We feel the pinch of death when it grabs someone very close to us.

Yesterday night, we lost someone very close to us in Covid -19 after he lost the battle, fighting for more than 2 weeks. He was like our Family member and very close to everyone in my family. He was our Temple priest - but for us, he was very attached to our every day life.

Every day he would be ready and come to the Temple at Sunrise - between 5 - 5.30 am. And I go to pluck flowers in the morning. We talk every day - he is the first person of my daily interaction. He always counsels with good suggestion. And he can make out, if I am stressed out by my looking at my face. That was the kind of attachment - a person who can read your face, and guide you for good can only be a well wisher.

And he was very close to our family. He did the thread ceremony of my son. It's a grand arrangement and he took all the burden from me to arrange everything that was necessary and do all the rituals over a 2 day period. He was so punctual in his duty that he would call us starting from the morning and guide to complete all the tasks so that everything can be completed in time. Here are some of the images, that shows his involvement in the rituals. He did everything like treating my son as his grand son.

He was very popular in our society as well as a lot of people outside only because of dedication and punctuality. I always considered him as a role model for discipline. Be it every day or be it big occasions - he would plan for every thing ahead of time and execute it flawless - a perfect perfectionist. The temple was shining always because of his care. And today everyone misses him.

All these days, I had been praying for his (along with someone else) quick recovery. I was of strong believe that he will fight and win the battle. Because he was a strong devotee of God and so dutiful that he deserved to have more time on this world. I always feel like God helps them who honors duty. It was very sad and unfortunate as well unbelievable to hear his demise.

It has shaken me from inside - now I think, if such a dutiful person did not deserve to be alive, then who else deserves to be alive ?