RAMAKRISHNA ( RAO)

Ramakrishna was Rao to everybody. Short, stocky, paunchy, extremely fair, curly hair and a smiling face, slightly bowed legs, yet a majestic gait, handsome in every respect, Rao was certainly the Prince Charming of the Circle.

Though Varsity education was way ahead of him, undoubtedly Rao was versatility writ at large. With the help of a spanner and player, he could stop leaking pipes of their tears by replacing the washer or the pipe itself if the thread had given way. Creaking chairs observed sedative silence by his mere touch and shaking stools would stand straight if he brings them under his firm grip. If somebody wanted a cosmetic stand on the wall, Rao would be ready with a hammer and screws to support the glass plate. Fans, which refused to move, would rotate at such high speed as if the wings were chased by wild dogs, when Rao look at them with an intend to regulate.

If repairing and remedying the recalcitrant regaled him, Rao was equally at ease in running errand. He would go even in the midday in May to the Sindhi Colony for Masala Papad and roast them at home. Tiles for the toilets and floors and tamarind to store would be ready for the asking. The triumvirates – Ply, Sun mica and Fevicol for furniture or even charcoal for fuel would be arranged, relieving you of tedium and tension. Mundane affairs in Municipality or cash credit in cooperative banks he would take care of with equal enthusiasm and would pursue them till one is satisfied with the results. Pant pieces and shirt pieces he could arrange with payment facilities. Those who did not care about Brand, he would arrange to stitch in his own hand machine in time, saving nine. For marriages, he was equally adept in selecting Vadhyars and vegetables.

Rao had an uncontrollable weakness – high quality food in unrestricted quantity. He would swallow scores of softest idlies soaked in bucketful of Sambar and chutney and like Oliver Twist, would ‘ask for more’, unabashedly. He propagated the value addition of pickles on our dinner tables, by elevating them from the mediocre role of aiding from the sides to the status of a course leader, like Sambar and Rasam. Pickles alone could be mingled with rice in any plate and tasted, instead of playing second fiddle to Dahi bath, he demonstrated. Varieties of tiffins in various combinations were his vaulting ambition.

Rao had many discoveries to his credit. Adai (a salted pancake made of cereals) and curd would get all your diseases cured, he would argue. Steam-boiled rice dressed up in ghee would have virtues galore, he vouchsafed everywhere. If Sambar or Rasam fall short of prescribed quality, papadams in plenty would be the palliative, he propagated. ‘Omappodi” (sev made out of Chana dal), in ‘Mixture’ would make or mar it, he maintained. ‘Never rate the quality of a Restaurant without relishing its sweet- a Rao mandate. Pot-full of Pal Payasam (a milk based keer), is the panacea for all palate related problems – a Rao rhapsody. A glassful of Rabadi would be as effective as playing Kabbadi and a mug of masala milk would be as mirthful as any good massage, Rao would pronounce, while relishing his mugful. His genial nature permitted him to be a welcome guest everywhere and hence he had easy access to any kitchen.

Though his versatility and willingness to help were a great boon to those around him, Rao himself had a miserable life. He married twice and both the wives died during their pregnancies, leaving him alone. Rao dedicated his life for the well being of his sisters and their children. His nieces and nephews are in good position now and they are greatly indebted to him. He was invaluable to his friends’ circle and he always reverberates in their memories. Rao had a premature death, when he was just 51, succumbing to cardiac arrest. .

Bowed legs and matching gait, permitting sweets of every description to be his bait, willingness to help with commensurate capacity, Ramkrishna Rao’s spirit lives with us, though his mundane body is no more.