KOLKATA: Monimala Dhar
cannot accept the fact that the sprightly, restless girl she would
often tease for being too tall, will never again greet her with a bear
hug. Or pester her to rustle up her favourite dish—maccher-jhol (fish
curry)—which she missed in Mumbai.
"Her death left us numb. We have lost the power to react or mourn. It's hard to imagine she is no more," said Monimala, 25-year-old Pallavi Purkayastha's paternal aunt. Monimala and her husband Bijit Kumar Dhar are leaving for Delhi to join the bereaved family on Sunday.
Pallavi left for Delhi after passing Class VIII from La Martiniere for Girls', but would visit Kolkata every year and always stayed with Monimala. She made it a point to keep in touch with friends and relatives. In early 2011, Pallavi visited her aunt the last time. "She was on her way back from Cuttack, where she went for the last rites of her maternal grandfather. Unfortunately, it turned out to be our last meeting," said Monimala.
Being the elder daughter of busy, working parents (her father Atanu Purkayastha is the joint secretary in the agriculture ministry), Pallavi grew up independently. She would take care of herself and even looked after her younger sister Gabu. "She was sweet and adventurous. It made her very popular among friends and relatives. But she stood out due to her intelligence. From a young age, she could take her own decisions and they usually proved correct," said uncle Bijit.
After graduating from ILS Law College in Pune, Pallavi worked in Singapore for six months. She moved back to Delhi and then Mumbai, where she worked as a legal advisor in filmmaker Farhan Akhtar's firm Excel Entertainment. She planned to settle down with a collegemate, said the family.
"In fact, we were waiting for the marriage date to be fixed and were looking forward to the wedding, either later this year or in early 2013. The date was put on hold for her sister's Class XII exams. Also, Pallavi and her fiance sought a little more time to settle down in their jobs. She was on the verge of a beautiful new chapter in her life but it was cruelly cut short," said her aunt.
The wife of a colleague of Pallavi's father recalled meeting her a few months ago. "She was in Delhi, visiting her parents. She came across as very smart, confident and successful," said the lady, asking not to be named. "Her parents were excited about her marriage and her mother bought jewellery and sarees for her. We are shocked to hear what happened," she said.
Bengal home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, Atanu's IAS batchmate, recalled meeting Pallavi many years ago. "Last year, Atanu and I were in the US for a training programme. He was keen to see his daughter married. This has shocked us all. I have two daughters—it sends a chill down your spine."
"Her death left us numb. We have lost the power to react or mourn. It's hard to imagine she is no more," said Monimala, 25-year-old Pallavi Purkayastha's paternal aunt. Monimala and her husband Bijit Kumar Dhar are leaving for Delhi to join the bereaved family on Sunday.
Pallavi left for Delhi after passing Class VIII from La Martiniere for Girls', but would visit Kolkata every year and always stayed with Monimala. She made it a point to keep in touch with friends and relatives. In early 2011, Pallavi visited her aunt the last time. "She was on her way back from Cuttack, where she went for the last rites of her maternal grandfather. Unfortunately, it turned out to be our last meeting," said Monimala.
Being the elder daughter of busy, working parents (her father Atanu Purkayastha is the joint secretary in the agriculture ministry), Pallavi grew up independently. She would take care of herself and even looked after her younger sister Gabu. "She was sweet and adventurous. It made her very popular among friends and relatives. But she stood out due to her intelligence. From a young age, she could take her own decisions and they usually proved correct," said uncle Bijit.
After graduating from ILS Law College in Pune, Pallavi worked in Singapore for six months. She moved back to Delhi and then Mumbai, where she worked as a legal advisor in filmmaker Farhan Akhtar's firm Excel Entertainment. She planned to settle down with a collegemate, said the family.
"In fact, we were waiting for the marriage date to be fixed and were looking forward to the wedding, either later this year or in early 2013. The date was put on hold for her sister's Class XII exams. Also, Pallavi and her fiance sought a little more time to settle down in their jobs. She was on the verge of a beautiful new chapter in her life but it was cruelly cut short," said her aunt.
The wife of a colleague of Pallavi's father recalled meeting her a few months ago. "She was in Delhi, visiting her parents. She came across as very smart, confident and successful," said the lady, asking not to be named. "Her parents were excited about her marriage and her mother bought jewellery and sarees for her. We are shocked to hear what happened," she said.
Bengal home secretary Basudeb Banerjee, Atanu's IAS batchmate, recalled meeting Pallavi many years ago. "Last year, Atanu and I were in the US for a training programme. He was keen to see his daughter married. This has shocked us all. I have two daughters—it sends a chill down your spine."
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