Obituary that never was ......

.....Maimed.....Pained....the post an Orphan , as Bhal was invariably ,an early bird to check this  post , his comments  read  with  due  diligence  .....such  was  the  practice  in the  last few years ....& now until May onwards  the  posts went abegging  for  want  of  his  valuable  comments....as my flow was  a trickle  ,  yet  his  absence ,bothered  me ....the  unkindest  cut :as His B'Day wishes poured  in  the  group , the "Miss You",hit me hard , as I enquired from Javed , & my fears were confirmed....that  he  was  sick , returned  back to India from Sharjah ,where  he  was  posted as an ENT Surgeon , capitulating  to  the terminal illness , in his  prime  & at  the  peak of  his  career....

Dr Bhal chandra Jha , my early memories  go  back  to  1985 @Boys Old Hostel of Patna Medical college , bright & Witty sporting a thick mustache, sporting a Pyjama & Vest  , he was  the  quintessential brite 'Vidhayarthi ', the Netarhat look well besmirched  on  his  forehead , the Hindi was razor sharp , witty , satirical , with often dual connotations ,easily beating the hell out of his adversaries ,whoever crossed swords  with  him ,jokingly, in a way his command over  the  vernacular  was apparently  visible  whenever  you  happened  to  converse  with  him ....in  that  , even  after  a  long  hiatus  of  our  separation  to  different  walks  , the  reunion over  the  electronic  media , unmissable  touch  of  his  flair  over  the  language was felt and revisited ....

As we wrote & exchanged prolifically , I came very  close  to  him ....with 'Budho' his  Character , the  rustic setting of his writings,set   me back to  my  roots of my  village ,town....Only  an Expat can feel  the  pain  of another as  both  of  us  felt the  same , complementing  ourselves  with  our writings , as  we  missed  Homeland.....our  family  & friends , countrymen....

As we met , after  a  period of  long long  years ,in a different  setting altogether of  an established: establishment  of  our  professional self, both of us  in  foreign  lands , the  distant  homeland ,  we had to strike a chord of similarity ,of a  predicament  of rootlessness , yet united  by  our commonality , hence 'Budho '  appealed in no  uncertain terms, as  it  was  common  platform ....truly  cherish  those  days ,when we shared  our feelings  thru numerous  posts ..

...As my "Heart of Punjab" went abegging for want  of his comments , now there will be a permanent  void , coming  to terms  won't be  easy .....as the  images  are  too strong , the  Boys Old hostel , the cool rooms & Bhalchandra in his inimitable style .....Rest in Peace my dear friend ....!!!!