Chandy

Saturday, November 11, 2006

This was in January 1948. My parents had come to Bombay to visit us. But the main purpose of their visit was to receive my younger sister, who was returning from England after completing a 2 year course in Meteorology (I expect I am correct).

We took my parents sightseeing around Bombay. (The picture above was taken at the Malabar Hill gardens during their visit.) On one of the days we were in the area of the Gateway of India, when we heard some commotion and the streets started emptying. Everybody was buying the newspapers a vendor was selling. My husband too rushed back with a newspaper and said that Gandhiji had been shot and that we must get back home immediately as there would be trouble. With 2 young children it was worrying. My husband somehow managed to get a taxi and got us home safely.

The next day the whole city seemed to be dead. There was no movement on the road and everything was silent. But my sister was arriving that day. Her ship would be coming in.

We did not possess any vehicle. But my husband went and fetched her. I do not how my husband managed to reach the ship and bring my sister back home. She could not bring her luggage with her though. The luggage was only collected much later when things started returning to normal.

# posted by R C @ 8:00 am

Comments:

Oh Mummy that was beautiful!

# posted by

Kochukandhari : 10:32 am

Were there any riots in Bombay in connection with Gandhiji's death?
Did you ever meet Gandhi when he was alive?
Did you take part in the Freedom struggle?

# posted by

Geets : 3:11 pm

Hi Chandy, I am enjoying reading all your posts. It must have been a scarry time. Glad everyone was kept safe.
Love your stories from when you were younger. They help me understand what growing up in your country was like.
Hope you are feeling much better.

# posted by

Dotm : 7:15 am

Hello Chandy, Just had to stop by and see how you were doing. I took a spill last week and now have to write with one finger at a time and with my left hand till my right arm heals. but I still came to see if you had posted any new stories from your past. You are such a talented writer, your stories are so interesting to read. It had to be so much harder living in your country years ago.
Wishing you all the best.

# posted by

Dotm : 3:49 am

I just chanced upon this blog.Ammachi,(I use this term with respect..if my grandma was alive she would have been older than you) this is a great effort.I encourage you to write more.Because this generation is going to pass away or has already done so.hardly some remain. with your blog,these experiences are passed on to coming generations who are totally ignorant of lives and times in pre-independdence.and the best think is its out in cyber space so its not just within your family!!
My ammachi also settled in Tvm in hte 20s and 30s so have heard of some such in my childhood.I still have some ottakashu and other relics from that era.

God take care of your health!
Good luck and keep posting as long as you can!!
displaced

# posted by

Anonymous : 3:57 am

Hello Chandy, I am dropping in to see hiow you are doing. Hope you are feeling much better.
I am still going for therapy, but doing much better. I am hoping you are doing much better also.
Have a wonderful New Year. Thinking of you and wishing you the best.

# posted by

Dotm : 10:09 pm

Hi Chandy, are you still able to read the posts here? Just wanted you to know you are not forgotten and i pray you are doing better. Wishing you better health for the coming year.

# posted by

Dotm : 6:42 am