MADIKERI:A family of six siblings has reunited after 33 years in Madikeri following an advertisement published in a district newspaper.The two estranged brothers had been living in Mumbai for the past 33 years, assuming that their parents had passed away. They were overjoyed to reunite with their 80-year-old mother who was in tears seeing her two sons after decades.
Anand Nayar, the oldest of six siblings, left Madikeri during the 1980s to find a job in Mumbai. He left behind his parents Kumar and Thangamma, who worked as daily wage labourers in an estate, and five younger siblings. The family had moved to Kodagu from Kerala 50 years ago. Finding a job at a construction company, Anand kept in touch with his parents and siblings via letters.
Shekar, the youngest among the siblings, ran away at the age of 12, following his brother’s footsteps and settled in Mumbai with him. While Anand wrote letters to his family, they became less frequent over time and later stopped altogether. Around the same time, the parents left their old job and moved to a different house.
With no internet or mobile accessibility, the communication between the two brothers and the rest of the family became impossible. Eventually, the two brothers married and settled in Mumbai.Meanwhile, their father Kumar passed away. On his death bed, he had expressed his desire to see his two missing sons. Telegrams were sent to Anand’s old address, only to be returned to the family stating that no such person lived there.
After 33 years of being away from family, Anand wanted to meet his siblings, assuming that his parents might be no more. He, along with Shekar, came to Madikeri two days ago and started looking for his family. “We left Madikeri when it was covered with forests. There were no proper roads, nor electricity. Now, everything has changed and we could not recognise the place we left behind,” said Shekar.
Helpless, they approached a district newspaper to post an advertisement. The advertisement was published following a police search complaint. The next morning, the editor of the newspaper woke up to Anand’s call, who was yelling with joy, “I can’t thank you enough; I have found my mother, brother and sisters because of your newspaper,” said Anand. He had received a call from his sister on a number he had posted on the ad.
Anand and Shekar were reunited with their family in a house near Madikeri Gowda Samaj. Their aged mother, with a joyous smile, said: “I am glad that they came looking for their family before I left this world.” With tearful eyes, she spoke about her two sons and said, “My life cannot get happier than this.” While posing for a family picture, the oldest brother Anand adoringly pulled his sister Prabha beside him and smiled for a family reunion picture.