- A TRIBUTE TO MAHENDER UNCLE (MAHENDER PRATAP MOHLLAJEE)
Uncle Mahender will be missed
by all of us. He was our favorite uncle, the “cool” one, a man of great wisdom
and knowledge, though short and diminutive but a tall man by his deeds
He took life a bit easier in
the last few years and devoted to his passion, reading books that kept his mind
afresh. He was fiercely loyal to his work, family and friends.
The family knew Mahender Uncle
as a quiet, kind and very gentle person who would give you the shirt off his
back…and he literally did to anyone in need. I fondly remember, as a teenager I
often asked for gifts, his personal belongings like Omega watch, Minolta camera
and Sinclair calculator to name a few, from him during his visits to India.
He was such a selfless man who touched so many lives. He was
very attentive and would listen to everyone’s problems and offer solutions to
them, when asked. Fortunately, he was remarkably intelligent and filled with
wisdom, so his family, colleagues and friends could always count on him.
We remember his visits and various
trips to some exotic places in Rajasthan (India). His reassuring presence will
be so missed by family across the country and India. While life was
considerably compromised by his health, Mahender Uncle never stopped living to
the fullest.
His elephantine memory
reconstructed Lahore and its famous bylanes, as an eleven-year-old boy, he last
stayed in Lahore. A piece of well written graphic note of route from LAHORI
GATE TO SUTTAR MANDI TO KUCHA BULO MAL –OUR HOUSE- in old city of LAHORE, now
Pakistan. My Pakistani host was stunned when told that my Uncle Mahender was
then 11 years old.
His
first departure from India when I was around 5 years of age is vividly etched
in my mind as he underwent long journey from New Delhi to Mumbai by train and
then by a Steamer to New York. Though he looked very short and vulnerable, yet
his reassuring demeanor won everyone’s belief in his ability to succeed in
foreign land.
As a
child I always thought that he was mine and only my Uncle, but later I realized that he had this endearing quality that made people and my other cousins,
nieces believe, he was theirs.
He had
done a lot for Mohlajee clan and made everyone proud of his achievements and
effective contribution to almost all who got in touch with him.
As I
write, sea of emotions flow through my mind, eyes go moist thinking that, you
are gone but not forgotten. While I lament my absence on your last rites, the
visual of your knowing and reassuring smile, rid me of the remorse.
Adieu Mahender Uncle!! A great Man.
