Dear Ma,
It has been 2 weeks since you have left us! We are still dealing with the void you have left behind. Bapi is slowly settling in Hyderabad with Subhorup and Madhavi and engrossed in his work.
He wrote a poem for you, which I tried to humbly translate. Usually you were the one to translate these and felt the need to do so, in your absence.
Questions
We had planned to come to Hyderabad
To our son’s new apartment... by the Begumpet rail station!
And yet, I have had to come alone.
In the station nearby, through the day, so many trains travel up and down,
Up and down, endlessly,
No one to keep count,
Yet when a freight train crosses by
With its deep, thundering sound,
It brings back memories, oh, it brings back memories ---
The memory of our first kiss,
In our home in Dhakuria by the lake and the rail line,
In the privacy of the dark, secluded,
Two beings enveloped in passion, had thought
That that moment would have forever remained eternally lovely!
To our son’s new apartment... by the Begumpet rail station!
And yet, I have had to come alone.
In the station nearby, through the day, so many trains travel up and down,
Up and down, endlessly,
No one to keep count,
Yet when a freight train crosses by
With its deep, thundering sound,
It brings back memories, oh, it brings back memories ---
The memory of our first kiss,
In our home in Dhakuria by the lake and the rail line,
In the privacy of the dark, secluded,
Two beings enveloped in passion, had thought
That that moment would have forever remained eternally lovely!
Then we set up family,
In joy and sorrow, laden with love and at the end of so much angst,
One of us left, with a touch of the hand,
Still warm then,
Never to return!
Why did the other have to remain?
Only to listen to the moaning of the wagons?
When a being is lost,
How much does the world change?
The chain of time is disentangled into pieces
Across this rail line?
Will the wheels of the cargo laden trains
Forever cut across my heart?
In joy and sorrow, laden with love and at the end of so much angst,
One of us left, with a touch of the hand,
Still warm then,
Never to return!
Why did the other have to remain?
Only to listen to the moaning of the wagons?
When a being is lost,
How much does the world change?
The chain of time is disentangled into pieces
Across this rail line?
Will the wheels of the cargo laden trains
Forever cut across my heart?
Surajit Das Gupta,
8th August, 2016
8th August, 2016
Yesterday, we also had a memorial gongyo at our home in Lodha attended by almost 25 people, mainly our colleagues and members in this area and not to forget Doyeldi! People who probably had met you at meetings and were inspired by your passionate sharing of Buddhism. Many people shared their experiences including how they dealt with loss of a loved one. Eyes were moist with sadness and gratitude. But words spoken by Mim rings in my ears and heart...'She left like a queen but left us behind like paupers!'
We hope and prayed for your peace and happiness. We are sure you will be born near the practice. Till we meet again... loads of hugs and kisses!
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