Our Self-Written Obituaries – Poulami Chakraborty, Calcutta

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Poulami Chakraborty, Calcutta

Our Self-Written Obituaries – Poulami Chakraborty, Calcutta

The 130th death.

[Text by Poulami Chakraborty; photo by Ria Chakraborty]

The sweet grandma who used to write stories for her grandchildren is no more. She had just turned 70 when she died of a brain tumor. This kind-hearted lady has left us to narrate her tales to children in Heaven (or so it is believed by her relatives).

Poulami Chakraborty had a one-of-a-kind personality and, without ever getting married, became grandmother to many orphans. She used to willingly do things to help each and all – when it came to give a helping hand, “no” was just not part of her lexicon. A Bengali, her ‘rosogolla’ face always wore an indefinable smile and there was a glow in her almond-shaped eyes.

A month after her departure, the spirit of the 70-year-young lady is still vividly remembered by her friends, family and well-wishers.

A renowned writer using ‘PC’ as a pen name, Ms Chakraborty also left behind many fans and admirers. While covering PC’s demise (not to be mistaken with Poulami Chakraborty, for she liked to keep her two identities distinct), news channels took great delight in narrating the story of this admirer who once approached her for matrimonial purposes, only to be rejected and asked instead to keep her literary work alive in Delhi and across India. The man has since then opened a grand bookstore café named ‘Ananta’ (meaning infinite in Bengali) that displays PC’s many creations.

Both unknown Ms Chakraborty and famous PC survive through PC’s work, in a separate and nonetheless bonded way.

The difference is that PC will certainly be talked about long after Poulami is forgotten.

Our Self-Written Obituaries invites people to write their obituary in 200 words. The idea is to share with the world how you will like to be remembered after you are gone. (May you live a long life, of course!) Please mail me your self-obit at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.