To Nitin Mullick - a remembrance and introspection

It is one of those heavy moments, when pain and anguish over the physical loss of a good friend completely paralyses one’s being. I just heard the news of the passing away of my friend Nitin mullick: a young, intelligent, loving and cheerful young man; plucked away in his prime by the inexorable wheel of destiny. How can such a fragrant flower be picked in its freshness? ; Or how could life be so cruel and heartless in taking away a loving father; a doting husband; a dutiful and caring Son, an admirable friend? These are questions that instantly arise in our mind; but then the answer comes almost instantaneously: - such is the law of life; - that lives that are very bright, incandescent and redeeming cannot last long; and their sheer exuberance and presence was meant only as temporary sojourn for all of us to interact, bask and live with; and then to carry them forever in our memory as a person who touched our lives, enlivening it with joy, happiness and optimism. They are too precious; and they are God’s chosen children, who cannot remain alienated from HIM for long. So Nitin has gone “Home”, leaving us all with only those lovely moments that we had with him, to cherish and honor.

My heart goes out to Vani and the boys, His parents, all those in his family for this loss so irreparable. Words cannot assuage the anguish of their bereavement, but I am sure all those who knew Nitin are with them right now in spirit; and we pray that Life gives them the courage and fortitude to stand through these moments of trial and sorrow.

Nitin, Farewell My friend. You will live on forever in our hearts….

God bless...

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It is only when the fact of Death stares at our face, do we realize the incontrovertible evanescence of this Human body. When a person known to us passes away, our mind receives an involuntary jerk; and its seemingly strong edifice wobbles a little at the bottom allowing the “unpleasant” thought of our own temporal existence and imminent death bubble up to the top; - and at least, for a fraction of a second, if not more, we tremble with an unnameable fear that takes hold of us. This is a fact, and none can deny it. But very soon, we recover: diverting our minds to other pursuits; “externalizing” the whole experience and losing ourselves in peripheral activities; and the actual fact of death gets sidelined - so to speak.

Religions begin and end with an answer to this fear. The truest expressions of all religious endeavor seek an answer to this riddle of life that constantly threatens with us with its own annihilation. And when the answers have been discovered, they get codified into belief systems for the less adventurous souls, who cannot undertake the arduous, painful and often perilous journey into this void. Hence the need to have Churches, temples and mosques; where one can participate in its liturgical outpourings, bringing some solace and peace to ones tortured psyche; allowing to lose ourselves in the grand idea, that after all, there is something beyond physical death; and to be able to hold on to symbols ever so tightly praying that it would help us the cross the bridge between life and death. Not a bad idea, after all! Because without this consolation, it may become impossible to lead a sane life.

But nothing can substitute those pristine moments of discovery available to us when one looks at death on its face, and feels the naked fear of it in our raw bones. If at all one can hold on to it; look into it deeply, there is a chance that we may touch something beyond it. This journey, however, needs a heroism, that cannot be taught or mimicked.. All that we can do is to be open to this experience, when it happens, and allow life in its own inimitable way to lead us to an understanding, where Death in its richness will make as much sense as Life does…

God bless…..