FORTY TWO GLORIOUS YEARS WITH K VENKATARAMAN –

A PRECIOUS GIFT FROM THE HEAVENS

As I look back at the 42 eventful years with my husband, Venkataraman, I see a vivid picture as a variegated Rainbow, almost unbelievable but true.

From the metropolis of Bombay, I was catapulted to a life which did not have a single dull moment. Leaving my dear ones, I left at the age of 23 years holding dear Venkat’s hand to a life which on looking back was unique and a precious gift , rich with experience to cherish.

He was then with Central Govt of India , holding the post of a Geologist , an officer given the job of surveying the bowels of earth to find the secrets it holds.

He was then posted at Lucknow, I again remember vividly. It was in 1975 – late November we got married. After spending a fortnight  with his loving family of 3 brothers , 2 sisters at Chennai, we moved   to the heartland of U.P in Lucknow where he was posted.

As I was soaking in the sights of Lucknow in its winter ‘s best, it was time for us to start our next chapter of life which on looking back was tailor made for us by providence. We packed our essentials and started our journey along the hinter land of India, in a Mahindra open jeep with a trailer in the back carrying our tents and the basics packed  in trunks to interior U.P at Mirzapur in a place called `Jungel’ where we pitched our tents amidst nature in midst of a Mango grove. There were other Geologist friends there. It was a picture straight out of Arabian Nights - staying in tents, cooking on firewood, living in lantern lights, drawing water from wells, camp fires in the evening with friends - all with Venkat an enthusiast to the core, romantic at heart and an adventurer  giving me a life where I would not want a single thing to change.

When  posted in U.P , we moved camps and were further posted to an expedition at Ladakh to study the opilite belt. This made us travel from U.P to Punjab, Jammu, Kashmir and climb the heights of Himalayas all in our open Jeep several times and pitch our tents in the Himalayas giving us an experience rich and unique.

These experiences and Venkat’s ever caring protective ways helped  me in opening up my creativity. Every five years we moved to new posting, from U.P- Lucknow, , Bangalore, then to Rajamundry and a wonderful 8 yrs at Dehradun, to Gujarat at Baroda for 6 years, Assam – Jorhat 3 years and back to Rajamundry where he retired from ONGC. Venkat had a way to connect with people from different parts of the country and could easily converse in a number of languages including Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam.

We were blessed with two sterling sons in whom we could inculcate values of living in tune with nature and respect to humanity, which we ourselves were imbibing in our life long travels and experiences. On looking back we had indeed succeeded in our mission of bringing up 2 good human being keeping their spirit for life alive and be in tune with the humanity around.

Venkat and myself were also blessed to see our children get settled and destiny gave us our precious daughters in the guise of daughters in law and four most precious grand children.

Perhaps the story was moving in lines too good and I suddenly stand with one of my wings clipped forever. My  endevour and homage to Venkat now is to complete his unfinished work. He was in the last years of life involved in unraveling the mysteries of the ancient Saraswathi River - tracing its origin, flow, its period , the findings of which may help us to rewrite the history and give a clearer picture of our heritage . Venkat had a deep respect for all that which he was trying to unravel scientifically and systematically.

We pray let God give us strength to us , to me and my children to continue his work and bring it out to the world.

Rama Venkataraman