T.N Venakataraman Gives More About Ramana's Sister "Smt Alamelu"

Sh. T.N Venakataraman, former sarvadhikari of the ashram says:

'Each time ashram brought out a new tamil book, bhagavan would write 'Alamelu' on the first page in his own print-like handwriting and later he would call alamelu when she was present in the old hall amidst other devotees and visitors and lovingly give her the copy.Many such books with Alamelu's name written in them by bhagavan are with me.

The sashtibda of my uncle sh.pichu iyer was celebrated in the ashram itself on 6.3.47. The maharani of baroda came in person to present a costly saree spun with golden thread to my aunt. It was a 'Tissue' saree six yards in length whereas aunt wore the traditional nine yards in length.

It was the maharani's wish and command that aunt should wear the saree on that occassion.Aunt, however was in a fix for she was utterly unused to wearing a non-traditional dress. The news was brought to the notice to bhagavan. Bhagavan sent for his sister and told her "Alamelu, the maharani is so keen to see in this dress. Why not wear this over your own traditional saree"? What a facile denouement to a knotty problem.

When alamelu aunt came to bhagavan dressed int eh gorgeous saree, to prostrate before him, he said "first do namaskaram to mother and then come to me". He was referring to mother's shrine. very lovely rose garlands had been brougt for the occassion. Rose garlands were not easily available at tiruvannamalai in those days. Aunt alamelu deeming it improper for her and her husband to wear them, before seeing a rose garland around bhagavan's neck, took one to him. Once again bhagavan told her in a very loving tone "why not offer it to mother?" How deep was bhagavan's love for his mother and his sister!

Uncle pichu iyer was a gourmet, to be more exact a gourmand. he had a sturdy body but never cared to keep the body and dress clean. He would enter the dining hall in unwashed clothes and would eat with normous appetite. At the end of the meal he would breeze into the pantry, pick up some vadais, bundle them up in his dirty towel and go away. All this hardly pleased niranjananda swamy who was a stickler for discipline. He wsaw to it that the pantry was locked and the vadais were put of pichu iyer's reach. The old ladies in charge were under orders not to open the pantry to pichu iyer.

One old lady however gave bhagavan a hint of the situation. The next time niranjananda swami was in bhagavan's presence, he told him "Do you know who pichu iyer is? Our sister's husband, our brother-in-law! He has equal rights here! This did the supreme sage instruct his asctic brother in family etiquette.

Source: http://www.arunachala-ramana.org/forum/index.php?topic=6047.msg17575#msg17575