Dear Ones,

This is just to let you know how deeply I appreciate your words of sympathy, support and prayers in my gravest bereavement.

My dear wife Kala left for the heavenly abode in the early hours of Monday, 3rd August 2009. Kalaji's last act on the planet, just before going to bed, was on the night of Sunday, 2nd August 2009, and that too at the Anand Lok Community Hall. She delivered a spiritual discourse, visited a neighbour to comfort her paraplegic son, before walking home and retiring for the night. Her soul left the body during sleep as a result of a massive silent cardiac arrest.

A dear friend of the family and admirer of Kalaji, Dr. Ketan Shah, Renowned Healer (Reiki and Acupressure) who travels around the World on his Healing Mission, has kindly offered to give consultation and free treatment on the Second of every month, in her memory at the same Anand Lok Community Centre.

I have received hundreds of condolence messages and tributes to her through e-mail, telegrams, letters and phone calls from friends from all over the world, besides those large number of well-wishers who came home and also attended the cremation at Delhi and the several prayer and condolence meetings at Delhi and other places. After the prayer meetings in Delhi, we were in the South for several prayers meetings and have just returned to Delhi.

Both of us never prayed for power, office or wealth. We only prayed for being blessed with the capacity to share a meal with whoever came home. The other prayer was that whenever the end came, it should be sudden and peaceful without pain to us or to others. She had been blessed with both her prayers. The end of course was without pain to her. But only it came too early. It should have come two or three decades later.

Anyhow the timing of departure from this planet is never in our hands. She lived a fruitful and useful life, giving comfort and relieving the pain of countless people, who came to be touched by her unconditional and spontaneous love, care and hospitality. Of course she had fully discharged her familial responsibilities in the most commendable manner. She has also been able to find time and energy for her spiritual and humanitarian services.

As Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam said, I have been blessed to live with such a noble lady for 39-years. If I say I have lived with an angel for almost four decades, it will be no exaggeration. How I wish that I had been blessed with the privilege of having lived with her for more time!

The 92-year old, world-renowned, the greatest living Yogacharya Dr. BKS Iyengar informs me that when a marriage takes place, though there are two bodies, the soul becomes one. According to him, when one person leaves the body, it is only the body that goes and the soul merges fully into every cell of the surviving spouse. Having realized this truth he never cried and advised his children also not to cry and hence he appealed to me also not to lament but to carry on with the tasks on hand. I told him that perhaps that was his own compassionate way of consoling me in my unbearable grief. He asserts that what he says and what he has experienced is the reality.

I am also told by great masters of various spiritual traditions and religious organisations that having discharged beautifully her worldly, social, humanitarian and spiritual services in the most pure, compassionate and selfless manner even in her short life of 59 years, she left the body and attained the highest blissful state and hence we should not cause any pain to that noble soul by continuing to lament and cry. She has conveyed the same message appearing in dreams.

Anyway, my family and myself are left with no choice but to be philosophical and learn to live in a world without the charming, caring, loving and lively physical presence of dear Kala and try to carry on the tasks that were dear to her-that is relieving pain and suffering of others and bringing peace and harmony everywhere.

As many around the world have been our closest well-wishers, I am taking the liberty of sending a few of the tributes (attachment). Though they are meant for me, my family and the near and dear only, you may can go through them only if you are interested and when you have the time.

We greatly appreciate your words of sympathy and support in the hour of our greatest sorrow.

We thank you for your heartfelt condolences and prayers.

D.R.Kaarthikeyan