My Loving Grandma

Article by Swetha R, Christ University HOSD 2014

 

My grandmother Dhanalakshmi is from an era where India was struggling for independence, she was born on 4^th August 1943. Dhanalakshmi was born in a Hindu Brahmin family. She got married at the age of 14. she was married to Swami Nathan who was 29 years old. Dhanalakshmi was not even aware of what married life would be like. One month into her married life her husband expired, it was a phase of her life where she was confused of what marriage really meant. Dhanalakshmi was a young widow who stayed with her parents. When she was 17 years old she fell in love with man named Raphael. Raphael was born in a Christian family and was 23 years old when he fell in love with Dhanalakshmi. Raphael confessed about his love to Dhanalakshmi's parents as well as to his family. Dhanalakshmi's father completely disagreed to their relationship, as he never wanted Dhanalakshmi to convert and have a good future, rather than conversion he wanted her to stay as a widow. Even though to some extent Dhanalakshmi's father was broad minded. But he was not ready to get his daughter married to a Christian. But her mother wanted to see her daughter to do well in life. At that moment the only thing she cared about was her daughter and could not see her daughter distressed being a widow wearing a white saree throughout her life. No mother would want her daughter to live the life of a widow when she herself was clad in good sarees with jewels. Hence, against all odds she wanted their daughter to lead a happy life and was ready to get her married to Raphael even at the cost of getting her converted. Dhanalakshmi got married to Raphael in the year 1963. Dhanalakshmi is now Mary Raphael.

She embraced the new culture with all the love that she has for her husband. She is a mother of five children Gloria, John, Jascintha, Nathan and Anthony Parimala and she is a grandmother of 15 grandchildren.

Mary Raphael is a woman who is content with her life that she leads at present and never looks back to her past that had once tormented her. She is ever so thankful of her husband for this amazingly beautiful life that she has now come across because for her husband. Her family means the world to her and because of what her life has taught her, she never restricted her children and or grand children to get married to a particular religion. She has always given them freedom to choose their own life partners as she knew that it was the right thing to do.