Amma, My Eternal Goddess: A Son’s Tribute of Love, Grace, and Gratitude

Sriranga VN
Jul 24, 2025
3 min read

Ammaaa! Ayushman Bhava!

Food ready! I heard her familiar voice. The voice which had woken me from sleep, which sang lullabies to me, the voice which taught me to speak, the voice which told me stories of faraway worlds, the voice which taught me Kannada and other subjects. The angry but beautiful voice which scolded me when I was mischievous.

The same voice which supported me when the headmaster chided me. Ah, the voice which twinkled in pleasure when I did well in school and college n then when I got my first job, the voice which cheered me like no other. The voice of my Ammmaa....the voice of my dreams...

Amma, the word itself brings joy to my heart. The familiar face whom I saw first thing in morning and last thing in night before nodding off to sleep.

Now the face has wrinkles, there are some moles n tags on her face, the skin had lost its lustre, but the shine in her eyes remains, the twinkle of stars, the joy of being the center of the world for me for so many decades.

My Amma, a Devi, a proud strong lady who raised us to believe in dreams, in goodness and gaining knowledge, to live with righteousness and simplicity. She faced lots of ups and downs in her life, but her commitment and her all enveloping love for us was total. Her love was a coccon in which we lived, totally protected from the harsh ways of the world.

Ranga, heal my legs and make me walk comfortably as before without pain, she said, then I will declare you a good doctor!

You may be a good doctor for other people, but if you make me walk without pain, then only you are a good doctor, a healer, not otherwise, she vocalised in her magical voice.

I had tried all sorts of combination of tablets, pills, syrups, innumerable application of gels, ointments and all sorts of injections, but the knee pain was unamiable to my ministering of medicines. I failed to alleviate her pain. And she never took me to be a doctor!

We had innumerable visits to doctors of all sorts, orthopedic surgeons both juniors n seniors. And all were prounounced to be mediocre doctors by Amma bcoz her knee pain defeated them all. Then Ayurvedic, homepathic, chiropractic and local practioners including kayanna papanna, tried their expertise on ammas knee and failed miserably and were tagged as frauds by Amma!

At 86 years of age, knee surgery for ammas knees was fraught with danger and advised against by topmost ortho surgeons.

So Amma, settled down to pottering in the house doing all daily chores with little help, but mostly home bound for last 2-3 years much to her chargin and recriminations. But still, she continued to be the boss of the house, not leaving the cooking department to others, lest her son not eat properly because of change in taste!

Earlier, I was happily telling her lockout will be lifted soon and we can resume our normal life outside the house. Yes she said, for you lockout will be lifted, but for me lockout does not matter bcoz life has put a permenant Lockout on my life and my movements! she said with disgust and resignation .

Love u Amma. U gave us what nothing in this world can buy or give...Love. We exist bcoz of u. We are what we are, bcoz of you. We can't even dream of repaying you in this life.

All our mothers expect of us is to be good sons and daughters, to do our duties, be successful and live full lives. Thank you for the blessings ma.

Love u ammaaa eternally. I fall at your feet n pray for your divine grace and Shakti, energy to be with us all our lives, guide, protect n show us the path. ....

Ayushman Bhava! Love you Ma.