Ree Das: A tribute

In times where the killing and counter killings are claiming the headlines daily and the increasing number of road accidents claiming many a lives have become regular incidents, we are accustomed to accept the news of death as normal.   Though death is inevitable and we are used to getting back to our normal routine life immediately after the performances of the last rites of someone near and dear we lost, only the bereaved family members fail to forget the memories of the person they miss forever. The demise of respected sexagerian and pious housewife Ree Das of Mangaldai  is such a demise that everybody who came in close touch with her can never forget the persolity and spirit of this simple yet pious lady in whom every one could feel the love and affection of a mother.

Ree Das was born to the family of Dambaru Dhar Bora-an ideal farmer and Khargeswari Bora-a primary teacher of reputation of village Bordubi, Bihaguri near Tezpur in Sonitpur district on July 4, 1948. She tied her nuptial knot in 1970 with Baneswar Das of Bhebarghat in Mangaldai town - a familiar me in the football of Darrang district who took his retirement as the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies. Since her marriage, she made herself deeply involved with various social works besides maintaining her family affairs. No sense of pride, ego or complex could be found in this noble lady who always preferred to lead a very simple life style with her involvement in social works. In 2001 when her eldest son Basanta Das got elected as the legislator from Mangaldai LAC (SC) for the first time and earned the fame of being the youngest legislator in the State, this humble mother maintained a very simple lifestyle without caring for the glory and fame of her son. She continued her same simple lifestyle when her son Basanta Das was offered a berth in the cabinet of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in 2011.

Today she is no more. She left for heavenly abode on the night of December 26, 2015 at 10.45 pm in Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) following prolonged illness at the age of 68. She leaves behind her husband, sons Basanta Das and Arun Das, daughters-in-law Heera Moni Chowdhury and Priyanka Barua Das and only daughter Manju Das and son-in-law Mukul Saikia, grand children Pragya, Vanchika, Dhritismita, Aditi and Ahuti, besides a number of relatives and admirers.

Her popularity again was witnessed as on the receipt of the information of her sudden demise, a large number of admirers from the cross-section of the society, besides the family members and the relatives, visited her home to pay their love and respect. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, expressing his deep pain and sorrow vide a letter, condoled the bereaved family members.

On her Adya Shraddha today, I pray to the Almighty to grant eterl peace to khurideu Ree Das and offer my deepest respect to the departed soul whose motherly care, love and affection shall always remain as a source of inspiration.

 —Bhargab Kumar Das