My Beloved Father..

7th January, It was an year back when I lost my father Sri. P.K. Bhaskaran at his 68th age. He was not just a father for us but a source of Power, courage and Knowledge, A shore of Love, a cream of affection and the center of Gravity for our family. He started his career as Teacher. He worked at Valapattanam Govt. High school( Kannur District) for long 25 years. He was the N.C.C officer also in the same school. Then he got promoted as Head master and latter on he retired as A.E.O at Tellichery. Being a Retired teacher and A.E.O he had a great number of his students all over Gulf States, Europe and Africa besides our hometown. Everyone share a single word about him. He was a Great Man.

Those cherished memories of our childhood remains a Pain in our heart at this point of time without him. At Morning he is helping our mom or preparing us for school, at School he is a very strict and powerful teacher (Being the N.C.C. Officer he was having the responsibility of Discipline.) in the eve he will be playing with us, at night he narrates all those English classic childhood novels like a Christmas carol, Leo Tolstoy’s stories, Charles dickens’s stories etc. He was a pillar of our family. He was the Sun of our house where his presence was like the Sunlight in the house. If he is sick then the whole house is very gloomy. He had a well-knit friend circle. His main hobby, which I noticed, was playing chess with his colleagues. He encouraged so many students in finding out there skills in various fields and supported them in achieving their goal. I know so many well-known figures of the society who were his students. He showered care and affection on all of us till the last moment. He was totally a family oriented man.

My first memory with him goes back to my child hood where I was at 3 or 4 years when he gifted me a small ball. We started playing with it and I fell on the ground and got injured. That day he was taking me to the clinic and his consolation is still in my memory. The first day of my school was another incident, which is still in my memory. I got admission in the same school he was teaching. Morning I went along with him to school. But when I reached the class everyone was crying and I also joined with them. After a while he made arrangements to sent me home. But as soon as I reach home, mom took a stick and beat me. I ran back to school along with those guys who brought me home. There after I never want to stay at home and father take me everyday to school. Another happiest moment was when I passed S.S.L.C with first class he fulfilled his promise by gifting me a BSA SLR Bicycle.

He gave us gifts on all our birthdays, he take us to movies, shows and festivals. He bought new cloths and toys, books, and other stationeries, all with his low salary as a teacher. He had a very close net of friends with whom he discusses all the topics on the planet and outside planet. I got a good chance to enjoy the respect and admiration he got from his students and parents, his colleagues and friends. He was very closely attached to our family. After his duty he comes straight to home where he will be assisting mom, or helping us in education. Those very homely memories are a dream now. His presence in house it self gave us a protection and courage. While I was in the 4th standard, one of my neighbour expired and that was the first time I was accepting the fact that everyone will die. That was a shock for me. Then I thought of my parents and I started worrying, what if it happens to them and what will be the situation and I became sick. That day my father hugged me and kept me very close to his heart and consoled me saying, "Nothing will happen to your father till you are old enough". This was an unforgettable incident and assurance for me till I grew old.
He showered his affection on us even when we grew older. The same he extended to our children as well. We lost all these happiness just like that. A shattered moment on that 7th January 2009 took all these happy moments from us.

He fulfilled all his duties as a son to his parents by looking after them at their old age, as a husband to mom till the last moment, as a very loving father by teaching us the love, care, honesty, brotherhood and respect for others at our young age it self, as a good grand father to our children by pampering them from his heart, as a loving brother to all his brothers and sister even at his difficult times, as a role model to his colleagues by showing his leadership qualities in his career, his care for his students by finding the extra curricular activities of his students and motivated them to come forward . During his last days he completed his part as a role model to his age group by working for the welfare of the society, and spending his free time in the devotional matters.

Personally, it is a big lose for me as He used to guide me when I got stumbled, advice me when I needed, or patted over my shoulder on my achievements or shared the thoughts to live forward. Now everything is a past tense.

On this first year without him, our house is just an empty house where we search every edge and corner of our house to find his presence and love if any left behind.

On this day, in front of his ever-lasting cherished memories we pay our homage, gratitude and thanks for all his efforts to grew up as a good citizen and for being a Very Good Loving Father.

Thank you Father,

your ever-loving Son,

Raj