Palampur mourns the death of a gem of a woman: Adieu Stimbla

The news came as a rude shock to me on Sunday (26th March) afternoon. It took time to sink in before plunging me into an abyss of sadness that Stimbla, wife of our very dear friend Dr P K Sharma (who died less than 5 years ago), passed away this morning. For, I had carried the impression that a valiant fighter that she was, she had triumphed over her fatal ailment that had afflicted her a few years back. (Learning just 3-4 days before, on casual enquiry from her neighbour-cum-friends, the Dogras, that she had gone to Delhi for a routine check-up, had only been more reassuring than worrying.)

What a remarkable woman Stimbla was! A fine blend of beauty, grace, poise, courage, sacrifice, endurance, refined taste, a finely carved aesthetic sense and that innate, tender loveliness that sets someone as a class apart from the common ordinary throng: that’s how I would like to describe her. Life had not been kind to her. Struggle, pain and suffering were her constant companions in her life’s truncated journey. Just when things began to settle down after busy years of children’s grooming, education, placements and marriages, unfortunately, Dr P K Sharma suffered a severe heart attack. It was Stimbla’s doughty effort and promptitude that saved him. It was so wonderful to see our handsome Dr P K Sharma once again his usual vibrant, jovial, stylish self, always on his toes  and supporting a warm wide grin that never left his face. But then tragedy struck again and one gloomy September day in 2012 our dear friend was gone. Fate’s thirst had still not been slated. Soon after his death, Stimbla had to contend with other family problems that would test the endurance of any person however gritty and strong. But she confronted the matters with firmness and courage.  Imagine, while she was going through this ordeal, Providence dropped another bombshell on her: she was diagnosed with cancer, necessitating a fight on two fronts on her part now. A lesser mortal might well have wilted and crumbled under such trying circumstances; but not so, Stimbla. She faced the double whammy with extraordinary fortitude and won her battle with her ailment and simultaneously resolved her family issues too with resounding success much to her satisfaction and happiness. But the sinister, wily, deceptive ‘emperor of all maladies’ struck her again just recently and this time proved fatal. It might just be that perhaps she ignored the first warning calls. How ironical that she who never failed to be a wise counsel to us all, wasn’t wise enough for her own self! Some people who have drunk the milk of human kindness and self-sacrifice in brimful measures are made like that. Stimbla was one such person indeed.

When ordinary mortals (like me)  face hardships they lose their sense of humour and become peevish, short-tempered, irritable, desolate, depressed and bitter. But Stimbla was a woman extraordinaire. The sweetness of her nature, her warmth and cordiality never waned even a wee bit. Whenever we visited her post ailment, she was ever so sweet, warm, kind, caring and hospitable as always.

Death of this remarkable woman deeply saddens all who knew her even remotely. The beautiful house  of this charming couple in the midst of a tea garden that every Palampurwalla talked about, that every passer-by never failed to stop and cast an admiring look at - will look sad and desolate without them and so will their beautiful garden and flowers that Stimbla tended with loving care, having taken over the role more actively from that lover of beauty and nature: dear P K Sharma.

It is a sad day indeed for us and Palampur.

               Happy were the days!

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Quotes of the week

Aussie cricketers are no longer friends

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I am a little lost, need to surrender myself to good work

               - Comedian Sunil Grover of the Kapil Sharma comedy show

Surya namskar is similar to Namaz
               - UP CM Adityanath

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