As I logged in, it was very sad to notice that my last post was in 2019 when I had lost my another uncle - gopal mama ! Here I'm writing on the sad demise of my another uncle, fondly called Bhimu mama by me and others calling him Bhimu kaka, bhimachar based on their own relationship and connect. With his passing, I have lost all my uncles - 4 of them and three of them in the last 4 years !
Bhimu mama passed away on Dec 1 and the last few days before that were very taxing for the family. Being so far away, I was feeling stressed each day and I can only fathom the stress on the immediate family. He fought a very brave battle in the hospital combating the different troubles that came his way.
My early remembrances go back a long way when I was a small kid and he was still a bachelor. One of the the most handsome person in the whole family and could have possibly have become an actor in sandalwood or bollywood instead of an electrical engineer. I remember all the important milestones in our families including his marriage to vidya mami, his diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at a young age , his different stints in Dimbhe, Kolhapur and later in Pune where he settled with his kids. As much as his milestones, he has been a part of all my own milestones and events in Hubli, Sambra, Belgaum,Bangalore and so many days that we used to stay together in savanur. He would always be there in any of our events - infact all the events , including my sons upanayana in Nov 2019 , which sadly was the last time I met him ..He was always there when we needed him - for my mom when she had some health issue, when my dad when he had health issues or even when I was not well in 2012. He would be a source of strength to the family by his presence. He was always there in all joyful events too.Infact all our event plans would get discussed with him and my father in the earlier times, the simple joys that we miss in todays times. We have grown , we have become more capable, but we will never get those simple joys and memories that we cherish ..and thats the irony of life.. !
I remember my childhood days when I played some cricket with him Sambra; He was a very good cricket player and understand that he was a bowler and incidentally we had lot of common friends, including Shiggaon mama( my fathers colleague in central school), who was his classmate and who also is no more. I also remember his bajaj chetak in his younger days, the trips to Elephanta caves that he took me to in mumbai, his warm and straight chats during family events. His requests for tea , his timely meals , the betelnuts ( adaki) habit and this chats while chewing the adake were all something that we all will continue to remember..
His authority in the family was supreme and something that he lived throughout the life; He was always a very straight person who will always live by his principles ( what you say is what you do and what you mean ) I admired this trait of his and I do not see many people who fall into that category through the life..
He was also an extremely disciplined person and possibly the diabetes made him more disciplined because of the need. He lived with type 2 diabetes for almost 40+ years and he has taken insulin for almost all those 40 years.
I feel extremely sorry and sad for not being able to meet him after that ..Its sad, Its a mistake that I did not take time to go and meet him though we talked that we will soon catch up ! Covid , ofcourse took 2 years but its my mistake that I have to acknowledge and I will feel very bad throughout the life.
As I write this, I feel more and more lonely in life ..Loosing my father in 2014 followed by 3 of my uncles subsequently ... I seem to be loosing people whom I used to love , seek help, have candid chats ..They were always there when I needed them !
