Last Sunday night came the news that Mamaji Gursharan passed away. Although this is a shocking and sad news, but knowing that he’s returned back to our maker (to a better place away from the pain and suffering of this physical plane) is comforting.
How do I pay homage to this larger than life Uncle? He was an extremely accomplished and dynamic human being. Born on 19th November 1930, at home in the ‘Kila’ in Gujjarwal, he was 3rd of seven sibling (with my mother being the youngest and 15 years his junior). He finished his FSc from Government College Ludhiana, and went to Punjab Engineering College Roorkee (which later relocated to Chandigarh), where he graduated as a ‘Civil Engineer’. I remember him sharing that this was a time when even the engineering students got assigned butlers’ (a legacy pf colonial India!).
His first job was the construction of the ‘Bhakra Dam’, where he worked under Harvey Slocum, a renowned American civil engineer and dam-building expert (famous for building the Grand Coulee Dam in Oregon). Bhakra Dam was called the “New Temple of Resurgent India” by the first Prime-minister of Independent India and freedom fighter, Mr. Jawaharlal Nehru. His career also took him to Ghana and Iraq, where he helped these governments/companies with irrigation, dam and/or canal building/management expertise. He retired as the Chief Engineer of Punjab.
As I write this blog, an ‘Akhand Path (continuous prayers)’ have commenced. Although I can’t be there for his final ‘Antim Areas and Bhog’, I want to commemorate him, this amazing man, my beloved Mamaji. I love you Mamaji, and one day we will all meet again in the ethereal plane. Till then God Bless and ‘Shabba Khair‘.
Erudite Kahani 