Skip to main content

Forever Young

The tragic passing of my cousins Ashish and Akshay in the recent Fox glacier accident last month has affected not only me but all who knew them. Till date, I still await the odd email or Facebook message from them. Them not being around is a hard truth that we all are still trying to come to terms with. I was fortunate to get to know them better and share some wonderful moments with them.

 Growing up in different cities (Mumbai and Pune) we hardly ever met, except for the odd family gathering…they moved to Melbourne and I met them after almost 12 years in 2007. They looked very different from the last time we met, and I am sure I would not recognise them if I ever bumped in to them anywhere else. Both were tall and lanky six footers and looked like regular 20 year olds. That evening we discussed family, our plans for the future, sports and even world politics. Ashish was vociferous about his love for cricket and his support for the Indian cricket team, while Akshay defended his favourite team Manchester United and the bad form they were currently going through. It was an awkward, yet fun evening, and since I was new to Melbourne they promised to include me in their plans.

 Christmas 2007, was when we really hit it off and had a whale of a time with family from all over the city who gathered at my brother’s house. The younger members of the family had a singing showdown with the older ones…with Ashish and Akshay leading the youngsters. It was all in good fun, and the laughter and joy shared was the ultimate winner. It was then that they introduced me to their favourite songs ’Forever young’ and ‘Dream catch me’...they sang them like they believed every word of the lyrics (The former is ironically the jingle for the New Zealand tourism advertisement…the country where they did not return from). During this revelry I noticed the sparks flying between Ashish and my sister in law’s cousin. Showing me a good time became their excuse to meet up often after that, but I didn’t mind it…I was having a good time!

 Ashish always passed his plans by Akshay to see if he could join in. It was evident that they enjoyed each other’s company. Their personalities were starkly contrasting yet they complimented each other. Ashish was overt and animated when expressing his views. Akshay presented his case in a more subdued and controlled manner. Both were extremely intelligent and every conversation with them was stimulating and enjoyable.

 I am extremely proud to call them my cousins and must acknowledge that some of their joie de vivre has definitely rubbed off on me. I cherish all the time we spent together and am glad that I got the opportunity to get to know them so well. 

 Ashish and Akshay wherever you are you should know...that I am jealous of the fact that you'll will stay forever young!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

8 tips for first-time trekkers

"Let's go on a trek to the Himalayas!" , who knew these innocent words of my brother in law in April 2014 would land us in one of the most beautiful places on earth and give us some of the most memorable experiences of our lives a year later! Last month (May 22, 2015), he and I embarked on our first high-altitude trek in the Himalayas to Rupin Pass  - 15250ft above sea level, 60+ Kms over 8 days. It was a very well organized trek by India Hikes , one of the oldest trekking companies in India. While a detailed post on our experiences is due, I thought a list (to add to the many I see on my Facebook timeline) of things to remember / do as a first-time trekker might be useful. These are based on our experiences and learning, and is by no means a conclusive guide. The Climb up to the Upper Waterfall 1.  Physical Training before is an absolute must: Treks are physically demanding on the body which means you need to keep yourself in reasonably good shape before yo
10 comments
Read more

Embracing the New Normal - The 'Unlock' mindset

The last few months have been anything but normal for each of us. A tiny virus that is not seen or heard, has completely disrupted our lives and plans. The many weeks (in some cases months) of complete lockdown, loss of livelihoods, critical illnesses, and death, has shaken many of us to the core.  With the ‘Unlock’ rules came a bit of relief and a few of us started moving about, but our normal ways of existence have been reimagined in every way possible. Many of us moved out easily and adapted to this new normal. However, there are still many who are still coming to terms with this new way of life. They are probably Anxious as the virus is still continuing to spread; Angry about the way others are flouting the rules of social distancing and wearing of masks; Stressed about the new changes and adapting to a new normal; or, even Confused about why the rules have been relaxed and if they should follow the others as they move about. Post the complete lockdown, I have been bold enough
3 comments
Read more

8 ways to say I love you!

A proposal for marriage is expected to be romantic, well planned, and equally well executed. Around 9 years ago, I proposed to the love of my life and it was epic (self-declared)! I have narrated the story of my day-long, themed proposal multiple times, and with 8 years of us being married, I thought for posterity sake, I should document it somewhere...so here goes! It was the September of 2010, when the planning began, and I was sure that I did not want my proposal to be a simple Hollywood style one - with a formal dinner at a fancy restaurant and then the one knee and ring proposal! That one moment would not be able to capture how I felt, so well, I came up with a theme - ‘8 ways to say I love you!’. As it suggests, I used 8 different ways to profess my love to my girlfriend of 8 years! How this unfolded, we shall find out.  Before I started executing my plan, I wanted to get the permission and blessings of both our parents. So without her knowledge, I went over to her place and in
5 comments
Read more