Thread by @VedBorah

My friend Farooq Parkar. #Long_Thread

After graduating, I was looking for accomodation in Bombay to suit my Rs 1500 salary. But was turned down by most due to my budget constraint, or my meat eating background or my marital status.
Then I met Farooq at a musical gathering. +8

++He was cousin of my college friend Husain Parkar. He was from Chiplun in Raigarh region. We got talking, and on knowing my status, he offered to shelter me at his family home situated at Masjid Bunder, Bombay "for a few days".
His family then owned the only supermarket +7

.. in Chiplun, and also a few travel agencies at Md Ali Road, Bombay. Farooq prayed 5 times, wore only white kurta pyjama and skull cap. A number of his cousins who were studying or working in Bombay lived with him. All of them ate from a huge plate, together. I never.. +6

..hung around with such crowd before, but my need for a shelter was desperate. So one day, I landed at his home with bag and baggage.
His cousins fiercely opposed my stay there as I was a non believer. But Farooq stood rock solid & stood by me. Gradually, but half heartedly... +5

..the other members started to accept me. Farooq and I got along so well that I lived with them for 5 months, and ate from the same plate every day. Only when they ate beef, I'd eat out or have something separately.
Once he invited me to his home in Chiplun.... +4

..I arrived at Chiplun ST bus stand after dark. Farooq kept a boatman to received me. From there I was taken to the Chiplun river bank, and I sailed with him on the boat on a bright moonlight night for over half hour. It was surreal. I stayed at his home for 2 days...+3

.. his mother and sisters took great care of me, served me super konkani food but I never saw them. All women in the village wore full burqa. And they were not usually seen. Farooq drove me around Khed and Chiplun countryside in his Mahendra jeep. Showed me their Alphonso...+2

.. mango estates where I had the good fortune of plucking the legendary Alphonso mangoes.
This phase of my life had dropped off my memory for many years. About 4 days back I remembered Farooq, was telling my kids about him and my association with him. Resolved to check ...+1

..on him soon.

When I called him this morning, I was informed that Farooq was no more. He died a week back due to kidney complications. He was suffering for about a year. I last spoke with him about 3 years back.

(End)