Chennai, Jul 25 (IANS): One of Tamil cinema's most respected directors Vijay, best known for having made films like the Arya-starrer 'Madhrasapattinam', Vikram-starrer 'Deiva Thirumagal' and Vijay-starrer 'Thalaiva', has penned an emotional letter, thanking and bidding farewell to his mother, who passed away on July 17.

In the letter which was made public, the director, known for his soft-spoken and gentle nature, says, "Thank you Amma… You wanted your second child to be a girl but God sent me. Though everyone was upset, you accepted me and raised me with your unconditional love."

"I heard from you and everyone that I was the naughtiest child and always made you run around and (that I had) given you so much trouble. You even told me that you used to tie me to a window grill with (a piece of) thread so that you could do your house work, but I never felt that as you have never shown that pain to me Amma," Vijay states.

The director gives his mother the credit for having cleared his degree. He says, "You took all the effort to make me study. I remember you use(d) to read all your three children's school books. You taught us and educated us. An average student like me was able to clear the degree just because of you. You are a great teacher."

Vijay also goes on to credit his mother for his reputation of being a disciplined director who treats everyone with respect.

"You taught me to respect everyone," he says in the letter and recalls an instance when she scolded him for disrespecting a provision store person. From then on, he says he has been addressing everyone with respect.

Stating that his mother was the one who taught him to respect every woman, he says, "You are the first person to know all my relationships from college, you allowed me to learn out of my mistakes."

"When I wanted to enter the film industry and when no one in our family was in favour of that including appa (dad), you believed in me and stood by me with a condition of completing my degree. A very small achievement I could make in this film industry is only because of you," he says.

The director says that his mother was the first person with whome he shared all his happiness and worries. "You were a pillar of strength to all of us, I could sail through all my tough times and failures only because of you amma," he says.

"For the past three years, you were unwell and you have been hospitalised many times but you always fought strongly and bounced back like a fighter. You even surprised the doctors last time and got better when they insisted you to be put on a ventilator.

"On 16th July night, we sat and spoke in our house living room (like we do every night). You promised me that you are going to be better and going to live with us for the next few years to raise my kids the way you raised me. But on 17th July morning you left me and all of us. I am sure you will fulfil all those dreams and wishes as our God. But how will I thank you amma for all that you have done for me?"

"Am going to deeply miss your smiling face when I am leaving home and when I come back home. Am going to miss all your lunch phone calls. Am going to miss you till my last breath," he says.