Reminiscences of Ankoor

• It is one the most difficult write ups for me. Penning down thoughts about sudden demise of your only offspring requires indomitable courage, especially on the day of demition of office in the land of Goddess Kamakhya. One has to gather sufficient strength to come out with correct expressions. Piecing together scattered memories takes a good deal of time. But it is worth it.
• One knows that death is sure and certain but if it happens to near or dear ones, it is unbelievable.
• Our dear Ankoor passed away for his heavenly abode at 16.35 hours on 22/5/11 (Sunday) at a young age of 22 years and six weeks. He was suffering from epilepsy and mild depression. He was under regular medication and counseling. His desired needs, to the best of our knowledge were being attended to. We never knew, however, that he was extending, at the same time, a warm welcome to Yamraj.
• The mere fact that his body was lying in a morgue of a prominent hospital at New Delhi, without being identified for 21.5 hrs, gave us considerable pain. We cursed ourselves. Bringing him home after embalming, two hours later was also one of the most difficult operations one has ever undertaken in life.
• Two of us brought him to this Kalyug at 10.48 hours on 8/4/89. We rightly decided (much against social norms) to light his pyre together at platform number 27 at Lodhi Road Crematorium, around 11.20 hours on 24/5/11.His ashes were immersed in River Swarnarekha at Ghagra near Ranchi in the morning of the following day. His Shradh (last rites) was performed on 5/6/11.
• A self-satisfied loner, he always stood out from the crowd. He was inclined towards writing, both, poetry & prose. Laurels for his work came when he was crowned ‘Mr. Political Science’ in Sri Venkateshwar College even when his percentage of marks had registered a fall due to continued indisposition. Like a true soul he uttered-“I do not deserve it”.
• His straightforwardness & simplicity was loved by one & all. He was brimming with enthusiasm and energy till second week of September 2010.
• His hard work, sincerity & sharp intellect inspired many of his juniors in both colleges-Sahid Bhagat Singh and Sri Venkateswara, who are determined to bring pride & glory to their families. Though his innings ended abruptly in Law Centre-I, he was praised by his teachers for his grasp of the subject and his overall helpful nature towards classmates.
• His poems & prose, one is showing to relatives, friends & well wishers but very soon, it may be confined to the dustbin of history, unless documented well.
• Even when he was in Clsss IX/ Xth, he would say-“Brothers fight for toys in childhood & for property in adulthood”. Further, some of his impressions on Gujarat Riots (2002) were very realistic and touching:
Land of Peace has been broken into pieces,
Riots were regional but its effect was national,
God is one but people lack oneness, etc.
• The World was a stage for him and God wrote dramas for everyone. Acting well will ensure award while failing to act will invite punishment.
• He would expect everyone to forget the ‘vast’ past, never regret about. The present was not only to be remembered, but to be enjoyed.
• I wanted to write “Letters from Father to Son” through E-mail to Ankoor on the lines of letters from “Father to daughter “ by Jawaharlal Nehru. But I kept planning………….Time and tide wait for none. I was no exception.