Muktaben Bhimji Ratanshi Dhanak – Eulogy

by Hasmukh Bhimjibhai Pattni - Son

A lot of you may remember that I have recalled the past of my closest aunts and uncles on many occasions.  Despite the number of such occasions, it is still a strange feeling that I am addressing you once again this time, for someone much closer to me.

My mother had a humble beginning.  Born in Lalpur, India in 1926 she had lost her mother when she was about 7 years old.  She was one of five siblings then and as was traditional in those days she was married by the age of 17.  She immigrated to Kenya in late 1948 with my father.  She spent the next 50 memorable years in Mombasa before she moved to London in the last decade.  She was fortunate to have had a loving family that included four children, eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Muktaben had a huge fan club.  The spectrum was wide in age from 5 years old to 85 years.  Ladies, gents, friends, neighbours, close and distant relations.  They lived in all corners of the world - East Africa, Middle East, India, USA, Canada and all over the UK.

From the messages that I have received there is one common thread that comes across.  All have expressed how welcoming and friendly she had always been in her life.  She was a happy soul, always smiling.  Loyal.  Very generous.  Her generosity was unconditional.  I had one email message from someone in India who last met her in Mombasa in 1973 as a young lad.  And he still remembers her for the welcome she had given him.  I had a phone call from someone who remembered her for merely being her friend when that lady did not have many in the 1950s.  Her little gifts and acts of kindness were boundless.  She may not have had a lot of worldly possessions herself but what little she had she was happy to share. Little did I realise until today that our home in Mombasa was such an open house that has given many a fond holiday memory.

It is a testimony of her good nature that there are so many people here this evening.  Over many years and on most social occasions in the community I was always asked how is Muktaben?  In the end it got to a stage where even I converted to calling her Muktaben myself. 

One of her distinctive characteristics was her liveliness.  If you could not see where she was, you could certainly hear where she was.  She loved nothing more than being in the company of friends and family.  At weddings and social functions she was in her element. 

Even on her deathbed when she had visitors she would ask after their well-being and their concerns.  When I hear other’s fond memories of her, I am humbled.  And if I manage to touch half as many people as she did, I will be very honoured.  

She told me on many occasions that she was so happy, that she had all the comforts and a family that looked after her.  But the true fact is that I consider myself very fortunate that I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with her.  The sadness is that it was not long enough. 

Jai shri krsna

Hasmukh Bhimji Pattni

25 October 2007