Friends,
On September 1st, Sri Ravi had posted this article from "Letters from Ramanasramam" topic titled "POOR MAN’S MITE,30th November, 1947"
I am posting a part of the article that talks about Sri venammAl, here:
“Why not tell us some of the incidents of those days?” we asked. Kunjuswami agreed and began to tell us as follows:
“One day, we all felt like going round the hill with Bhagavan. When we told him, he readily consented and we started that afternoon immediately after food. It was usual for Bhagavan to walk slowly while going round the hill, so Venamma hearing that he had gone and confident that she could catch up with the party in no time, started out with a big basket of provisions. “We were passing Sona Thirtham when Bhagavan noticed Venamma at a distance, approaching, and he said, ‘There, you see, Venamma is coming. Someone must have told her and sent her with a basket of food. However much I protest, people will not give up these things. There she is, with a heavy load on her head. All right, this is going to be a punishment for her.’“So saying, he began to walk fast. Could she overtake him if he walked fast? Let us see. She continued to hurry, panting and fretting all the time, but did not stop walking.Bhagavan continued to walk in this way until we passed the Gautamasram, when he looked back. He could see that she, too, was walking fast, and, his heart melting at the sight, he led us to a mango grove that was nearby the road.
“Standing under the shade of one of the trees, Bhagavan said, ‘We will stop here. There is a well, and if not here, we may not get water anywhere else near. I was hoping that she would give us up, but she would not. She is tired and is panting for breath. What a shame!’ So saying, he sat down. “Unable to discover our whereabouts, and coming up to the trees, Venamma began anxiously saying, ‘Where has Bhagavan gone? There is no sign of him anywhere’. When Bhagavan heard this, he began laughing, whereupon she traced us to where we were and joined us. After eating what she had brought us, we began our walk again, Venamma now with us. From that day, we named the tree
Venamma’s mango tree.
the pios lady mentioned in the article is actually one of our former forum member Sri Viswanathan Sir's great grand mother, he has shared briefly here, when he was a member before. Sri venammA is the younger sister of of echammAl, and like echammAl, venammA was devoted to Bhagavan from virupAkShA days. During the last days of mother Alagammal, Venuammal did great service to Alagammal. Incidentally venammAl is Viswanathan Sir's mother's (Rajalakshmi's) grand mother and it was Venammal who raised his mother(Rajalakshmi's) from the age of 3. Venammal passed away in 1965 and during her last days , she lived with Sri Viswanthan sir in Chennai.
Viswanathan Sir is very much interested to locate the tree named as Venamma tree referred in the article "Poor Man's Mite"by suri nagamma. I request if any body has any information, to kindly share the same about the venamma tree.You can read more about Venuammal in the article appeared in Mountain path under the title "My childhood with Bhagavan"

This is the photo taken in 1920 in Skandasramam in the hill. Bhagavan can be seen with koupina. Just below him sitting on floor is Bhagavan Ramana's mother Alazammal and next to her on her left hand side is Viswanathan Sir's great grand mother Venuammal who raised his mother (smt Rajalajkshmi) Also you can see Mastan Swami seated in the top row and it is only photo of Mastan Swami available. The old lady seated just below Mastan Swami is Akilandamma also known as Desuramma who is senior to Bhagavan by age and she was responsible for introducing Mastan Swami to Bhagavan. Just below Desuramma, the person seated in the floor in first row with vibuthi on chest ,hands and fore head is is Ramanatha Brahmachari. To his right seated in the floor is Chinnaswamy (Bhagavan's brother). There is also one Annamalai Swami in this group(Not the annamalai swami who supervised ashram construction)

Sri Viswanathan sir's mother smt. Rajalakshmi, can be seen in the above picture aged 8 can be seen in the group.She is the only female in the group, the first from right, in the second row from down.
Thank you all,
with prayers,
ॐ