Rest in eternal peace
By
Mahesh Verma
To quote Haruki Murakami: “Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.” Last week we were shocked beyond belief and stunned into deathly silence on being told that a dear friend and a thorough gentleman had sailed away to the other world to be with the Creator.
With the sudden demise of veteran Devendra Nath Tripathi (Trip to most), the entire fraternity is in a state of shock. But then, life can be cruel. At 89, bubbling with zest for life and known as someone who was a keeper of relationships and the epitome of dignity, Trip’s journey to the other world has left us all bereft.
As per his dear wife Vinita, “It was God’s will and I am thankful to Him for not letting Trip suffer. Trip went the way he wanted to – quickly and not causing any problems.” Here was a Caesar, when comes such another?
We all have to go some day or the other and go we must! And when my time comes, I would like to go the way Trip did. Surrounded by good friends and the significant other while on a Mediterranean cruise, sailing on the balmy waters off the island of Mykonos, enjoying the “draught of vintage that hath been cool’d a long age in the deep-delved earth.”
I would however, perhaps make just a minor change to the itinerary and would like to bid adieu while sailing off the coast of Santorini, the island where we celebrated my coming-of-age!
Though we grieve with Vinita, Adit, Dalip, Sonam, Alyza, little Noor and the extended family, we will also celebrate the life of this giant of a man, who taught all of us how to live life to its fullest.
You shall be sorely missed but in your honour, we shall have a tipple or two of your favourite “Famous Grouse”. Rest in eternal peace dear Trip! His daughter-in-law, the renowned singer Sonam Kalra paid her tribute to him at a concert held at the India Habitat Centre in Delhi where the profound saying of Guru Nanakji was poignantly placed on every seat in the auditorium: “As fragrance abides in the flower, As reflection is within the mirror, So does your God, abide within you.” Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…the curtains have come down on a life well lived!
And before I sign off, a few random thoughts:
Do you know that death is not the greatest loss of life? The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live!
Do you know that for the thinking man life is a comedy, but it is a tragedy for those who feel?
Do you know that as per Paulo Coelho, “people are capable at any time in their lives of doing what they dream of?”
Till next fortnight…or maybe three weeks? The sombre mood cannot prevent me from wishing a very happy birthday to my significant other, who on the 26th will become a year younger and more graceful!
