A Sad Demise

Sharief, our devoted cook, passed away most unexpectedly last Thursday, leaving us very shocked and saddened.

Belonged to a village near Cuttack, Orissa, had his wife and family there (5 daughters and a son), and some property, but in ’95, at the age of nearly 50 (though he didn’t look it), came to Chennai to look for a job so he could pay off his debts and get his daughters married. We were lucky that a friend referred him to us.

When he joined us fifteen years ago he couldn't cook too much, but made amazing rotis so I knew he had potential and could be trained.  Over time he picked up quite a repertoire and could bake, make pizzas, and do an Indianized version of Chinese.  Of course on any given day a lot depended on his mood!

Straight-forward, God-fearing, honest to the core, he was very fond of my girls, Bade Saab or Sona Baba he called A. The two would always have him in splits, try to say a few words in English .... “What's up? Nothing much!”  He would miss his daughters …

Had a way with animals.  Our dogs in Chennai really loved him … and feared him at the same time!

After we shifted to Dubai, since it wasn’t possible for him to accompany us we moved him to Delhi 2 years ago to work for my mother (‘Nanima’ he’d call her). I could only convince him to go there on the understanding that when we returned to India (Inshallah!), he’d come back to us.

He was quite hale and hearty, and would say that no illness could ever touch him. He had some niggling health issues, which we tried to resolve through regular health checks.  But during his annual leave home from Delhi this time he fell ill, apparently a urinary infection, which on further investigation needed him to undergo surgery. Next thing we knew, in matter of days he was gone.  We’re still to get the full story.

During this visit he had fixed to get his third daughter married, and was only waiting to go home to arrange this.

Life is so unpredictable.  At least his last days were with his family.

Sharief had this way of acknowledging his blessings with an “Allah Mian, tera lakh lakh shukr hai’; we will truly miss him, and for our time with him we feel the same way.

“Tell your friend that in his death, a part of you dies and goes with him. Wherever he goes, you also go. He will not be alone.”  ― Jiddu Krishnamurti