my grandfather was born in penang to an indian merchant and a malaysian woman born to kerala originated parents. he, however, grew up in india with his siblings, indian stepmother and step brothers and sisters after his own mother passed away when he was young. he ended up in india because my great grandmother's father refused to give his other daughter in marriage to my great grandfather since he had 3 wives alive at the time my great grandmother passed away (2 in india and 1 in malaysia). my great grandfather had 4 wives including a javanese woman! how interesting.... his sons made their ways back to penang when they attained age to make a living while his daughters stayed back in india. my grandfather was like any other indian merchants who lived in penang, made periodic trips to india. he got married in india and brought his bride to live in penang but his indian bride could never call this country her home until now, at her golden age. they had a daughter in india, my father and my uncle. my father who is the eldest son to this couple was born in penang and grew up in india until it was time to go to school... my father became a penang boy while his mother stayed back in india with my aunt and uncle. my grandfather raised his son single handedly and they had a great father and son bonding. my grandfather was very proud of his son. my grandfather had always lived in malaysia as far as i remembered. he worked and lived independently. occasionally, he came to stay with us... he loved us very much. he would buy us lots of titbits, mercun and bunga api during eid. he was like a father to my mum. to this date, my mum has only good things to say about him. my famous incident with him was a rather mischievious one. you see, i was a real brat when i was a little girl. my grandfather used to sleep on a mat and i used to watch him sleep. his stomach would rise and fall as he be in his deep sleep. one day, i told my little brother to sit on his stomach while he was asleep. my darling brother did as what his sister told him to do. my grandfather woke up with a scream. imagine the rest...i got into a huge trouble with my parents!!! he grew older and one day, he fell seriously ill. my father cared for him, provided the best of medical care and when he was better, my father sent him back to his indian bride in india to care for her husband. he lived a happy life in india, taking care of the plantations and paddy fields, upgrading his home and his plantations including a well for the public. it was when we visited him years later, my grandfather fell ill again. he lost his ability to speak but on that blissful morning when we bid him farewell, we witnessed the love of a father towards his son. with the strength shown by winston churchil on the day he stood up from his wheelchair and made that speech, my grandfather held his son's hand and recited some Quranic verses. deep in my father's heart, he knew that was their last meeting. 6 months later, my grandfather passed away in a land he grew up in, by the side of his indian bride and other relatives. i have never seen my father sad, let alone shed a tear but when he got that telegram saying my grandfather passed away, i saw him cry... the 25 year old straw hat speaks the history of yahaya, my grandfather to me. the current male lineage of my grandfather is burhanuddin al ahyan bin badaruddin bin ahayanutheen bin yahaya bin mohd yusuf bin pitchay ghani bin adam. this makes me the 6th generation indian muslim in this land while my children the 7th generation.... we are bumiputeras by virtue of the constitution. i am thankful to my great grandfather who made his way to this country (i am not sure if his dad did too), the land of peace. may Allah protect and bless this generation. may Allah also forgive the sins of my forefathers and place them with the pious in the heavans... amin.
Monday, July 26, 2010
25 year old straw hat...
when i was 11 years old, i made my first overseas trip to my forefathers land with my dad and younger brother... east street, panaikulam, ramnad district, tamil nadu. we have an address in india. it also comes with houses, bank accounts, plantations, paddy fields and lots of relatives. my maternal grandmother and paternal grandparents with a whole lot of grand aunts and uncles, aunts and uncles and uncountable cousins lived there when i visited india. some of them had since passed away while some others had moved to malaysia or abroad for good or for a living... my maternal grandfather had passed away shortly after i was born while my paternal grandfather followed suit shortly after we returned from the trip. both my maternal and paternal grandmothers (whom my daughter refers to as big (tall) paati and small (short) paati based on their sizes) lives in my parents house in ipoh. when i went back to my parents, i saw my daughter wearing the straw hat my grandfather gave me when i visited india. that hat is 25 years old... it looked just the same when i first received it except the age showed a little as there were some dust and scratches on it... though i left it behind, that straw hat is part of me, just as the person who gave it to me... it has been 25 years he had left us but the memories of my childhood with him is as fresh as ever.... my grandfather was born in penang to an indian merchant and a malaysian woman born to kerala originated parents. he, however, grew up in india with his siblings, indian stepmother and step brothers and sisters after his own mother passed away when he was young. he ended up in india because my great grandmother's father refused to give his other daughter in marriage to my great grandfather since he had 3 wives alive at the time my great grandmother passed away (2 in india and 1 in malaysia). my great grandfather had 4 wives including a javanese woman! how interesting.... his sons made their ways back to penang when they attained age to make a living while his daughters stayed back in india. my grandfather was like any other indian merchants who lived in penang, made periodic trips to india. he got married in india and brought his bride to live in penang but his indian bride could never call this country her home until now, at her golden age. they had a daughter in india, my father and my uncle. my father who is the eldest son to this couple was born in penang and grew up in india until it was time to go to school... my father became a penang boy while his mother stayed back in india with my aunt and uncle. my grandfather raised his son single handedly and they had a great father and son bonding. my grandfather was very proud of his son. my grandfather had always lived in malaysia as far as i remembered. he worked and lived independently. occasionally, he came to stay with us... he loved us very much. he would buy us lots of titbits, mercun and bunga api during eid. he was like a father to my mum. to this date, my mum has only good things to say about him. my famous incident with him was a rather mischievious one. you see, i was a real brat when i was a little girl. my grandfather used to sleep on a mat and i used to watch him sleep. his stomach would rise and fall as he be in his deep sleep. one day, i told my little brother to sit on his stomach while he was asleep. my darling brother did as what his sister told him to do. my grandfather woke up with a scream. imagine the rest...i got into a huge trouble with my parents!!! he grew older and one day, he fell seriously ill. my father cared for him, provided the best of medical care and when he was better, my father sent him back to his indian bride in india to care for her husband. he lived a happy life in india, taking care of the plantations and paddy fields, upgrading his home and his plantations including a well for the public. it was when we visited him years later, my grandfather fell ill again. he lost his ability to speak but on that blissful morning when we bid him farewell, we witnessed the love of a father towards his son. with the strength shown by winston churchil on the day he stood up from his wheelchair and made that speech, my grandfather held his son's hand and recited some Quranic verses. deep in my father's heart, he knew that was their last meeting. 6 months later, my grandfather passed away in a land he grew up in, by the side of his indian bride and other relatives. i have never seen my father sad, let alone shed a tear but when he got that telegram saying my grandfather passed away, i saw him cry... the 25 year old straw hat speaks the history of yahaya, my grandfather to me. the current male lineage of my grandfather is burhanuddin al ahyan bin badaruddin bin ahayanutheen bin yahaya bin mohd yusuf bin pitchay ghani bin adam. this makes me the 6th generation indian muslim in this land while my children the 7th generation.... we are bumiputeras by virtue of the constitution. i am thankful to my great grandfather who made his way to this country (i am not sure if his dad did too), the land of peace. may Allah protect and bless this generation. may Allah also forgive the sins of my forefathers and place them with the pious in the heavans... amin.
my grandfather was born in penang to an indian merchant and a malaysian woman born to kerala originated parents. he, however, grew up in india with his siblings, indian stepmother and step brothers and sisters after his own mother passed away when he was young. he ended up in india because my great grandmother's father refused to give his other daughter in marriage to my great grandfather since he had 3 wives alive at the time my great grandmother passed away (2 in india and 1 in malaysia). my great grandfather had 4 wives including a javanese woman! how interesting.... his sons made their ways back to penang when they attained age to make a living while his daughters stayed back in india. my grandfather was like any other indian merchants who lived in penang, made periodic trips to india. he got married in india and brought his bride to live in penang but his indian bride could never call this country her home until now, at her golden age. they had a daughter in india, my father and my uncle. my father who is the eldest son to this couple was born in penang and grew up in india until it was time to go to school... my father became a penang boy while his mother stayed back in india with my aunt and uncle. my grandfather raised his son single handedly and they had a great father and son bonding. my grandfather was very proud of his son. my grandfather had always lived in malaysia as far as i remembered. he worked and lived independently. occasionally, he came to stay with us... he loved us very much. he would buy us lots of titbits, mercun and bunga api during eid. he was like a father to my mum. to this date, my mum has only good things to say about him. my famous incident with him was a rather mischievious one. you see, i was a real brat when i was a little girl. my grandfather used to sleep on a mat and i used to watch him sleep. his stomach would rise and fall as he be in his deep sleep. one day, i told my little brother to sit on his stomach while he was asleep. my darling brother did as what his sister told him to do. my grandfather woke up with a scream. imagine the rest...i got into a huge trouble with my parents!!! he grew older and one day, he fell seriously ill. my father cared for him, provided the best of medical care and when he was better, my father sent him back to his indian bride in india to care for her husband. he lived a happy life in india, taking care of the plantations and paddy fields, upgrading his home and his plantations including a well for the public. it was when we visited him years later, my grandfather fell ill again. he lost his ability to speak but on that blissful morning when we bid him farewell, we witnessed the love of a father towards his son. with the strength shown by winston churchil on the day he stood up from his wheelchair and made that speech, my grandfather held his son's hand and recited some Quranic verses. deep in my father's heart, he knew that was their last meeting. 6 months later, my grandfather passed away in a land he grew up in, by the side of his indian bride and other relatives. i have never seen my father sad, let alone shed a tear but when he got that telegram saying my grandfather passed away, i saw him cry... the 25 year old straw hat speaks the history of yahaya, my grandfather to me. the current male lineage of my grandfather is burhanuddin al ahyan bin badaruddin bin ahayanutheen bin yahaya bin mohd yusuf bin pitchay ghani bin adam. this makes me the 6th generation indian muslim in this land while my children the 7th generation.... we are bumiputeras by virtue of the constitution. i am thankful to my great grandfather who made his way to this country (i am not sure if his dad did too), the land of peace. may Allah protect and bless this generation. may Allah also forgive the sins of my forefathers and place them with the pious in the heavans... amin.
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