At 2 Kol shraddhas, families, friends bid final farewell to slain tourists
Times of India | 26 April 2025
12 Kolkata: Three days after the terrorist attack at Baisaran Valley in Kashmir, family members of slain Florida-based techie Bitan Adhikary and central govt statistician Samir Guha conducted their shraddha on Friday at their homes in quiet ceremonies, away from public glare.
A pall of grief hung over the Guhas' residence in Behala Sakherbazar since morning. The shraddha, a ritual paying last tributes to the deceased, was attended by a small circle of family, close friends, colleagues and neighbours. The hush that enveloped the locality stood in stark contrast to the outpouring of grief that had filled the street just two nights ago, when Samir's mortal remains were brought home from Kashmir.
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Inside, verses from the Bhagavad Gita were recited, casting a solemn mood across the quiet neighbourhood. Police stood quietly at the gate to ensure privacy. "The slokas reminded us how Samir would walk down these very stairs during Durga Puja, carrying the Mangal Ghot on his head," said Partho Chakraborty, a long-time neighbour. Samir's wife, Sabari, and daughter, Subhangi, remained inconsolable. Family members said Subhangi, deeply traumatised, had not spoken a word ever since the incident. Samir's brother-in-law, Subrata Ghosh, performed the main rituals on the behalf of the family. "We've been through enough. We just want some space today," a relative said over the phone.
Bitan's shraddha was conducted at Ram Thakur Ashram in Baghajatin. Only six of the closest family members—his wife Soheni, three-and-a-half-year old son Hridaan, parents Bireshwar (87) and Maya (75) and two of relatives, who performed the mukhagni, two nights earlier—attended the ceremony. "It was a quiet gathering. We left early for Bitan's Patuli address and from there, we went to the temple, where the shraddha ceremony was held. Bitan's cousin, who was very close to him, came, too. But we didn't want too many people. It's been a very difficult time for us," said Bitan's mother, Maya.
Relatives who attended the ceremony said Bitan's wife Soheni remained stoic for the major part of the ceremony but finally broke down when they stepped out of the venue to keep a platter of Bitan's favourite food items beside a waterbody for the departed soul, as part of the ritual.
Both the bereaved families, united in grief, had one request to all: privacy and space for them to remember and mourn their loved ones.