In Memoriam

Blessed and privileged are they  whose parents are still with them. When the memory of departed father (or mother) flashes all across, the emotions  obviously surge. At those times, one has no words of his own and he leans to some one else - who is more eloquent - in his search for expressions. One here is in picture and another is in words.

Father and son : what a relationship & how well portrayed here by artist Ashley Ng ! 

In his very touching poem in Gujarati titled Punaravartan (Repetition), poet  Jashwant Desai (1926 - )  narrates a simple yet poignant incident – that of  putting his Father’s portrait on the wall when his eyes are flooded with tears. 

The poet’s memory takes him back to some what  similar incident   when, twenty years ago, he was watching his father hanging the grandfather’s portrait. His father had tears in his eyes too and, for a while the entire surrounding was engulfed in dark gloom. 


Time flies and two decades later, the grandfather’s portrait has moved elsewhere in the home, making room for the father’s portrait ! He ends the poem saying that the scene & the stage have not changed but only the actors have – and hence the title.

This lovely poem can be best savoured in Gujarati only  and here it is.

The only solace is that one generation's photograph will keep replacing the previous  ones. On signing out, I am also reminded of a very soothing  verse ( anonymous?) :

Ev'n for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief;

Death cannot long divide.

For is it not as though the rose that climbed my garden wall

Has blossomed on the other side?

Death does hide 

But not divide;

You are but on Christ's side!