Vijima...............

I am forced to write another tribute within a span of 19 months. It is a very hard feeling. People who have read my previous tribute would have had tears in their eyes. But here, I am hoping to keep you smiling, long after you have read this. This is mainly because, my mom hates sorrow. Hates to see us cry. She lived to see our smiles. No way am I going to make this blog against her wish. If she is seeing this from somwhere, I want her to smile!!

On the 20th of March 1953, God decided to give this world a lovely child, who was called Vijayalakshmi (later known as Vijaya Kannan), born to a couple, Swami Iyer and Meenakshi Ammal, in Trivandrum, Kerala. One year later, she had a brother. Losing her father at avery young age, she learnt to take up all difficulties with a smile. Her life blossomed again, when she married to Kannan, in her 17th year. She was to realise that hardship continued to follow her when she lost her first born child - a girl within a year of her birth. Probably these hardships laid foundation to a different lady in her - one with sheer determination, optimistic and more than all a fighter who hates to quit. She started to lead a life with constant fights within and a blissful smile outwardly.

To anyone, Parents are always the best, even if they fall in love with someone else. There is no alternate for parents. But I feel my mom was the best among the best. She was not just a mother. After I came into my teens, I started calling her "Vijaya" instead of Mommy. Many people was against it. But my mom said "Yes, you should call me that, because I want to be your friend first and then a Mother". I dont remember those days, when my mom was just a mother. One can always find her among all friends of my brother and mine. I used to feel very jealous......you know why?? my friends were more "Friends" with my mom than with me!!

I used to have chat friends. And I used to arrange to meet them as well. On one such event, my friend and I had arranged to meet with 2 guys, who had come to Chennai from Europe. Isnt it typical for any Indian mom to say....."Oh my God!!!Meeting a guy??AAhhaaaa....Ohhhoooo" Yes, many of my friends would end up not even telling their Mothers to avoid such dialogues. But my mom was no mom!!!She was my friend!! She said "You act up as Vidhya (One of my close friends) and let Vidhya be you, and let us see if they see u r cheating. You dont own up until they find out!!!! From that day, those 2 guys were her fans.

My mom was working for Adyar Times. This means she was well known. Which means my Principal knew her well and had her number with her. But this didnt stop me from bunking college. I can hear you asking me how!!!again!! I bring my mom into this plot. I tell her.."Viji, I am bunking class, If my princi calls, u pls manage" She would dutifully tell my principal that I am unwell and thats why I left college early.

My mom was gifted with lovely features. And many people underestimated her age. Should I mention?? She loved this. She also knew that I dont like the attention she got. You know what she did? She would always dress up smartly whenever we both went out. She would chat with people whom we never met earlier and finally introduce me as her daughter. Smart little creature!!!! Automatically those people would say "Oh!!You have such a big daughter??? I actually thought she was you sister!!" my God!!!!How she would gloat at that time!!!!

Mommy loved to write. But she never had enough time to give it a go. Once in her initial stage of her career, she was asked to submit her reports on a daily basis. She made wonderful use of her writing talent in this. God knows who read it and what they would have thought, but she would care a damn and start her report like "What a lovely weather to start my day!!! The sky is at the best not so dull to make me sad and not too bright to make me sweat." - and this was in her report on how many students enrolled in that particular insitute she was attached to, on that day.

She never shied away from any new technology, like many at her age do. She never liked to say " I dont know". She would somehow master the technologies. When I got married, communication became a costly affair as I live in the Emirates. Can she be without talking to me? She immediately mastered the art of chatting online. I would be chatting with her and her replies would be slow (I am talking about her initial chatting days). I would wonder what is wrong. Then she would tell me she is busy. I wonder why and she would candidly tell me "Oh I am chatting with this, this and this person" My God!!! How stupid of me to think I was her only Chat friend??? At one time, her messenger list was much bigger than mine.

When my whole family started using the facebook, she was already suffering. Inspite of that she wanted to know what is keeping us busy. With the help of my brother, she entered the world of Facebook. Though her health prevented her to use it frequently as she would have wanted her to do, she managed to send messages, read posts, post her mind in the wall - all on her own.

She made an impact on every single person who met her. One day during her chemotherpahy, a patient in the next bed was crying to the social worker saying she was suffering. Reckon, this person went on and on with her negative thoughts. My sweet brave lady could not take it. She went to the next bed and told her (This is exactly how she narrated this incident to me) "Hold on my child!! Why are you so negative about life? Look at me!! Am I not alive after going through all these things? Never say negative things, as this would only bring sorrow to the people around us. Always be positive. Your smile will light up people around you and again this would light up your life. Be cheerful and then we can acheive whatever we want!!"

I can go on and on. She made me smile every day of my life. Every thought about her gives me a smile still. This is not the case only with me. Everyone who knew her would agree with me.

Even now I am sure she would be enjoying with daddy. She had left us to enjoy her life with her love, after completing all her responsibilities.

To this lovely mom......we promise to be happy and spread happiness throughout our lives.