Rukku's song

I'd never seen Rukku athhe in anything but a nine yard kache sari. She always looked immaculate and quite striking. A gentle lady. She's one woman on my father's side of the family who always wore around her like an aura, a sense of equanimity. White flowers for some reason I thought suited her. I always made it a point to take her some at least once a year.

I didn't meet her too often but the affection between us was unconditional and genuine. I liked it when she sounded worried about me or my siblings or my myriad cousins. It was a sense of beautiful comfort when in her house, drinking her filter coffee and listening to her husband whose mind was sharp as a tack despite being a nonogenarian, quizzing us on archaic science. Laughter just came easy around this strange couple.

One home less now in Bangalore now where I can drop into a safety net of real comfort. She died last night uneasily in her sleep. I didn't get to say goodbye.