The other day my sister, Dr.Inaja Kumari (Papa) mentioned to me that brother Chakravarthy of Visakahapatnam wrote an article published in our magazine Viswajanani and in that he made a mention of the Akunuri family. Later, I also did go through that article.
This stirred my dormant desire to share my experiences however few and inconsequential they are, with our brethren. Ever since this prompting, already a month or so has lapsed that reflects my laziness and tendency to postpone action. Nevertheless, it is better late than never and presenting my thoughts before our readers.
After retiring from government service and after a practicing stint at the Bar for about two, three years, I had to be idle and was often visiting Jillellamudi where my sisters Lalithamba and Papa were residing.
In those days, Pongal was being celebrated with much fervor and gaiety. To recall, on Pongal day, AMMA used to shower Bhogi Pallu on the devotees, squatting in neat orderly rows, in the Annapoornalayam space to be blessed by AMMA on this occasion.
The basket of Bhogi Pallu contained fruits, flowers, coins and some rupee currency notes too. During one such function, I had the opportunity or good fortune to receive a new currency note along with the fruits and flowers I was blessed with. Since then I have been retaining or holding this new currency note in my wallet. Even till date, this note remains in my purse. Truth is this note has been working for me like a million pound note, if I were to reckon with, in its invaluable significance of inestimable value.
To be candid with you all, during my service, I did not and could not earn much, the result being today I am left without a house of my own. I had always been living in rented houses in Visakhapatnam. Such were the circumstances in which I was placed, when I was once summoned into the august presence of AMMA at Jillellamudi, several years ago.
AMMA very graciously said “Akkada enduku? X Ray room meeda gadi veyinchukorada? Hayiga untundi. Carriage theppinchukovachu.” (Why are there in Vizag? Why not have a room above the X-ray unit here itself?). Though such suggestions came from none other than AMMA, I was such a fool, that I did not heed the same. Any other person would have grabbed this opportunity readily, and avidly to settle down at Jillellamudi in comfort and be always in AMMA’s presence.
But it was not so in my case. I was always skeptical of the feasibility of construction, with my meager resources; let it be even on the X-Ray room. With these pointless thoughts in my mind, I have simply whiled away days, months and years, not being able to provide myself a dwelling.
This apart, regarding the one rupee note blessed by AMMA, I can affirm without the slightest hesitation, or fear of contradiction, it is working miracles, sitting pretty in my purse, day after day, year after year.
As conveyed earlier, I have been living in rented houses and wasting my time bothering myself with the humdrum routine of everyday life. Besides, in the earlier days, I was receiving only paltry sums as pension.
As years rolled by, the inevitable old age has set in bringing. along with urinary problems and so on. Luckily, in course of time, prompted by the advice of a close friend, I purchased a small L.I.G. house, in Pedagantyada, Visakhapatnam, the cost of which is to be paid in installments.
But during December 2004, I had to sell that house also to meet the expenses of my prostate operation, which did not arrest my health problems though. Thus days passed on.
In this scenario, it is a fortuitous coincidence, willed by AMMA’s grace evidently; there was a general revision of pay scales for Judiciary Officials that included pensioners too. Luckily, the revision was made with retrospective effect. Result being, I was in for an unexpected windfall and became the recipient of a few lakhs of rupees, under arrears for the revised pension.
As grace willed it, this unexpected bonanza synchronized with the escalated cost of my medical treatment. Around October 2006, I was hospitalized for the removal of tumors in the bladder. I was in a fix as I was reluctant to share the room with someone else in the hospital. Daily rental for the room was about Rs.4000/- and my near and dear were hesitant in taking a special room for me exclusively because of the exorbitant cost.
Precisely at this moment, I could convey boldly that by the grace of AMMA “Now, I am a rich man, and can very well afford the special room”. With this utterance from me, every one else had no choice, and I was comfortably put up in a special room. Again, to my good lot, the hospital stay was only for four days which was well within my budget.
I am pouring forth all my personal woes to the readers, as I am only prompted irresistibly to place before the readers the irrepressible truth, that being a subject of AMMA’S GRACE, one can surmount any critical situations in life, such as those I have come across.
Looking forward to the indulgence of the readers in going through my personal concerns; all this mention was only intended. to convey the miraculous power or the bounteous effect of the single rupee note, graciously bequeathed to me by AMMA, years, no decades ago, as part of the Bhogi Pallu showered on me as a blessing in HER boundless motherly love.
This certainly has bestowed upon me resolute faith in AMMA, our MOTHER OF ALL.
Pray HER BLESSINGS be with us all always.