It was decided during the brunch on 3rd April 2011 that we should dedicate one Newsletter issue or come out with a booklet in memory of our dearest Uncle Patel. Since then, for the last one week my mind has been oscillating between writing and not writing. I have been thinking whether I would be able to do justice and fit in all the associations I had with Uncle in just one article. The true answer to this question is “No”; however, I decided to write at least some unforgettable memories as my humble tribute to Uncle.
My husband, Ramesh, was working in Singapore and my son Vishnu and I were living in Pondicherry with my in-laws for sometime from 1999 – 2000. Visiting and praying at The Ashram was our daily routine at that time so I became a bit concerned whether there would be a meditation centre in Singapore when it was decided in Sept 2000 that Vishnu and I would join Ramesh to live here. The day before I left for Singapore, while I was sitting near The Samadhi of our Masters, suddenly a thought struck me to go and ask at the office in The Ashram whether there was a meditation centre in Singapore, so I quickly went and enquired; to my delight the answer was “Yes”. To add on to my joy, the office staff said that the vice-president of the Singapore centre was currently in Pondicherry and gave me the home address too. I did not hesitate to immediately go and meet the vice-president. Needless to say that it was my very first meeting with Uncle Patel but it did not seem to be one as Uncle started to speak with me with so much of love and care as though he knew me for a long time. Uncle was also travelling to Singapore the very next day and he gave me his phone to contact him in Singapore.
I started searching for a job once I came to Singapore and Uncle used to help me in as many ways as possible from offering me to use his office computer and Internet to introducing me to as many people as possible. I have to definitely say that he was happier than me when he heard that I got a job and my Employment Pass was approved. Uncle was very thoughtful to give me a beautiful photo of The Mother (which I see when I wake up every morning) on The Mother’s birth anniversary on 21st Feb 2001 when he came to know I did not have one at our home here.
Since I was working in IT, Uncle slowly started to get me involved in our Society’s monthly Newsletter work and gave the idea that Kiruthika and I form a team to start our Society’s website. It further developed that we form an email list and send out the e-Newsletter. Today our Society’s website and the e-Newsletter have reached throughout the world and we have more than 300 email Ids in our email list. There is no doubt that Uncle Patel sowed the seed for this. There was a period where Uncle and I used to talk on phone or communicate by email many times in the same day for our Society’s work and those were the days which made my bonding with Uncle stronger. When we bought an apartment in Singapore in 2005, he was so happy and named it as “Unity” and presented us a beautiful statue of Lord Ganesha.
I have always admired his enthusiasm and eagerness to learn new technologies and how aptly he used to identify specific people for doing specific tasks in our Society. It was Uncle who introduced us and made us instruments of The Mother’s work. He would always say “whatever you do, offer it to The Mother”. Though we read books, we need practical guidance for something to get etched deep in our hearts and that is what Uncle gave us. He never hesitated to give the appropriate appreciation and encouragement to everyone and never ever forgot to pray for us and convey his wishes on our Birthdays.
All of us in the Singapore Centre feel that we are a big family; this feeling was created by none other than Uncle. His love and desire to help others in every possible way would actually make us argue whom Uncle has helped the most. I am sure every one of us would say “It’s me that Uncle loved and helped the most”. This is the special feeling that Uncle gave everyone who was associated with him.
For me Uncle was, is and will always be my “God-father”!
- Dhanalakshmi
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