ABNS was constituted in 1993 and D. N. Pradhan has been at the helm of affairs holding the post continuously ever since. Though he wanted himself to be relieved, seriously for past few years, and some one to take over the reign to let in fresh blood in the organization, his colleagues were rest assured that there was none of his height and caliber to fit in his shoes. It was really a great of D. N. Pradhan (born May 1927) in his 84 years of age to lead the organization at all India level that saw him visiting different throughout the country to get the Newars united and to come with a body under his umbrella of ABNS. It is learnt that this status is accorded only when an organization has its unit in at least three states of the country. It was his efforts that saw the Newars together in West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim and in Meghalay perhaps. He was to meet soon the newly elected officials of Sikkim Newah Guthi at Gangtok as well.
I got the news of death confirmed by Rohit Kumar Pradhan, President Sikkim Newar Guthi, who had attended the funeral. His mortal remains were taken early morning to their residence at Saureni and consigned to flames on the bank of the Balasan river at Dudhey near Siliguri. Fasting whole day for the shraddh on day 9 of Pitri Paksh, DN Pradhan had retired for the day that Sunday night after his meal. At night his daughter-in-law Sartaj saw him coming out from the bathroom around 2.45 am. He asked her if she had not yet slept and told her to go to sleep. In the morning when she went to his room with a cup of tea only to find him cold in his bed already breathed his last. Rohit tells me that D. N. Pradhan had a very nice end, peaceful too perhaps. I agree. Such a death I personally wish too - coming this age and having seen many a death difficult to the person and his/her family members as well to suffer with the patient in a hospital-bed days, weeks and even for months together struggling hard with life and death!
With age he had matured and mellowed down enough to be mild though many saw him different some years ago when he was in Gangtok to be with the fraternity to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of India's Independence in 1997. It was Jayshree Pradhan, the flamboyant lady as the Secretary Cultural Affairs in the Government of Sikkim who had organized the 3-day function with Keshab C Pradhan in Sikkim Newar Guthi and Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Nareshbir Shakya with cultural troupe from Nepal under the aegis of their Nepal Bhasha Mankah Khalah in the Community Hall just next to my residence at Gangtok. The people of Sikkim had the opportunity to have the rare treat with cultural opulence and vibrancy that showcased the Newar culture and tradition complete with Charya and Manjushree dances. The audience from remote corners of Sikkim and nearby Kalimpong-Darjeeling, who braved the chilly early winter evenings in December, are still fresh in their mind the memory of the Newar Cultural Show (see it on Events page at www.karunaguthi.com) a grand success. Those who could not, really missed an opportunity of a lifetime!
This author took over as the Secretary Cultural Affairs and had the distinction of organizing in a befitting way the concluding functions for the year-long celebrations of the 50 Year's of country's Independence by organising a series of events throughout Sikkim to end with the grand closing State function with all dignitaries present. Artistes from the neighbouring Darjeeling and even Nepal joined the local talents to entertain the audience that overcrowded the Gymnasium Hall in the Paljor Stadium complex in the evening of 15th August, 1998 with Rosabel Namchyo as the Emcee. Need to telecast in the local cable networks live was right judgment from me. So was the decision to have television screens installed outside the Hall to the satisfaction of the public outside. With the departure of the VIPs the enthusiasm to be at their own gathered momentum. We left the hall for the fireworks entrusted to the Sikkim Chamber of Commerce outside with rejoicing crowd at midnight to mark the end of the celebrations with distribution of sweets. Later the joyous celebrations poured into wee hours next day but people enjoyed it for months and even years later together till the Sikkim Cable Television networks closed down their services. It made me proud to be a patriotic always!
D. N. Pradhan had recently been in touch with me when I received a phone call last November to acknowledge with nice words of appreciation to my ceaseless efforts towards the Newar cause and his desire to meet me once at an earliest. That was not to be and never now! He was in Gangtok when I was here in the US to visit my daughter Rachna with Vimal Jwaisaheb and many of my relatives from both sides – paternal and maternal. Before leaving the country I had sent him a copy of my latest Newar : Haami Yastai Chhaun, which he had later congratulated, commended and complimented me over phone.
He had an e-mail account opened for himself to be with the World Newah Organization. We tried him attend the WNO Second Teleconferencing on Skype the day our www.karunaguthi.com was launched on August 21, 2010 - even during the course of the conference but somehow could not make it to his utter dismay. He was very much enthusiastic over the matter, informs Gupta Pradhan over phone to me and wanted to be with the fellow Newar fraternity internationally as well. On return from his London tour visiting friends at Pasa Puchah Guthi United Kingdom, WNO President Daya Ratna Shakya clarified him the position -
“Finally the line went through Friday 9 PM in mobile but he was not home and his grand Daughter Dibyashree picked up the phone and left message to join the conference.” Before this, Vice President Tribhuvan Tuladhar regretted thus, “Please ask DN Pradhan ju to adopt SKYPE and send us his SKYPE ID name to include in our contact list. Sorry we could not patch him up in the last meeting. I called a number of times and did not get connected somehow.” He had written his support, “...Akhil Bharatiya Newar Sangthan, Bharat is keenly interested of being of any assistance to the World Newar Organization.”
He is survived by his son Eugesh with daughter-in-law Sartaj and two grand daughters Vidushi and Jayshree and a daughter Sumita married to D. K. Pradhan in Gangtok.
His Antyesti Kriya will be performed at their Saureni residence on October 14, 2010. We join the family members to offer our prayers.
May the departed soul rest in eternal peace.
*****
From: Rajiva Shresta <[email protected]>
To: Daya Shakya <[email protected]>
Cc: Keshab C. Pradhan <[email protected]>; [email protected]
Sent: Tue, 5 October, 2010 11:09:56
Subject: Bhaju D. N. Pradhan is no more!
With profound grief and sorrow we share the news about the sudden demise of
Bhaju D. N. Pradhan,
President, Akhil Bharatiya Newar Sangthan, Main Office at Darjeeling on
Sunday the 3rd October 2010.
His mortal remains were consigned to the flames on Monday from his ancestral home at Saureni on the bank of the Balasan river at Dudhey near Siliguri.
May the Departed Soul rest in eternal peace.
We offer our heartfelt deep condolences to the bereaved family.
May the Almighty give his family members enough strength to bear this great irreparable loss.
His Antyesti Kriya is on October 14, 2010
Rajiva Shanker Shresta
Karuna Devi Smarak Dharmarth Guthi
www.karunaguthi.com
We are overwhelmed by the deep sympathies shown to the bereaved family of Late D. N. Pradhan, President Akhul Bharatiya Newar Sangthan, Darjeeling. They have expressed their extreme gratefulness to all who were with them and conveyed their condolences during this hour of grief and sorrow. These have given the family immense strength and big courage to bear the great loss.
They, however, regret their inability to thank them all individually and take the opportunity to thank through these lines here.
Condolences
"अखिल भारतीय नेवार संगठन, दार्जीलिंग-का अध्यक्ष भाजु डी० एन० प्रधानको निधन भएको पढेर विषाद लाग्यो |
सूचना दिनुभएबापत धन्यवाद | उहाँ असल व्यक्तिका साथै सदाचारी समाज सेवक हुनुहुन्थ्यो |
पुण्यात्मालाई परमात्माको सायुज्य प्राप्त होस् भन्ने प्रार्थना गर्दछु |
उहाँको परिवारका मूल सदस्य र उहाँको ठेगाना जान्नको लागि हजुरलाई दुक्ख दिऊँ कि ?”
दिवाकर प्रधान
बनारस हिन्दु विश्वविद्यालय, वाराणसी, भारत
-----
“It is a very sad news. Bhaju D.N.. Pradhan had done a lot for Newars to get recognised from WB Government. He had been honored by 'BHASA THUWA' the caretaker of Newar Language by Nepal Bhasa Parishad at Kathmandu for his contributions of his movements.
Can you give any email address of any members of Akhil Bharatiya Newar Sangthan, Darjeeling to condolence the great loss. His sudden demise is a great loss for all we Newars.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE.”
Naresh Bir Shakya
Kathmandu, Nepal
-----
Thanks for sharing the the sad news of Bhaju D.N Pradhan's demise. I have sent circular to email addresses of my contacts.
In the mean time, would you be able to find Bhaju D. N Pradhan's PP size photo. It would be something If I can publish a condolence message in forthcoming edition of MATINA.
Also is there anybody you know who can write up about Akhil Bharatiya Newar Sangathan?
Subhaya
Sashi Mahaju
London, UK
Oct 8, 2010
Dear Bhaju Sashiju,
Jwajalappa!
We thank you for sharing the sad news with your contacts too. It is really a great loss to all of us.
I have already requested the family for an Obituary including his contributions to the Newar cause through Akhil Bharatiya Newar Sangthan. I shall ask for the photograph as well. We may get the both soon for MATINA.
Some information has come from Late Harka Sunder Shrestha family and more to come. I shall send you a write up for this too very soon for MATINA.
Subhay.
Yours sincerely,
RAJIVA
-----
On Thu, Oct 7, 2010 at 10:19 PM
A lot of thanks for the update. In the mean time, I express my heartiest tribute to late DN Pradhan.
Maheswor Shrestha
Kathmandu, Nepal
Oct 8
Thanks to be with us Updated.
I shall convey your condolences to the bereaved DNPradhan family.
RAJIVA
-----
Oct 9
You know how sadden I am, not having chance to speak with Bhaju DN Pradhan. I assume he did not get chance to read my email after our 2nd tele conference. In order to circulate a condolence message to our group I need a very brief bio data about him if you know please supply to me asap before the antyasti kriyaa on 14th.
Daya Ratna Shakya
President World Newah Organization
...just spoken to ABNS official for the Obituary which they hope to release on 12th Oct. I have requested to hurry up and I shall be in touch tomorrow again. I know how we missed him in WNO yet his views to be with and on WNO could be known.
May his soul rest in eternal peace.
RAJIVA
-----
Bhaju D.N. Pradhan madugu yaa BHICHA HAYEKA chona.
Binod Saymi(Aala)
Lhuti Yen,
Nepalmandal, Nepaa.
-----
We are extremely sad and sorry to learn about the untimely demise of Bhaju D.N. Pradhan, one of the most prominent Newah figure outside Nepal. His contributions to Newah jati will be remembered with great pride and respect by all. We express our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathies to the members of Bhaju D.N. Pradhan's family at this difficult time.
Bal Gopal Shrestha and Family
Oxford, UK
-----
अखिल भारतिय नेवार संगठनया नायः डि एन प्रधान आकाझाकां मन्त
NepalMandal.com भाजु प्रधान अक्टोवर ३ आइतवाःखुन्हु दार्जिलिङय् मदुगु खः
- Sampurba Dhar Tuladhar heartfelt condolence to his family
- Nutan R Shrestha तसकं म्हाईपूगु, दु:खयागु खँ न्यनी माल। जिं बिचा हाएके।
- Fjlcenter Japnese Nepal madumha: D N Pradhan yat hardin samvedana!
- Rajiva Shanker Shresta May the Departed Soul rest in eternal peace.
- Prakash Dhar Tuladhar तसकं म्हाईपूगु, दु:खयागु खँ न्यनी माल। जिं बिचा हाएके
- Nemo Karma Shrestha bicha hayeka....
- Rakesh Maharjan nirwan ya kamana yana chowna............
- Om Narhari Shrestha nugaa machhi ....se chona wal. ji na bicha hayeka.........
- Newa Kha Jhi बिचा हाएका............
- Newaface Newah BICHA HAYEKA
- Ishwari Rajbhandari Bicha Hayeka........
- Kaji Ratna Maharjan afsoch 6mha newa nhyaluwa akashe naguthe thina chwanema
- Krishna Chakhun Bichaa Hayka....
- Rajiva Shanker Shresta Antyesti Kriya at Saureni Darjeeling on Thursday 14 October 2010 - see
'Getting together D N Pradhan no more' at www.karunaguthi.com
भाषाथुवाः डीएन प्रधान मंत
Posted on Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:06 pm NST - येँ (सन्ध्या टाइम्स)/भारतया दार्जिलिङ्गय् नेवाः भाय् व जातिया उत्थान यायेगु ज्याय् तःजिगु योगदान दुम्ह भाषाथुवाः भाजु डी.एन. प्रधान मंत ।
वय्कलं भारतया थीथी प्रान्तय् च्वनाच्वंपिं नेवाःतय् हक हित सुरक्षाया लागिं आपालं ज्या यानादीगु दु। दार्जिलिङ्ग मू थाय् खःसां भारतन्यंकंया नेवाःतय्त छप्पँ यायेगु ज्याय् वय्कलं आपालं ज्या यानादीगु दु। भारत सरकारं अनया जनजातितय्त बीगु ओबीसी सुविधा नेवाःतय्त नं बीकेगु ज्याय् वय्कलं भूमिका म्हितादीगु खः। वय्कः अखिल भारतीय नेवार संगठनया नायः नं खः ।
वय्कःया थुपिं योगदानया कदर यासें येँय् नेपालभाषा परिषदं वय्कःयात 'भाषाथुवाः' मानार्थ उपाधिं सम्मानित याःगु खः ।
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