Bezbora Uncle passed away at his home in Lonavla on 15 Oct 2010 after a brief illness. His wife, children and other close relatives were by his side when he breathed his last. He was 91 years old.

Mr. Nagendranath Bezbora was a man of many parts. An accomplished mechanical engineer – a pioneer of the ball bearing industry in India. A great photographer. An amazing pianist and music composer. A loving family man. A generous host. A successful small scale industrialist. A globe trotter. A man very close to nature. A great gardener. A great human being with a big heart.

Suffice it to say that in my 58 years of life, I am yet to make the acquaintance of any other person for whom I could have the kind of respect that I have for Bezbora Uncle.

I met Bezbora Uncle for the first time in 1988 when I was posted at INS Shivaji at Lonavla. Soon, my wife and I got very close to Uncle and Aunty. Despite our age difference of over 30 years, Uncle and I considered each other to be ‘friends’. We smoked and drank together. We discussed diverse matters. We wrote regularly to each other. Our friendship continued to grow over the last 22 years.

I am putting up this blog as a small tribute to Bezbora Uncle. Anyone who knew Mr. Bezbora is welcome to post his / her thoughts here. May his soul rest in peace.

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Here are excerpts from some of the e-mails we exchanged :

His sense of humour

Sun 23-01-2000 08:32

My dear Debashis,

When I started to read your msg this morning, I said to myself - so Debashis is going nuts! He has become a weak-kneed man and has fallen prey to Chain Letters! I too receive such letters and I just tear them and put the pieces in the right place - the waste paper basket! Anyway, I scrolled you msg to see how you end up! Oh! I had my cup of laughter! The bottom line told what I should do ! So Debashis is the same man, with the same sense of humour! You are like me! Why all others are not like me! So I reread your msg gleefully and had another laugh.

I posted one letter to you last friday. Don't worry, You do not have to pay Rs.6/- to the postman to possess the letter. I have put the required postage stamp on the envelope.

Good wishes,

=Uncle=

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On smoking (responding to a forward from me which claimed that deliberate coughing can help in the evnt of a heart attack)

Fri 03-03-2000 10:11

My dear Debashis,

Thanks for all your msgs which still remain unanswered! So my coughing (which all here object to!) will keep me away from a heart attack! ...Smoke! Smoke thy cigarette!

More later.
Love to you all.
Uncle

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On writing and publishing his thoughts

Tue 28-03-2000 08:28

My dear Debashis,

Sorry for long silence. I shall try to be more regular. Thoroughly enjoyed reading your selected articles. Both were excellent. I hardly read these days, so I am unable to reciprocate with good reading materials. Anyway, you may continue to feed me with such thought provoking articles.

However, I can send you some of my own writings. Those who have read want me to publish. I do not want to, as these are my 'once in a while diversions!'. I am not a regular writer. But I insist on a condition : these are not to be circulated nor to be copied by others. These will be for your own perusal only. Of course, Jaya can read if you so desire. So you must confirm before I send to you.

Hope everything is fine with you and the family.
Best wishes.
=Uncle=

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Uncle sent me some of his writing only after I promised not to share them with anybody. Now that he is no more, I’m taking the liberty of making public just a small sample of his writing which reveals his beautiful mind.

"I come out of the house at 6.15 in the morning to go to work and what do I see? In this month of June, the Monsoon is picking up and the clouds are at ground level, cool strong breeze tossing the clouds!

I start my car and move out. As I come out of the gate and turn right on the road skirting our compound, I find that the clouds are blinding my vision and I cannot see very much ahead! In a moment it is all clear again. I move on!

Sudenly I saw the hills on the south, the clouds kissing the hills and fly by, the eucalyptus trees swaying with the breeze in great ecstasy, the hills disappearing and coming back again! Oh! What a fantastic sight!

I stop my car, come out and get absorbed into all this! There is nobody on the road at this early hour to disturb me! I am in a different world! Time passes…

I must move on! I reach the factory in a few minutes. I open my office and the windows. I have important work to do on the computer. But I stand where I am. I watch the eucalyptus trees and the clouds. I inhale cool air. Visions appear in my mind. I say to myself : This Beautiful World! More time passes! I slowly move towards the computer room…

Before starting my work, I am tempted to write my thoughts inspired by Nature! So I start writing on the computer :

This Beautiful World!

I know

We are only visitors

To this beautiful world

For, whoever is born is destined to die

Some sooner, some later.

 

So, let there be no dull moments,

Let there be no sighs,

For, no one is here forever,

So, smile your way, not fret, never ever.

 

Yes, it is a beautiful world,

Beauty to see all around,

What an inspiring 'show-case' of nature!

The Trees and the Flowers,

The Animals and the Birds,

The Hills and the Rivers,

The Moon and the Clouds!

 

Music is also Nature's gift,

For us to spiritually lift,

To create a 'Heaven on Earth'

For all to partake in this path!

 

Life is for living,

With loving ones who care,

And with some beautiful people, here and there,

Our thoughts to share.

 

I bow to Him for all He gave,

I am content with what I have,

And if there is a Heaven,

And I find a place therein,

I would pray and say, 'No, not for me,

Please send me back, for, I feel, here I belong'.

Signed : ‘Enbee’, Lonavla, 17.6.97

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Responding to my suggestion that I could help him set up his own website

Fri 14-04-2000 18:18

My dear Debashis,

I believe my own website can wait. A lot of people want that I should write my autobiography/Biography/Memoirs etc. Some want to publish my writings, though few. But I feel I am not a celebrity to do those things! Any way, thanks for your suggestion.
Good wishes,
=Uncle=

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His great interest in Michael Madhusudan Dutt

Sun 11-02-2001 19:09

My dear Debashis,

I am not surprised to note that communication from you has become non-existent! You did not have any response from me for a long time and you made your own conclusions! But then, I do enjoy the witty and humorous pieces that you were mailing to many including me. If I am not writing back, it is simply because I am unable to keep pace with you. So you have to understand the situation and accept me that way. Be sure that you and your family are very much in our minds - always.

Today I am writing to you for some information which you can collect easily as you are in Kolkata. I want to know urgently about Michael Madhsudan Datta, his life, his activities - for which he became famous in Bengal. There are books on his life available in Kolkata. Please get one, read it, and send me a summary. You will know later why I want to know.
How are you getting along in Kolkata? Missing the family? Time will pass and you all will be together again soon. I am sure you are doing well on your new assignment.
With good wishes,
Uncle

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Mon 26-02-2001 10:40

My dear Debashis,

Why was Michael Madhusudan Dutta famous? What was his special contribution? I wanted to recap this information because during my days at St.Xavier's, Calcutta I had something to do in a play on his life!

With our love to you 'four-some',
=Uncle=

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On the ‘Tehelka’ sting operation

Wed 14-03-2001 08:47

My dear Debashis,

I just read your mail. I took a 'Print-out'. I could not wait to write to you!
Yesterday i got glued to the TV watching the audio-visual on Zee News. I could not believe. I felt confused. Is it a fake story with carefully edited pictures from different clips and cleverly dubbed to fool the people and bring some political parties crashing down at the behest of some very interested and frustated political parties? Or, could it be a real story just being unearthed to be followed by more devastating exposures? I felt, in today's world both situations are possible!

So I thought the best thing for us all is to wait and watch what comes out of all this.
After reading the article by Tejpal, I believe it is a real story, though unbelievable. So we expect many skeletons to drop out from the cupboard! As well! The great politicians and so called great leaders are playing a ball game at the cost of this great nation. This nation has great talented people in practically every field and if only they had a chance! It is a great shame that the real people who are capable are kept on the side giving them no opportunities and the 'opportunist' politicians and the 'crooks' are the great managers country!

Love to you all,
=Uncle=

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On recession

Friday, October 19, 2001 8:22 AM
Subject: Realisation!

My dear Debashis,

I believe, I need to give an explanation for this long silence, inspite of the fact that you 'foursome' are always very much in our minds and are very near to our hearts.
Since about february, we had shocks galore due to loss of some very near relatives by sudden serious attacks on health and deaths. Two young ones are still not out of danger even after the best of treatment available in India. One had a kidney transplant and the other Lymphomia(Cancer). On the top of all this, since June our factory was affected seriously by the recession. Auto & Bearing industries were hit very badly, and as a consequence, we too had meagre demand for bearing components. We were sustaining somehow, on a day to day basis requiring a lot of thinking and planning. This month saw a trend in the upswing again and we hope this trend continues to allow us to reach normal level of production for the three units. Last few months we had to lay off workmen, and we have just put in the full complement of workmen to meet the demand on supply. I hope that all the hard work at my age is not nullified by the present economic situation in the country.
The world is in turmoil. I have much to comment, but I will keep my comments for a later day.
With love to you all,
Yours,
=Uncle=

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On loneliness in Lonavla

Monday, May 20, 2002 5:05 PM
Subject: Food for thought!

My dear Debashis,

I have been receiving numerous interesting mails from you which I do enjoy reading. Yet, I have hardly sent any mail to you! Not excusable! However I appreciate your persistence to remain in touch. It is indeed very nice and kind of you. I have no answer as to why I have gone quiet. It seems to me that may be 'old age' has taken over control. Lonavla is a place where I do not find anybody with whom I can sit and exchange thoughts. We are two solitary figures at home! There is no place to go! Depressive thoughts come to mind!

Love to you, Jaya and the kids(?),

=Uncle=

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On recession and politics

Friday, November 15, 2002 8:38 AM

My dear Debashis,

There is nothing to cheer about these days. We are in a soup too - for no fault of ours! Recession has hit us badly - shrinking demands, as SKF and others are in a bad shape too! I think it is time for me to 'call it a day' and pack off and relax - do things my heart wants to do. Madhur has also lost interest - working hard to achieve little! I do not blame him!

I particularly enjoy the political satires. We have plenty of jokers in the poliitical arena. Our great honest and patriotic national leaders(of all parties) working for the country's good and trying to come to power by any means to serve the country better (and in the process, themselves amassing wealth so that some day they can do some charitable work!).

=Uncle=

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On my photography and visit to Ganga Sagar Mela on Makar Sankranti

Tuesday, January 18, 2005 6:23 AM

My dear Debashis,

At last I am responding. Shame on me! Here is to wish you and Jaya a very happy New Year and also send you BIHU greetings. I understand both the daughters are in Mumbai!

I have to acknowledge and compliment you before I write anything. I am very happy to discover that you are a great photographer! I have received so many photographs from you and I find some of these extremely professional! A good camera is necessary (you use a digital), but the man behind the camera is more important.

Your observation on your bold trip to the great(?) mela is very interesting reading. You should send a copy to VHP and their folk! I would add that between heaven and earth there is another resting place for another class of people. A great neta of our country who practised urine therapy and was also a strong headed person who enforced prohibition of alcohol, (though his son was having a whisky bath every evening), did not find a place in heaven. He was dumped in the new place I write above. He started a 6 star hotel there. He hopes that NASA will soon send spacecrafts there with passengers from earth. So he made recipes to dish out Speciality Dishes! Menu cards will have interesting health foods. Some dishes are named as under:

1. Ox urine soup 2. Goat urine soup. 3. Cow dung chapaties. 4 Baked goat dung on toast. etc. You should contact him and suggest that he should visit Ganga ki par on Makar Sankranti day to collect a lot of raw material for his top special recipies - all free of cost!

I was very unwell in Assam. So we had to skip our vist to you in Kolkata. More about ourselves later. With very good wishes to both of you from both of us,

=Uncle=

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A suggestion made by me to Bezbora Uncle

Mon 07-02-2005 16:48

My dear Bezbora Uncle,

I am well aware of your excellent skills in photography -- the large blow-ups of pictures you took in USA of birds (pelicans, I think) and nature that adorn your walls at Lonavla are imprinted in my mind.

Why don't you revive your interest in photography once again? If I may give you an idea -- a 'coffee-table' book on Lonavla / Khandala may find many buyers. You already have a storehouse of information on L/K having lived there for decades; you may have many old photos also; now you can shoot some great shots during rains and other seasons -- and put the whole thing together as a book. Do think about it.

Maybe I can join you in this venture (if I get the transfer which I'm hoping) and we can both work on this book! After all, Lonavla is a place I always loved. Our book may look like this :

No harm in dreaming !!

Warm regards,

Debashis

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On his winning a photography prize as a young man

Monday, February 07, 2005 1:40 PM

My dear Debashis,

As I had written earlier, you are developing to be a great photographer! My prediction was right. So you are an award winner! Congrats. Today's mail brought to me some wonderful pictures, cool and absorbing! Such pictures bring peace to my mind! You are the one to appreciate and also tell us your own artistic perception! Incidentally, years back when I was a young man keen on photography, had received the 2nd prize in an All India photographic competetion and exhibition, But I had no time to pursue with my photography -I was busy pioneering a new industry in the country!

Yes, we can understand yours and Jaya's feeling lonely. We always pray that both Chinky and Enid are happy in their lives - in all respects. We too are today in the same situation!

Your aunty was so happy yesterday to be able to speak with Jaya!

With best wishes to both of you,

=Uncle=

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On his deteriorating health

Sent: Monday, May 02, 2005 4:08 PM

My dear Debashis & Jaya,

As I wrote to you, we were at Pune from 25th to 28th April for my urgent medical check-up. Everything is fine except that my blood sugar has gone alarmingly high! Perhaps this is the award I got for retiring from active life! So I am now under strict control for everything. Diet, medicine, exercise (brisk walking in my case) etc. I have to report for test again on 12th May. The cataract operation is postponed till I am back to normalcy Re: Diabetes. We returned here on 29th.

I called up Enid yesterday to find out if you are still there. We are disappointed to learn that you left on 30th. Never mind, there is always a next time. I have asked Enid to come over in a week end with Chinky

Both of you must have had a great time with the children. But you could come for a very short time, and you are back in Kolkata before you realised! This visit must have been like a dream! Again I say, never mind, there is always a next time!

With best wishes and love,

Uncle

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On trekking

Fri 25-05-2007 20:27

My dear Debashis,

So you had your adventure on land! In my young days I too was like you! I was in England at a young age. In 1947 I organised a trek to climb Alps, and wrote to the Alpine club. They gave everything free! We climbed to 15,000 feet, stayed in the alpine club cabin at the top of the climb for 3 nights and two days, Had three guides provided by the Alpine club, (Two cooks were sent one day earlier with all provisions), We were given residence in a nice municipal guest house in a town at the foot of the climb for seven days, We were entertained every evening by Swiss music and dance groups. We also participated with Indian and British items, I thrilled them with my flute! Our group consisted of two Indians(including me) and about twelve English and Scottish people. We had great fun and thrills! It was an experience indeed.

Yes, we are looking forward to your visit. The climate is improving here every day, with gathering clouds and pre-monsoon showers. Hopefully, perhaps the monsoon will set in by middle of June. But these days you cannot predict how nature behaves!

Best wishes to all,

=Bezbora Uncle=

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On Friendship Day

Sun 05-08-2007 11:29

Re: Happy friendship day

Thanks. I fully reciprocate from my heart. But it is difficult to find a real friend! However, I consider you to be one.

May God bless.

----- Original Message -----

From: Cdr Debashis Mukherjee

Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 5:34 AM

Subject: Happy friendship day

My father always used to say that when you die, if you've got five real friends, you've had a great life.
* Lee Iacocca 

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On his stroke

Sun, Sep 7, 2008 at 8:46 PM

My dear Debashis,

You must be wondering for my silence! I had a minor 'Stroke' on 1st March. Suddenly my left foot felt heavy and numb. My left left foot was partially paralysed (from toe to near the knee). I was rushed to Jehangir Hospital and investigations confirmed the suspicion. I was put in ICU and urgent treatment started. I was in the hospital for about two weeks. Then I was moved to our residence at Boat club road. Every morning I was taken to the hospital for physio therapy. After a week I was brought back to Lonavla.I was unable to walk. I am continuing the medicines and the exercises. I am taken to Pune every two weeks for checkup. I am now able to take walks inside the house with help of a 'walker' and a stick. I can see improvement every day. Doctors are happy with the progress. Luckily there had been no distortion of face or my speech.

I do not remember whether I had informed about all this earlier.

I do not open the computer except occasionally just to see the msgs waiting to be read. There are more than 30 msgs waiting to be read. I read a few which I had to answer. There are a heap from you too(circular msgs). I am unable to respond! So for the time being, pl do not send these msgs. I shall write to you when I am fit enough.

I hope both of you and your daughters are keeping fine. Bibha is also not keeping well due to her diabetes and tension. My two sisters and brother with his wife had come from Assam and were with us for two weeks (till doctors confirmed that I was out of danger and I am progressing well). Madhur and his family come often. Madhur's son came from Montreal and were with us for two months on his holidays.

That is all for now.

With best wishes,

Uncle

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Encouraging me about my travelogues

Sun, Feb 1, 2009 at 9:09 PM

My dear Debashis,

Your travelogue to Nepal is really written in a vivid commentary. Apart from what you saw and experienced on the trip, you have done a great service to future tourists by giving details of your observations as to what they can expect on the travel as regards services available en-route, road conditions; repair/servicing, trained mechanics, availability of spares, use of correct tools etc. in Maruti certfied garages. Your comments should be sent to Maruti head quarters so that they can improve the conditions. Your observations on the performance of the car will be beneficial to owners of the same model. Fuel consumption, engine power etc are remarkable. Incidentally, Madhur also has the same car(diesel), but I am not sure whether he has the same model. He bought a few months back.

The photographs are very good and enjoyable.

The narratives on the other trips were also covered in detail, inspiring a lot of interest to read and enjoy.

Well done, and continue to do so!

Love to you both,

Uncle

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