गिर्दा
The friend of people, philosopher of communities and guide of social movements Girish Tiwari ‘Girda’ walked to his heavenly mountain abode at 11.31 AM on 22 August 2010.
When we were thinking that he is critical, he survived and when we thought he is recovering he just flew away.
On 23 August his funeral was unusual as hundreds of people participated in the procession. First time the sisters and daughters participated in the funeral. First time the participants in the funeral procession were singing the songs of the departed person. They were singing and weeping and weeping but singing.
We are thinking and discussing how to remember him now. This evening (25 August 2010) there will be public condolence in Nainital. Some new ideas may come out. Yes Girda has created a difficult vacuum. We have to plan out a way for filling it with all creativity.
गिर्दा की अंतिम यात्रा में महिलाऐं
This is end of an epoch. Girda is gone. No, he is with us in his poems, plays, music, acting, Holi processions, lectures and discussions etc. He is very much with us. This presence will compel us all to work collectively and creatively for the people.
Suggest how to make his memory meaningful generally for the communities of mountains and particularly for the people of Uttarakhand?
PAHAR (Girda was one of the founders of PAHAR and member of the editorial board) is already working on his poems and plays. These three volumes will be published with in a year. A special volume of PAHAR will be published as a compilation of the ‘Girda Memoirs’ of different people. This will be an endeavour to look at Girda from countless angles.
Apart from his larger family he survived by his wife Smt. Hemlata Tiwari (Address: Sunny View, Cantt, Tallital, Nainital-263002, India, two sons and a daughter in law. The family needs all kind of support from friends and well-wishers.
Shekhar Pathak
25 August 2010
