Monday, February 5, 2024
In Loving Memory of
Sau Kamal Narayan Pradhan:
A Tribute to my Mother
-Pandurang Narayan Pradhan (Dada)
It is with immense love and sadness that I honour the life and passing of our beloved mother Sau Aai.
Everyone of you has felt this lady in their lives in some way and have found in her persona, her
emotional generosity, boundless compassion and her undying need and capacity to be affectionate
and grace everyone with genuine love. Aai was the focal point of our family and household and her
interactive and engaging nature made her a person whose departure has left an irreplaceable void in
our lives. I remember her kindness, concern and reassuring care for her family, relatives, friends and
neighbours. Her calm and dignified presence has given us, her children, her grandchildren and her
daughters-in-law the confidence to face the future as she did with courage, fortitude and with hope.
And with grateful hearts, today I reflect on these and in the many other ways in which her long life
has been a blessing to all of us. I pray to God that he will give us the grace to honour her memory by
following her example.
Aai lived a vibrant and full life and despite her somewhat frail condition due her age and despite an unfortunate fall a couple of years ago which had restricted her mobility, she was mentally sharp,
incredibly alert and agile till the very end. Very fondly remembered and sorely missed by the family of Late Shri Narayan Bhikaji Pradhan, she is survived by her children Pandurang, Hemant, Mukund, her grand-children Simran, Shefali, Suyog, Shibani and Surbhi, her daughters-in-law Aruna, Leena and Meenal, and her grand daughters-in-law Tania and Shivani.
Aai was our matriarch, an Iron Lady with a commanding and a compelling voice who single-handedly and fiercely nurtured and groomed her children and grand-children. A woman of strong self-esteem, she was full of life, and had impeccable standards and high values. She always remained stoic in the face of adversity and in difficult times. In uncertain times, one always needs an anchor- she was that anchor to us. She had an uncanny knack of connecting with people quickly and enthused everyone around her with her zest for life. Throughout her life, my beloved mother, was an inspiration and example to our family. And we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family could owe to their mother for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example. Her’s was a life well lived. She made numerous sacrifices and endured enormous hardships for the sake of her family. Her unwavering devotion to her husband, dedication to our family, her children and all of us was supreme and she remained strong through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.
Though at times she was firm, she held no malice. As with her own children, she has always atoned
for any critical comment that she ever made. And therefore, she was always held in high esteem by
everyone. The affection and admiration she inspired in everyone became her hallmark. And as every
member of our family can testify, she combined these unique qualities with her characteristic warm
smile, humour, and her unerring ability always to see the best in people. She always cared for others
and was deeply concerned about you and how you and your family were. Aai will always be
remembered for her kindness and emotional generosity to everyone she met and touched in her
lifetime. Thank you Aai for your unconditional love and devotion to our family.
During her last years, whenever I interacted with Aai mostly through the numerous video calls, kind
courtesy Mukund, I was often reminded of Shri Appa Thakur’s beautiful poetic-composition that
made me strongly feel that-
"तिनेजणू काही आयुष्याशी थेट करारच के ला आहे. आयुष्याचा सूययमावळिीकडेझुकि असिाना
समोर येणारी संध्याकाळ आतण त्यानंिर येणारा अस्त या दोघांना अत्यंि आत्मतवशवासानेआतण त्याच बरोबर जगण्याची उमेद मात्र कायम
असणाऱ्या माझ्या आईची तजद्दच जणूकाय या काव्य-रचनेमध्येवणयन के लेलेआहेअसाच भास व्हायचा"
Today, I seek the indulgence of all of you and share below this beautiful poetic-composition of Shri
Appa Thakur which is such an apt description of my mother’s indomitable spirit and zest for life till
her very end:-
“बाकी आहे.....
“आयुष्याशी अजून माझा करार बाकी आहे
मावळिाना लखलखण्याचा तवचार बाकी आहे!
“आयुष्याची सकाळ माझ्या खरेच सुंदर गेली आहे!
“संध्येची मज तिकीर नाही , दुपार बाकी आहे!
“आयुष्याशी अजून माझा करार बाकी आहे
मावळिाना लखलखण्याचा तवचार बाकी आहे!
“आधारानेकसेबसेमज जगावयाचेनाही!
जगण्यासाठी मनाि उजायतचकार बाकी आहे!
आयुष्याशी अजून माझा करार बाकी आहे
मावळिाना लखलखण्याचा तवचार बाकी आहे!
“स्वाथायसाठी उगाच खोटा सलाम के ला नाही,
िाटि आले, िरी भरजरी तकनार बाकी आहे!
आयुष्याशी अजून माझा करार बाकी आहे
मावळिाना लखलखण्याचा तवचार बाकी आहे!
“सवायथरावर खरेच माझेजगून आिा झाले,
माणुसकीनेजगावयाचा प्रकार बाकी आहे!
सरणावरिी अिा खरोखर तनघेन आनंदाने,
पण मृत्यूचा अजून थोडा नकार बाकी आहे!
आयुष्याशी अजून माझा करार बाकी आहे
मावळिाना लखलखण्याचा तवचार बाकी आहे!”
Aai lived by the strongest of family values which she imparted to her loved ones. She was the binding
glue who kept her family and flock together and well-protected. Her legacy will forever live on in our
hearts. Her devout spirituality and devotion to God was unwavering and we will live in the solace
knowing that she is resting peacefully with God now.
Aai, you leave behind very fond memories to cherish and highest values to guide us through our
lives. We will always love you,
“We thought of you with love today
But that is nothing new
We thought about you yesterday
And days before that too
We think of you in silence
We often speak your name
Now all we have is memories
And your picture in a frame
Your memory is our keepsake
With which we'll never part
God has you in His keeping
We have you in our heart.”
-OM KULASWAMINI
