Madan Bolina – An Obituary
-RAMESH CHANDER
(THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT, UK)- I was shocked to get a message yesterday, September 2, from one of our common friends Roop Lal Roop about the sudden passing away, on August 31, of my school days friend, Madan Bolina, a fine man with intellectual pursuits of writing Punjabi poetry and reciting it with great passion. I was totally stunned as Madan spoke to me a week ago and shared with me the good news of an addition to their family. He was elated of becoming a grand-father. Madan was still in the state of celebrations but providence had something else in store. Here one gets helpless.
We studied together up to Matriculation from Sain Dass School in Basti Nau. Both our families were dependent on small-time leather business in Bootan Mandi though their native place was a flourish village in the vicinity of Rama Mandi on the Hoshiarpur Road, Bolina Doaba. Earlier his father, Joginder Ram was working with Seth Munshi Ram, to whom they were related socially, at Seth ji’s Kohenoor Tanneries in Kanpur in UP. Madan was a handsome and a tall lad with a stylish hairline. One of our school mates and a member of the extended family, Lekh Raj Mahey used to compare, in lighter vein, his hairline with that of Wahida Rehman, a famous actor of Hindi cinema n Bollywood. I joined DAV College, after Matriculation and Madan some other College in Jalandhar itself. Subsequently, I went to Delhi in the pursuit of earning bread and butter and joined IFS at the lowest rung in early 1970. We met in Delhi in 1971-72 when he came there for his attempt to join Delhi Police. Madan himself recalled it me later on return to Jalandhar on my retirement as it was not registered in my feeble memory. He was nostalgic and appreciative of those good old days spent together in a small one room accommodation. It made me feel good. We lost touch in the pursuit of our respective careers. He joined service in the Defense Audit and Accounts and shifted to his village, Bolina Doaba. On my return to Bootan Mandi in 2011, one day, we bumped into each other at some socio-cultural gathering. He came and introduced himself to me with great humility. Our formative years in school time, sparked into my mind. His humility touched my core and made me feel that he must have had a great regard for me in his heart. We picked up the threads and revived our association particularly with regard to our common interest – his skills of poetry and my simple interest in search of food for thought. We participated in many Mushiaras (Poetry recitation functions), me as a Guest and he as a Poet. Madan was a self-effacing personality but I saw him in his spirits while reciting his good and meaningful poetic compositions on the themes of national pride and subjects relating to the weaker sections of the community and the society at large.
One day, we were going to Adampur for a book release where I was the Guest of Honour at a function organized by Adampur Punjabi Sahayatia Sabha in which Madan to participate and join his colleagues in the Sabha for a Mushiara. Madan impressed me much with recital of his poem on patriotism targeting Pakistan. On our way back, I asked him, being my fellow BootanMandian, will you like to write some or a write-up for my forthcoming book on Bootan Mandi? He was reluctant initially but on persuasion he agreed to his bit and asked for the theme. I suggested writing on Pritam Ramdasspuri, a talented and acclaimed son of the soil in poetry as Madan had earlier told methat Pritam Ramdasspuri was his literary Guru and one of his mentors. Accordingly, his contribution on Pritam Ramdasspuri adorned my book – Bootan Mandi: Nerve Centre of Dalit Chetna which was launched in April, 2024. Madan participated in the function as an honoured guest.
With the demise of Madan Bolina, I have lost a dear friend so suddenly. I take this opportunity to pay my tribute to the memory of Madan and convey heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
बिछड़ा कुछ इस अदा से; की रुत ही बदल गई
इक शख़्स सारे शहर को वीरान कर गया
