14th august, a decade ago, i lost the person who inspired me the most in my life. Papaji or Pops as i would lovingly call him.
Seems like time either has just stopped or passed away so quickly. His words keep ringing every time i think about him. Specially when i drive my car, Papaji's words ring clearly. He is the one who insisted that i learn to drive. Beta, he would say, driving by yourself will make you independent and give you sense of responsibility. If you are independent, you will be confident he said. Today i feel very independent and confident. He was the one who taught me to drive. I was scared not of driving but Papaji. He was a perfectionist. So wanted me to drive just the way he insisted. Even today i feel his slap on my hand on the steering wheel if i don't drive his way.
Luckily for me, i did not give up learning from him. Whether it was driving or long discussions on our morning walks, i enjoyed every bit of our time spent together. From him i learnt punctuality, humility, modesty and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Spending time in the hills during summer vacations, still is something i am addicted to, thanks to Pops.
He was a disciplinarian, maybe a strict parent, but i loved the way he made up with us kids after his anger had gone. Papaji cooked excellent mutton curry and made mango ice cream in the wooden ice cream maker. Remember waiting anxiously till all of us churned the ice cream mix and let it set. Was he teaching hard work or patience. I think both.
I dedicate my thoughts , remember him and thank him from the bottom of my heart.
Seems like time either has just stopped or passed away so quickly. His words keep ringing every time i think about him. Specially when i drive my car, Papaji's words ring clearly. He is the one who insisted that i learn to drive. Beta, he would say, driving by yourself will make you independent and give you sense of responsibility. If you are independent, you will be confident he said. Today i feel very independent and confident. He was the one who taught me to drive. I was scared not of driving but Papaji. He was a perfectionist. So wanted me to drive just the way he insisted. Even today i feel his slap on my hand on the steering wheel if i don't drive his way.
Luckily for me, i did not give up learning from him. Whether it was driving or long discussions on our morning walks, i enjoyed every bit of our time spent together. From him i learnt punctuality, humility, modesty and how to enjoy life to its fullest. Spending time in the hills during summer vacations, still is something i am addicted to, thanks to Pops.
He was a disciplinarian, maybe a strict parent, but i loved the way he made up with us kids after his anger had gone. Papaji cooked excellent mutton curry and made mango ice cream in the wooden ice cream maker. Remember waiting anxiously till all of us churned the ice cream mix and let it set. Was he teaching hard work or patience. I think both.
I dedicate my thoughts , remember him and thank him from the bottom of my heart.
Awesome...I remember your Dad too. A very humble person who appeared to me, to be very soft. A very upright & straightforward person. He had a very loving nature and was affectionate to the core.
ReplyDeleteWe miss our parents all the more when they are comfortably ensconced in the their heavenly abode.
thanks ashok bhaiya,
Deleteyes u have summed up his nature so beautifully, even though you may have met him occasionally.
makes me happy to remember him together...:)))
I think I've thought of him almost everyday in the past 10 years - there isn't another person I know who I have revered as much as him. I wish he was still alive :) I feel very dissatisfied that I was too young when he passed away - there was so much to learn from him!
ReplyDeleteI pulled out a lot of his history in India this time - from Bua ji and Manohar Chacha ji :)
yes sonal, i always was in awe of him..what brains!!!
Deletealso when abheek and brat visited mumbai, he spoilt them rotten.
i m sure hes as perfect as he was wherever he is today...
wish i could take him to canada to abheek, brat and their families.
he also cared for u the most, so ur love for him is justified....