Category: Stories About Amma
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Amma’s Angels
6th April 2026. It was the 13th day after my mother’s passing. We had finished a beautiful and soulful set of rituals to remember her by and celebrate the life she led for 86 years, caring for her family, and all who came in touch with her. This was followed…
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The “Adult Orphan” Syndrome
The author reflects on the recent loss of their mother, who battled Parkinson’s disease, and the earlier loss of their father. The piece explores the profound emotional void left by their parents, while also celebrating their love and partnership. The narrative emphasizes coping with grief through cherished memories and a…
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Amma’s “Mor Moong Dal”
Back in 2000, when I was about to embark into my life as a married woman, I sat both my Amma and Appa down and took down all my favourite recipes that they made. Over the years, I added notes to those recipes when a few years later, I sat…
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When Amma Made Aavakkai Ooruga
There are so many precious memories that form part of our childhood. Memories of familiar sights, sounds, smells, people. They travel with us for life, and many a times, something happens in the present that brings a long-forgotten memory to the fore. Sometimes, the feeling of recalling something you didn’t…
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My Strong Amma
“Didi, Amma bahut strong hai! Aap kyon kamzor ho rahe ho? Amma theek hai!” Elder sister, your mother is very strong. Why are you being so weak? Your mother is fine! Amma’s nurse’s repeated refrains fall on my ears as tears stream down my eyes without even trying. I’m sure…
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How Amma Named Her Recipes
It’s a long holiday weekend of five days. Me, my husband, our nephew and a good friend have spent the last couple of days on long drives in the day, late nights of song and conversations, and a lot of food indulgence along the way. By the third day everyone…
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My Stoic Amma
Over the years of my writing journey I have written a lot about my Appa. His life and philosophy are the foundations on which I built my life and the way I choose to live it. The unexpected side effect of having a larger than life father is only dawning…
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What I Learnt From Amma
Those who know me or have been reading my blog posts about Appa know I place him on a pedestal and credit him for the person I am today. When you have such a larger-than-life personality for a father, it also tends to cloud other memories, however significant they may…
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When Amma and Appa Cooked Sodhi
Like the scrumptious cheese toast I wrote about some time back that still takes me back to a simpler time in life, Sodhi is another preparation that had quite slipped my mind until a few months back when one of my sisters mentioned it. Growing up, it was one of…
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CoviMusings – When Amma Wrote Letters
This year has been special for all the wrong reasons. The big “C” word looms over us and dictates our life, our movements, what we can and cannot do, who we can and cannot meet. Something else that has come out of this though is the fact that we’ve never…
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Amma and Keeping in Touch
My mother is now over eighty years old. And over the years she has changed from a hyper-active, super busy, doesn’t know how to relax person into a calm, cool and collected influence on all of us. This transformation for those who have known and lived with her is truly…
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Spoilt for Choice
Among the many activities that vie for one’s attention, the one thing I had promised myself I would do in the week leading up to my marriage was to find a few hours of quality time with my Amma and Appa, both superb cooks in their own right. I had…