My Grandmother, 76 passed away on April 30, 2009. She had been diagnosed with Urinary Bladder Cancer. After undergoing Surgery and Radiotherapy and cycle of being healthy and sick, in a short span of 6 months, she disappeared from our eyes.
Born and Brought up in pre-independence Pakistan, married in India raised 2 sons. One of them being my dad. Pious lady, very doting especially on me. I was her cherished grandson.
By the good will of the lord, she had also started chanting Mahamantra 10 rounds everyday. She even touched 16 for 2-3 months before she fell sick. She followed most of the regulative life that her advanced age allowed her to do.
Krishna had plans for her and she left her body on April 30 morning 9:20 AM. Fortunately enough she had been hearing incessantly for past 10 days and nights the holy name from the lips of the pure devotee of the lord - Srila Prabhupada. The night before we had read the 18th Chapter of Bhagavad Gita, applied tilak on her and gave her Garland prasad. Just before she took her last birth, my mother was quick enough to pour tulsi and sacred Ganges water in her mouth.
I was unfortunately no there with her at the time of her passing. I came back early from office and got engaged in the arranging for the funeral service. She was looking her prettiest. AVaishnava Tilak adorning her calm and smiling face. A devotee had gotten Maha Garlands from the Temple as well, Tulasi beads and a Tulasi Stem.
We took her body in the procession doing Harinama to the Funeral Centre. After whole lot of rites, finally her body was kept on a pile of wood. We all bid our final obeisances to her and then my father gave the fire to the woods. In 45 minutes, everthing was reduced to ashes.
A Very Krishna Conscious Departure!!!
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