Ud gaya hans akela

With deep regret, we announce the sad and untimely demise of Rahul Basu, the writer of this blog, on 5th March 2011. He came down with a serious respiratory infection in December, but was recovering well. However, a sudden relapse took him away from us, his sorrowing friends and family.

His non-blogging persona was that of a particle physicist. Many aspects of his professional and public persona have been described by his friends and colleagues on the beautiful memorial page put up by his institute, the Institute of Mathematical Sciences. He was quite different with his close friends and family. He was playful and affectionate, and enfolded those he loved in his tender care. Now he is gone, and we are bereft. However, we plan to continue this blog in his loving memory, with help from all his friends, and members of his family.

We hope you will read your blog, Rahul.

Ud jaayega hans akela/ jag darshan ka mela/ jaise paat gire taruvar se/ milna bahut duhela/ na jaane kidhar girega/ lageya pawan ka rela/ jab howe umar puurii/ jab chhuutegi hukum hujuurii/ Yama ke doot bade mazboot/ Yama se pada jhamela/ Daas Kabir Hari ke guna gaawe/ woh Hari ko paaran pawe/ Guru ki karni guru jayega/ chele ki karni chela/ Ud jaayega hans akela/ jag darshan ka mela...

(Kabir Bani-Sant Kabir.)

The swan will fly away all alone/ the world will merely be a spectacle like a fair/ As the leaf that falls from the tree /is difficult to find/ who knows where it will fall/ once it is struck with a gust of wind/ when the span of life is complete /then obeying orders, following others, will be over/ The messengers of Yama are very strong/ the tangling had to be with Yama/ the servant Kabir praises the attributes of the Lord/ he finds the Lord soon/ the Guru will go according to his doings/ the disciple according to his/ The swan will fly away all alone ........

(Thanks, Jogesh, for the Kabir bhajan and the Kumar Gandharva reference.)

This blog post is by Neelima Gupte and Sumathi Rao.