Just 5 more counts for a century!
With the world cup fever just coming to an end almost all of you would only presume that I am talking about the game of cricket. But some of us would need to score a half century (50 odd years) to reach 95. Yes, I am talking about a gentleman Mr.V.M.Vaidyanathan who is my friend’s father who passed away on 29/03/15 at the age of 95.
He will not probably grab anybody’s attention when he goes for a walk in the park or in my apartment purely because nobody would know his age. Yet he was liked by a lot of people and admired by many including me. Attending his funeral on 30/03/15, I thought he truly deserves a eulogy for the way he lived till his last breath. A man of perfection and independence has made me feel shy a lot of times for the agility he shows at this ripe age. Every time when I visit my friend he would happily join us in the conversations and be witty in his own way. A man so fond of his own routine will make people tell the time of the day just by receiving his telephone call or watching him having breakfast, lunch or dinner. He was so meticulous in his activities and more than anything so independent at this age.
I have seen him washing his own clothes every day, going to the terrace to put them on the line, reading newspaper without glasses, going for a walk with a beautiful pair of walking shoes, going to the temple and doing other errands. His dressing sense was ultimate and he was a man who loved to be perfect in whatever he does.
Whenever somebody asks him about his age, he would jokingly say that he is a “1920 Vintage model and 95 not out”. I am also told that he was also curious if he would hit a century but at the same time very cautious and concerned that he should not become retired hurt. Well his prayers were answered yesterday and he was clean bowled at the age of 95. His news came as a shock to a lot of people including the Doctors who treated him at the hospital because he was talking till the last-minute.
A cricket crazy fan who I understand was pestering the attendants at the hospital for the score updates of the World Cup Final. Understand that he was certainly not happy with Australia winning the finals. There is a lot more incidents and qualities of this gentleman which is worth celebrating at this time of his death.
Well, he certainly serves as an inspiration to a lot of people on how to lead a life though not this long but until you live long…and I truly believe that the secret for his longevity was the pranayamam or the breathing exercise and yoga which he did every day.
He has indeed surpassed Don Bradman by living 3 years more than him. Hats of young man!
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