My Grandfather Visweswar Burde
by Jyotsna Kamat
First Online: July 07, 1998
Page Last Updated: February 17, 2024
My dear Vikas, When you asked me about Baba's father, while you called today
(5-7-1998).
I exclaimed he was a great man! greater than Baba, was my impulsive reaction.
My Grandfather Visweswar Venkatesh Burde (1868 - 1962)
Indeed, I have come across very few people in my life, who never asked any thing for self, tried to lead as financially independent life as possible, talked less, knew more, understood more, never lost faith in life. He was blind for nearly a decade before his death, but other faculties being intact, he tried to be tacit, adjustable and compromising till the end. Prakash and myself have only fond and affectionate memories of Ajja. He did a lot for us. Orphaned by our mother's death. He had sacrificed easy comforts of his own home at Kumta, with us -at Dharwad, Hubli and Gokarn. He was our guardian when we grew up, practically looking to all our household needs - as there was one side missing all the time.
Ajja was born at Honavar but was given in adoption to his uncle Venkatesh who was childless. He had some land in Jalavalli village near Honavar, across Sharavati river. He had schooling at Honavar where his father was a pleader. In those days there was no English school and Ajja went to Karwar Government School and Madras to do his Matriculation.
He had to travel by small boat from Jalavalli to Honavar. Went by bullock cart from Honavar to Karwar and also Madras. Only in late 90s of the 19th century, steamers started plying form west coast to Madras.
Bus service had to wait for another two decades. One had to cross seven rivers between Honavar & Mangalore & walk on foot!
Amma, by grandmother was very fair and pretty. Only daughter of well-to do parents (there were also two brothers), she knew reading, writing, arithmetic and most surprising some English!. If Kaki and my mother belong to senior generation, she was their senior by one more generation testifying that literacy among females was common to Chitrapur Saraswats 150 years ago!
Jobs were not forthcoming, relatives not helpful and Ajja had to be content with the lowly post of clerk in postal department on salary 15 Rs-30 Rs per month! Children started coming, 10 in all, Seven boys and three girls. You can imagine the hardships Ajja and Amma had undergone to provide good food, good education to all. Girls also had to be schooled and married. All the daughters died prematurely but leaving a brood of children to Ggrandpa's care. (Ashok Arur's mother, aunt & uncle among them)
I may narrate one incident, to show how forward looking my grand parents were. Baba's eldest sister became widow at the age of 21. They never wanted her to shave her head or wear red saree. But one fine day, she went to Gokarn (her in-law's place), and out of her own wish, became aanavaali like Gangakka. By all standards of those times she was an educated lady. She had her schooling in Marathi, Kannada, could read simple English -- Baba says. He came to know about Rabindra Nath Tagore's works early only through this sister ! I never saw her. She died in her late thirties.
Ajja never lost his temper (unlike Baba!). He was very frugal in his habits. Never drank tea or coffee. Did not see a single movie or drama. Practical to the core, he tried to adopt to modern ways. Dattabappa took him to Bombay then to Ratlam (in Madhya Pradesh). Ajja and Amma used to visit their children now & then.
Then my mother died (1943). Both came to stay and look after us at Dharwad. Grandma's health was failing and she suffered from chronic diarrhea. II World War was on. Medicines were not available. Grandma thought second mother was inevitable for growing children, and insisted, Baba should remarry. Lilapachi came in our life. Amma was shocked to find that instead of a helping hand, she had one more "child" to look after! Baba says this shock killed her. We were orphaned again.
But Ajja continued to live with us. He was denied of good, well-cooked food in his old age, as also other home comforts. Kumta house was better equipped and Hodbappa was a prosperous man. His wife Lalitpachi was a very good cook, housewife and knew all Ajja's requirements. But Ajja had forgone all those comforts. Stayed with us. Tried to teach Lilpachi, but perhaps failed miserably!
Only in his last years he came to stay at Kumta. He used to get meagre pension of 38 Rs. PM. But those were cheaper days. He had cow's milk one cup 3 times a day, oil massage & bath and managed even cleaner's wages to wash pot. (He had hernia trouble could not use Indian Latrine-universal in those days). He even engaged a boy to read out daily newspaper. I remember he drew his last pension, though thumb print as he could not sit and sign. As I told you, all his other faculties were intact and he had prodigious memory. I regret, for not spending more time with him and taking down details of life of a by gone age. What a loss!
Usha had seen his Matriculation Pass Certificate of Madras University. Later he destroyed it since it had no utility value. Again what a historical loss!
In the absence of a mother, grandmother or a supervisor or manager on home front, anything may happen. Children go astray inspite of good parental care. With Baba's hard work in Post Office and impractical outlook and ‘other worldly' bookish habit, we lacked guardianship. But Ajja had tried his best to guide us, to guard us, to love us. At least, I owe him some softer qualities which made me what I am today. C£ÁAiÀiÁ¸ÉãÀ ªÀÄgÀtA «£Á zÉÊ£ÉåãÀ fêÀ£ÀA Says a old Indian proverb.
Death without pain and life without pitiable state (or miserable condition) is all that an average Indian aspires. Ajja lived an honorable life of dignity and died comparatively a painless death. He was bedridden for less than a couple of weeks. A great life indeed! He was always cheerful "gÁAiÉÄæ, ºÉÃV¢ÝÃj?'' PÉýzÀgÉ- FUÀ §UÉÃj PÀtÄÚ PÁuÉÆìâ®è.! If any body asked me "how are you, Sir?" he would always reply, " I am fine, only slight trouble with seeing" this remark when he was completely blind. He was always confident that he is hale and heartly. He never attempted at undue adventures. He was 94 when he breathed last. This was when he was completely blind. Always felt he was hale & hearty, but never attempted misadventures.
Prakash used to tell his pravara. ¥ÀæªÀgÀ is genealogy of a Sharman or Brahman including gotra and names of forefathers. Burdekar geneology was, Prakash Ganesh Vishweshwar Venkatesh Venkayya Timmappayya Burde. Baba's ancestors were petty land holders & pleaders. They were law-abiding, god fearing people, accepting modernity as it came their way.
