The Oravakal Chronicles

By Aparna Srinivas

The old woman, Meena, ninety years old, was sprightly and alert. She came from a well-to-do family and had nurtured the wealth well. She did not have to wonder about her wants. After Covid she had slowed down. She was restricted to her bed, needing nursing care.

She lived with her daughter, Kumudini and son-in-law Manjunath. Her daughter loved her immensely and took pride in taking care of her. Kumudini had her own daughters, three of them. One elder and younger twins – Rashmi, Aiswarya and Soundarya. They too doted on the family. They were all married, had chosen to live in the US, with busy careers. They visited often. They kept in touch with the extended family and had a large circle of friends. Their visits were always filled with social outings, shopping and personal care pampering.

Kumudini, a kind woman, had one kidney replaced about ten years ago. She needed to be careful with her diet and food. She too nursed her wealth thriftily. If she needed to go to the doctor, one of her many friends would accompany her in the car. She had doting brothers who came from Nellore to take care if required. She was very popular with the household help who regarded her with respect and kindness.

Her husband was a cranky old man, who was quite happy to live off the comfort that his mother-in-law and wife’s wealth afforded him. He would not lift a finger to help them physically or emotionally. He spent his time with the bottle, weaving his way through life. He had kind friends who helped him nurture his addiction ceaselessly.

It was a well-oiled machine that ran the house and took care of the needs of these senior citizens. A nurse to take care of the grandmother. A household help to clean, a gardener to take care of the plants and a cook for their meals. Anything outside of the routine was taken care of by the children abroad, especially one of them – the younger of the twins, Soundarya.

Cameras and security systems were installed for monitoring from abroad. They had a WhatsApp line to the household help, which they used twice a day to monitor things. The cook, Mamta, was in charge of everything. If anything was missed, she was called to obtain answers.

If the kitchen ran out of asafetida, it was delivered home at the behest of the children. If some vegetables had to be restocked, it was delivered home, all within a period of 20 minutes. That is how it worked. Manmohan Singh and Narasimha Rao’s policies had certainly helped this family to stay on top of things regarding day-to-day needs.

When Meena almost died

One day, Meena fell ill. She developed bed sores. Her alertness and intake reduced. Kumudini, was very attached to her mother, and could not bear to see her ill. The brothers from Nellore were summoned expecting to see their mother’s last moments. They stayed and stayed. But then God had other plans for Meena, who miraculously got better and stronger.

Kumudini, was so agitated to see her mother’s health deteriorate, that, her own kidney-replaced state of health began to decline. Unable to let go of her mother, her legs began to swell. She had to be taken to the hospital. Moving her from the house to the hospital or vice versa was an ordeal. She required dialysis often. Toxicity increased, as her kidneys were unable to function. Her old man drank more and more. He hardly came down to see her. All the while, the remote system of taking care still worked almost like clockwork.

The daughters took turns to come, to take care of Kumudini. She could not leave the hospital. Soundarya arrived and went straight to the hospital. She did not even come home. All meals were delivered in the hospital.

The older woman, Meena, recovered slowly. Her blisters healed. She started talking and asking or demanding for food. The family from Nellore, unable to fathom what was happening, went back. This younger lady Kumudini’s health took a turn for the worse. She needed kidney replacement but, was not strong enough to withstand it. Finally, the doctors told the family to take her home. Her whole body had swollen up and was unimaginably heavy and hard to maneuver.

The anxious daughters, Soundarya and co, wanted to look after Kumudini, well, at home. The doorways were widened, to accommodate a dialysis machine. The walls were drilled for new plug points to fix the equipment. An expensive new water bed was ordered. The household was turned upside down. The old man was very rude and asked all and sundry if they would donate their kidney to his wife, for a handsome sum of course. The other older lady, Meena, was back to eating and talking normally.

Kumudini persisted for a few weeks and then died. What was the wealth left behind? Who got what piece of jewelry? All the details were meticulously recorded in a notebook for all to read and follow. The daughters visited all the properties, banks, lockers, lawyers and settled the financial matters.

The family wept as their mother died but their grandmother was alive. No one could fathom this riddle of life and death. The old man became ruder and ruder and took to bottle even more. They quickly decided on the status quo. The grandmother, Meena would be looked after by the nurse, the other household help would continue as is.

The old man mourned the fact that the old lady was still alive, but his wife had died. He complained about the people who refused to donate their kidneys. Any food disagreed with him. He had minor health hiccups every day, which was duly reported abroad. Once he even fell down the stairs.

A year passed. The ceremony of Kumudini was performed. Then the older lady, Meena, got worse. The next cycle of karma played out and she died. Soundarya, came as soon as possible. Meanwhile the household help, tied up the jaws and the toes of the dead body. Friends and relatives arranged for an ice box, a priest and a cremation slot. The brief ceremonies were done in a jiffy.

The father was left in the big house, alone, lost in the fumes of alcohol. He refused going to an assisted living, or a smaller flat. The nurse continued to be like the watch dog of the house, the cook continued to come and cook. Things and doctor visits were organized from a distance. The dependence on the local help increased. Technology and the financial status of the family allowed the situation to continue. What future lies in store for these senior citizens? Who knows?

(Names in the story have been changed to protect identities.)

Read also:
What I learnt while managing my ageing mother
Rebel with a cause: A woman’s fight for education
Life isn’t over till it’s actually over: Revisiting my grandmothers’ life journey