My Grandma(Umma)

February 10, 2024

Umma

My maternal grandmother Mrs Kadeeja was born on 14th June 1943 in Aliparramba, Kerala to Mr Poker and Mrs Mariya. Her family name is Karimpanakkal in Anamangad. Her father was a businessman & her mother a homemaker from Mappatukara. She had 9 siblings-2 sisters & 7 brothers. She did her schooling in Anamangad LP school and UP school. Her Madrassa studies were done at home by an Usthad. She used to draw and paint beautiful pictures.She is a very organized and neat person, who was very active in her youth.One of her best friends was Sarojini.

Karimpanakkal House

She got married to Said Ali kutty from Koduvayyikkal family in Pattikkad,perinthalmanna. He had 8 siblings.

Uppa

My grandfather had gone to Saudi Arabia in the 1960 s and first time he went by ship. He used to work in a travels company. It was after few years that Umma( how we address her) and kids joined him in Saudi. They have 5 children-3 daughters and 2 sons. My mom is the eldest and her youngest son was born in Jeddah,Saudi Arabia.

Children-

Noorjahan,Spouse-Mohammed Ali

Mehrunissa,Spouse-Iqbal

Basheer,Spouse-Parveen

Najmunissa,Spouse-Nizar

Faisal,Spouse-Maria

They all did their schooling there. Umma was indeed an 'Iron Lady'. In those days, there were very few Indian families in the gulf so they had to manage everything themselves. There weren't any household helpers. My Grandpa's brother and family too were in Jeddah. After the marriage of her children, each one settled in Saudi only.

So, she was present during the deliveries of her grandchildren and she did all she could to take care. Although we were in Saudi ,we didn't feel the loneliness, expatriates usually feel when abroad since my whole maternal family was there. Eid, short vacations were spent with my grandparents. We kids used to sleep with her.(She on the bed and all of us on the floor), we used to spent the night playing ,watching tv ,having feasts etc. She would be asleep and we would get scoldings and sometimes beatings from her because we were up so late😃.Her anger was hidden with love 😄😍.Going to our grandparents home was like visiting Tharawad(ancestral home).

Me and cousins with our uncle Faisal

I remember the old sewing machine she had, we used to have fun playing with the manual motor and our grandpa's typewriter. All the cushions, clothe clips all were toys for us. She used to tell us stories which we have passed on to our children too. She had alloted mugs with animated pictures for each of us to drink milk. I used to love exploring her handbag because she always had a packet of chewing gum with her.

My grandfather passed away around 23 years ago. He had cancer. He passed away in their house in Pattikad. May Allah make his grave an abode of Jannah..Ameen.

Coming to present day, Umma has memory loss and needs support for routine activities. What we miss are her jovial and talkative nature. She is blessed with 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren(Masha Allah).May Allah grant her Aafiyah..Ameen.