(B-1011)-PADDAKKAYA OF ADMAR-A LIVING LEGEND

Recently this Blogger had an opportunity to visit Admar, about 6 km from Padubidri for seeking the blessings of Padmavati, the second "Bahu" in the Badettu family, popularly known as Paddakkaya. She along with Lakshmakka, the fifth Bahu in the Badettu family are the only two surviving second generation members. While Paddakkaya stays at Admar, her ancestral house well looked after by her son Raghupathi, Laksmakka is living with her dauhter Lalita who is a teacher in a school at Chintamani near Kolar. 

Talking about Paddakkaya one cannot miss her vibrant personality and even at this advanced age of 96 years she personifies the old traditions and values which many of the 3rd generation descendants have forgotten. It is amazing to see how well kept she is even at this age radiating happiness and courage, though she needs help of a walker to move around. Her appetite is phenomenal, memory still sharp and attitude positive. When one sits by her side it is difficult to avoid getting infected with her human qualities and all Bedettu family descendants must make it a point to visit her if an opportunity arises.

During two hours of chatting with her a wealth of information was gleaned and this treasure house of old memories must be tapped for getting more insight into the past years of Badettu family. Situated near the famous Admar Mutt, the House at Admar was built by her father Yogendra Ajja and is well preserved unlike the Badettu House at Padubidri which gives one the impression  that it is going to collapse any minute!. The care and solace provided by her daughter-in-law Madhavi must be appreciated while Paddakkaya's sons and daughters most of them settled down nearby and in Kerala visit her frequently.

There were two Bahus in Badettu family who exemplified the high sacrifice needed those days to raise a family, that too a jumbo one as most of them had children in the range 8-12. One was Paddakkaya and the other one Janaki Amma, wife of late Anantrama, 4th son of  Narnappaya who is no more now. Husbands of both of them spent considerable part of their lives away from the family, putting all the onus on the wives to raise the family. Kudos to them! 

Here are the prayers from all the descendants of Badettu family to God to continue to bestow on Paddakkaya good health so that she completes at least her 100th year with least hiccups!

Answer to quiz of B-1008):

The first MBA in Badettu Family was Mr Vasanthakumar, popularly known as Putta, now living in Bangalore serving as a very senior executive in IBM company. He obtained his MBA from Kolkatta way back, about 20 years ago after getting an engineering degree from IIT. His lucky parents are Dr P Vedavyasa Rao, the Bhishma of Badettu family and Ms Vasundhara. After a long gap of two decades Ms Lakshmi, a fifth generation descendant of the Badettu family and daughter of Nandini (daughter of late Venkatramana of Alleppey) and Mr Shankaranarayana of Trivandrum. is another MBA who graduated from Kolkatta after getting an engineering degree. She is presently employed by a reputed bank in Mumbai. 

Quiz for this issue

Who was the first medical graduate in Badettu family?

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