Remembering grandmothers across generations
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The author reflects on the grandmothers she barely knew, and how their presence still shapes her life in India.
The writer’s maternal grandmother, Annapoorani, died when her mother was an infant, leaving only a photograph as a memory. Though she never met Annapoorani, the author carries her name as a ceremonial identity and inherited physical traits and a stubborn personality.
The author’s paternal grandmother, Meenakshi, also remains a distant figure known only through a photograph, prompting the author to imagine how she might have reacted to her writing. Later in life, the author found a close connection with her husband’s grandmother, Haimabati, in Kolkata. Haimabati, a retired teacher, practiced a quiet, personal devotion to Hindu deities, secretly offering flowers and incense on a rooftop terrace.
The author learned that Haimabati carried a small wooden box with her when her family fled Sylhet during the Partition of India, and the box now resides in the author’s home as a reminder of a difficult journey. These grandmothers, despite limited direct connection, have become integral parts of the author’s identity. She finds traces of Annapoorani’s life within herself, and cherishes the physical reminders of both women, recognizing their enduring influence across generations.
