significance our man just went his way....two years later he was persuaded togo to Kancipuram with his friend whereupon he saw a hall full of vegetables being offered to the Math and the Neiveli Group of engineers who offered the vegetables were all waiting for a dharshan of the Paramacharya. Ramanujam and his friend were also waiting in the hall quite well hidden by some pillars and quite content to stay there.
The Acharya came walking holding onto a 'vandi'and thenwalked very fast to where the vegetables were kept.With childlike joy he touched every vegetable feeling them and enjoying their texture,and then His Holiness sat himself down near a pillar.Looking around him he beckoned with his hand and then sent some of his sishyas to call upon Ramanujam.....who could not believe it.he called him and again nodded to him and gestured as if he was saying 'is all well with you?'Ramanujam was dumbstruck as it were, but felt the presence of a great person and also a more distinctly superior being and, more in awe, could not say anything.What he could not understand was ,that he had hitherto never set his eyes on th e Paramacharya and his constant question has been 'why me' and whatwas the message?...............

Well, we had a delicious tiffin of idli chutney and sonpapdi and coffee.The evening came to an end with everyone looking happyand some of them lost in thoughts recent and past.......and of course all of them asking about the next meet...which is what makes it all happen ......their spirit!!!!

vasumathy