My sister’s cook and household help asked my brother-in-law if they could come for Amma’s 13th-day pooja. Those two women had no idea that Raipur is over 1300 kilometers away, over 26 hours by train. They just wanted to be there.
My Amma lived with my No. 2 sister in Bangalore and was visiting my No. 3 sister in Raipur. When I reached Bangalore, I got to see how much they missed Amma. The cook kept on saying, "Amma said she will come soon. I will miss cooking for Amma."
Amma couldn’t do much around the house, but she could help clean the veggies and get small things ready for them. But more than anything, Amma always treated them with respect, wishing them hello and checking their well-being every morning. Amma was very generous too, and instead of giving money in the temple, she supported people around her.
The same was true with the cook and helper in the Raipur home. He made dinner the night before, and the next morning, Amma was in the hospital and never came back. When I landed in Raipur, I met the cook in the hospital who was there to pay his last respects to Amma.
My Amma had an army of helpers in Balaghat, not because she paid them well, but because she treated them with respect, cared for them, and appreciated what they did for her.
The helper for the Balaghat home came to Raipur, his first time out of Balaghat, overnight bus drive just to let us know how wonderful our Amma was to everyone who worked around the house.
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