Page 16 - Memorial Book Thilaga Mylvaganam

mother was a smart and wise person who listened with rapt attention and
had intelligent conversations with the greats, while my father proudly
looked on – he treated her as if she was an asset to him, in things that he
himself seemed not to be as interested in. This was when I was between 10
and my late teens. Then my mother took an interest and drew me also,
into the lectures of Parthasarathy, a disciple of Swami Chinmayananda.
She made visits to the Ramakrishna Mission in Colombo, and our house
had several books by Swami Vivekananda and others purchased from the
‘Mission’. My nature of pondering what’s on the other side of the Sun (my
mother’s father planted that seed in my mind with an enigmatic remark
when I was much younger) went in to overdrive, reading these books and
pondering on life’s big questions. My mother too got me interested in
other subjects by buying books which took me in to world history, science
and technology, stories of exploration and discovery. She got us children
also interested in a variety of subjects, and activities – music, singing,
scouting or girl guides, and according to our individual tendencies, each of
us took some of her introductions to greater distances. This was way
beyond what my mother herself dreamed of accomplishing, given her
rather constrained circumstances within family, duty and delivering to
others what was expected of her.

I could say so much more about her, and her love for people and their
lives; how she inspired her children and the children of others including
her students to learn and discover more and expand themselves. Now that
she has left us to deal with our own ‘interesting’ fates, quests and
destinies, I am seeing a flood of reminiscences from people from diverse
backgrounds who knew, loved and admired her – all of which seem to
confirm the positive feelings left behind by this human being, my mother.
Like all human beings, she had her own human frailties, which left her
unhappy and reactive at times. But as her children, we learnt to take
mother, father and by extension all human beings for what they are – the
whole package. They taught us and also led us to learn that, through our
own learning and experience-building.

Despite the vacuum Amma has left in our hearts, our very natures will
carry forth the best of her attributes in fulfilling our commitments and
realising our dreams.

May she live a truly blessed and beneficial life when she takes on the next
assignment that Siva Peruman gives her.
Son, Chitta Mylvaganam, Sydney

Late Mrs. Tilakavati Mylvaganam 15