Great Grandparents - Pandither

My great grandparents (Pandither) were from India and oozed spirituality. They practiced Ayurvedic/Siddha medicine in South Africa. I remember seeing the writings/recipes on palm leaves, and one of his notes books (my writing was better. Ha) .

 

Thatha/Grandad used to tell us the successes his father had with treating ailments. Very heavy grinding stones and stone equipment were used to make remedies (surprised the ship didn't sink). The herbs were sourced locally as he believed that nature provides for your health needs in proximity to your living environment. You only get that by living with nature, using all senses - definitely not by googling. I can picture a beady eyed man with khaki trousers and white shirt looking for herbs in the thicket - hopefully he did not use a dhoti in the thorn bush.

 

Great grandmother used to lay on the lawn with her family and star gaze. She knew the astrological positions and significant days for prayer. She then delegated preparations for coming festivals. She had an amazing intuition. She would look into the light from the lamp and picture exactly what her mother was doing thousands of miles away (phew! glad I escaped).

 

They followed in staunch Saivite tradition, and were a respectable part of the temple organisation. Great grandfather was also a South Indian classical (Carnatic) musician. Of their four children none had taken up the healing practice. Possibly at that time these practices came to be known as 'alternate' healing and was misunderstood. Subsequently and unfortunately the remedies were buried.

 

Thatha distinctly remembers his mother speaking in riddles and asking his father 'when are you going to teach the boy?'. He replied 'the boy has his own path and this (healing) is not his'. True to the old man's word Thatha became a musicologist studying under Prof. Sambamurthy in India, and grammar student. He was also the spiritual head of Siddhi Vinayagar temple in Durban.