A tribute to Junu Malakar

This is the third time; I am going to write a tribute. First one was of my mother-in-Law, second was in my untimely death of wife. Actually, I could not resist writing few lines on the demise of my eldest sister on September 17, whom we call “Joon - Bi”. This tribute is not for a famous person but for a great soul. She was more of a mother than a sister for us. Her eldest son is almost of my age. So, obviously she was our mother like figure. We passed our childhood intermingled with her love and affections.

Gradually we grew up, studied in different Institutes, worked in various government jobs holding somewhat higher post and consequently retired. What a long journey she travelled! She is survived with three sons, four daughters along with her grand and the great grand children comprising of almost like a small village.

Be it where it is, the main accent to write this tribute is to confer gratitude and spotlight at her extraordinary personality. She was virtually illiterate, but surprisingly could recite almost all chapters of “Kirtan Ghukha”, “Nam Ghukha” Ramayana and Mahabharata, like my late father. She was a pious lady, well disciplined and strict follower of good habits which perhaps allow her to travel such a long journey of life with good health, great humility and wider popularity. Whoever once meets her no way could effort to forget her smiling face. “Vasundhaiva Kutumbakam” was in her blood. No one could get away without having anything if visits her home. Her broad-minded outlook, even failed us. Our educations, exposures to various fields of activities became infatuation in front of her. Of course, my late wife was her most favorite that surprised me many a times; how that could be possible being both of them from two different ways of life.

It’s merely a futile effort to describe her life; which was more than an institution. Really, there are lots to be learnt specially by our materialistic young generation from her open-ended life style which was a perfect combination of religion and compassion. Education alone cannot make a person big; it is the inner spirit and way of life –“Joon Bi” a perfect paradigm.

–Jiten Malakar

(Youngest Brother)

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