I didn’t see Aaja. I wish I had the opportunity. From what I have heard about him, little from Aaji and much more from babuji, he was very disciplined but humble and family man. He was dedicated to his children, Ramayan, and pigeon hunting. He also enjoyed horse riding (I suppose it was means of transport then) and had few fine horses
I believe whenever dinner was not to his liking, he would go to the jungle with his gun and return within 20 minutes or so with 5 or 6 pigeons for meal. He was also fond of chicken curries and eel. I was also told his curries were supposed to be very hot. In fact a bowl of chillies per chicken was normal.
It seems we don’t have any information prior to their settlement in Navua. It may be safe to say their life began in Navua. However he had bought land in Samabula, Suva whilst raising his family and working in Navua. He seemed to have been visionary to expend his horizons from India to Fiji, then investing in land in another town. He also had dada attending “Brother” School in Suva. It was a sort after school then. Unfortunately his life was cut short in an accident. Family later resettled in Samabula after Aaja passed away. I believe there are many fond memories from Samabula.Aaji continued to refer to Aaja as Sardar, because that was his job title on rubber estate. Aaji was known as was Sardarin to her peers and friends.
I vividly remember Dalipa calling her sardarny in true Punjabi accent. She was very strict, disciplined but a fair person. She was also a very strong person in health and ideology. She was family cornerstone. She was a great leader, economist, and finance manager to have been able to achieve what she did in raising & educating her children. Most siblings were well educated with the opportunities and facilities available at the time. She must have developed these qualities, vision & traits from Aaja. She instilled these principles and ideology into her children and grand children too. I am led to believe Samabula home was head quarters for most family members. She would have contributed to most of her grandchildren’s education, up bringing and welfare. It is known a few grand children attended school in Suva living with her. Aaji treated all grand children fairly and equal.I can’t remember her visiting doctors or taking any medication. She had a magic medicine; VICKS. It would fix anything for her, headache, cuts & burns, tooth ache. She also had her natural teeth. Other than seasonal cold and fever, she seemed to have been suffering from weak knees. It showed when she attempted to stand up. She would shake, however she made sure she did seek any assistance. At that time it seemed funny to us and we used to make jokes. Now I realize what she was going through because it happens to me most times, at a much younger age.
She was knowledgeable in Gita, Ramayan, Mahabharat & Prem Sagar. She was also conversant with Akbar/Birbal stories & other religious epics. She was a fixture at her front door, reading religious books. She would also call her friends passing by for a cuppa. She made sure anyone visiting her place did not leave without a cuppa or meal. This applied to her family & children’s friends too. She fasted every Sunday and did hawan herself every Tuesday with sultana & white sugar for prasad. Aaji could entertain us all day with stories. She was vegetarian since I had known her. However she was non-vegetarian before, I used to tease her lot being a vegetarian when I took her meals to her. I would often refer to sahina as fried fish, sawaii as earth worms, phulorie in kadhi was meat. I made sure I placed her food on her bench before I said anything of that sort to annoy her (otherwise I would get the beating with her walking stick or samjhwan singh). Then I would say it and do the runner. At that time it seemed fun.
She was very particular & exciting with her chutneys and bhajis. She had patience to slice lime very finely to make chutney; she did the same when she made sarso bhaji chutney or garlic & chilli chutney. Her kavika chutney ground on sill was delicious too. She was also fond of exotic bhajia. She would ask mum to make keraila leaves, cassava leaves (young tops) bhajia. She also enjoyed mix bhaji, it would have anything that she could find; dalo bhaji, cassava leaves, keraila, buc-choy, spinach. It seems I had acquired her taste to certain extent. Aaji had passed on these qualities and skills to her daughters and sons. Fuas were all fine cooks, some had specialized in particular dishes. It was difficult for anyone else to duplicate their recipe. I shall leave you with some thoughts to see if you can work out who they were: golden brown fried eggs, pumpkin raita, curried lamb shanks. I had served her last (official) dinner on the night she passed away. She was reading her Gita as usual when I arrived.
They will be remembered.