Ramesh Alva My Best Friend

Ramesh Alva My Best Friend
Originally uploaded by flickr photographerno1

A single stray thought of Ramesh Alva makes me cry, my earliest memory of Ramesh Ava is circa 1964 at a school prize distribution function, I had come first in class, and was called to the dias to collect my prizes, several times for various subjects, I did not know Ramesh but he would hit me from the back, I kept quiet, but after the function, I gave my prizes to a friend, and grasping Ramesh, took him to back gardens a ground near my school and the Wodehouse Church, to settle scores, this was an early norm..
I beat him black and blue..
The fight over, I took my prizes walked home..someone tapped me on my shoulder, I turned, I saw Ramesh Alva, I thought now he wants to extend the fight, he surprised me with three words and I am crying as I write this.. He said Firoze I am Sorry..That was it , he walked away towards the otherside Great Western Building where he stayed before moving to Sangita Apartments.
I walked towards Strand Cinema quite happy and perplexed..
So we are three friends that stayed throught thick and thin Ramesh Mulchandani of Strand Hotel, Ramesh Alva and myself.
Ramesh Alva put an end to his life...and to our lives too a few years back which seems yesterday.
I was going through my old CDS, this picture threw me back into time.. and a pain that has never ever left me since..it is both these Ramesh Hindus who made a much better human being than I could have ever been a Muslim.


DEATH ENDS A LIFE, NOT A RELATIONSHIP.”
ROBERT BENCHLEY


“DEATH, THE ONE APPOINTMENT WE ALL MUST KEEP, AND FOR WHICH NO TIME IS SET”
CHARLIE CHAN



DEATH TAKES THE GOOD, TOO GOOD TO STAY, AND LEAVES THE BAD, TOO BAD TO TAKE AWAY”

Death is a Dialogue between
The Spirit and the Dust.
" Dissolve" says Death—The Spirit " Sir
I have another Trust" —
Death doubts it—Argues from the Ground—
The Spirit turns away
Just laying off for evidence
An Overcoat of Clay.

emily dickinson

my poem

Where do I begin the beginning or the end
Through narrow lanes of Colaba at
Strand cinema as they wend..
Close to Fariyas Hotel where once lived
At Sangita Apartments Ramesh Alva my best friend
He had everything wisdom wise wealth
A typical Shetty family in modernity they did blend
Than came dark clouds acid rains the family
Tore apart exiled a wife a child dispossessed
By his own blood loved ones in the end
But there was hope at the end of the tunnel
He got shelter a room in a friendly lodge
Owned by Ramesh Mulchandani another good friend
Good days retuned for Anna Ramesh Alva as we called him
A new house at Malad no more choking on the bend
Happiness was Ambika his loving wife Prithvi Kartthik
His two sons enough money on their educaton to spend
But once again the dark clouds returned lashing
Hard bitter raging relentless broken fences
Of family ties would not mend
On 10 the December my birthday Ramesh Alva
Cut the wires of his life green ghastly death
Leaving behind memories and a birthday in happiness
That I will never spend
He left Ambica a bottle of tears, the kids fatherless
To a father in heaven to transcend another
Planet another time some new hope to befriend
A thought Death did it recommend
My best friend gone a tragedy till date I cant comprehend
Once in a while as an elegy of a bitter moment
As a poem in my heart to descend..
Only words within my soul his fleeting soul to apprehend
Ramesh Alva my Holy Name High School friend
Within memories momentously god sent