DEDICATION
This collection is written for bilingual appreciation for the family members, relatives and friends. For ease of reading, the Hindi words are presented in Roman English but for non-Hindi speakers, the words may not give the same meaning and sense as the words depict. I am sure help from some member of the Prasad Family can easily solve this problem.
This publication is lovingly dedicated to the eldest child of Chandra Pal Sharma and Lila Wati, who fondly bestowed the pretty name of Saroj Kumari Devi to this angel of the Prasad Family. She was born in Nasinu in Fiji on 15th August 1940. She was thoroughly educated at Dudley House, Nasinu Teachers’ College, University of the South Pacific, Brisbane College of Advanced Education and Queensland University of Technology.
Saroj Kumari Devi was married to Ram Lakhan Prasad on 19th January 1964. She worked as a successful teacher, Head of Department (Languages) in various secondary schools in Fiji, Senior Education Broadcasts Officer for Education Department of Fiji, Senior Lecturer in English at the Colleges of Advanced Education in Nasinu and Lautoka and then retired after working as a Group Leader at a Child Care Centre in Brisbane in 2000.
She was enjoying a happy retirement life with her family when she was suddenly called to Rest in Peace in heaven on 14th March 2013. She was finally farewelled on 16th March 2013 at the Centenary Memorial Gardens in Brisbane.
She enjoyed her family life with her four married children, Praanesh and Ranitta, Praneeta and Shalendra, Harshita and Naresh and Rohitesh and loved to interact with her eight grand children Jaya, Meera, Hamish, Jayden, Anjali, Sonali, Elliott and Charlotte.
My Pretty Lotus was not a woman who needed me but she was an angel a man like me needed to reform myself. Often she used to tell me to let my dreams be bigger than my fears, my actions louder than my words and my faith stronger than my feelings. With these wise words, I managed to find that life was not about the destination but the journey that got us where we wanted to be, our world of extreme love and fulfilling joy.
It is worth mentioning for my readers that I did not choose the one who was beautiful to the world but rather I chose the one who made my world beautiful and pleasant.
Therefore, when I gave my heart to My Pretty Lotus I also gave her the power to love me, criticise me and construct me but in doing so she never hurt me. That was the beauty part of my complete family life. Our truth, beauty and goodness of our family life was never measured by the breadth we took but by the joyous moments that took our breadth away.
My Pretty Lotus taught me many lessons but this was the most important one for me. I learnt from her to love without condition, talk without bad intention, give without reason and most of all care for my people without any expectation. She was my greatest and wisest teacher who made me learn from my yesterday, live my today and have hope for my tomorrow.
I made a choice in my life to take my chances and my life changed for the better all because of her.
I dedicate this publication to her with my fondest love.
Ram Lakhan Prasad