[Oe List ...] Working with Monu my life was blessed

Thu Jan 28 06:06:57 CST 2010

does anyone have a picture of Monu?  would one to keep one if someone has one to share.

jaime
beijing

-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Trask <nancytrask at rocketmail.com>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Thu, Jan 28, 2010 9:52 am
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Working with Monu my life was blessed

It was my understanding that Monu was not just a good singer, but a singer who had received formal training in the classical Indian style of singing.  And on the rare occasion when he unleashed his voice on those traditional melodies, the world literally stopped.

One of my favorite memories of Monu -- we had wonderful victories to celebrate at the Bombay nexus, so we bought mangoes galore & feasted on them.  It was a glorious sweet treat.  And Monu was in his element -- leading the group in profound celebration.

I have many precious memories of Monu as Spirit Man & Iron Man always wearing the blue.

My heart goes out to my dear team-mate Laxmi and the rest of the Bhattacharya family.
Nancy Trask

--- On Wed, 1/27/10, Paula Philbrook <paula.philbrook at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Paula Philbrook <paula.philbrook at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Working with Monu my life was blessed
To: "Order Ecumenical Community" <oe at wedgeblade.net>
Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 4:41 PM

Jack,
Would you ask your friend for an address we could use to send notes to the family?
Thank you.

2010/1/27 Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org>

Marilyn, 

I'm just on my return from Mumbai and I got a few more details about Monu.  But first to answer your question.  For many years Monu and Laxmi worked out of Chikale as part of our team there.  Besides his work there he also did a fair amount of consulting with corporations with workers and first-line supervisors.  Often that work was with Hiraman Kokane or Bhimrao Tupe.  Like a number of our Indian colleagues he had a difficult time handling alcohol.  Some time in the mid-90's he fell off a roof in Panvel during a drinking binge.  He broke his back and was hospitalized in Mumbai for some time.  it was a miracle that he didn't die or suffer any permanent injury.  He swore off drink and maintained that for some time, but slowly began to drink again.  There was a major dispute in ICA regarding what happened to some funds designated for Chikale's training center, mostly from Japan.  He was forced to leave ICA and spent his time in Panvel.  Most of us lost track of him after that.  He spent a lot of time with Marcus Salve.  He and Laxmi had a rough marriage after that and most recently she kicked him out of the house along with their son Vijay.  

My friend Alok Shukla was pretty close to Monu and recently tracked him down.  He was drinking very little and was having a tough time breathing.  The other afternoon the person with whom he was staying had him rushed to the hospital after a severe bout with breathing difficulties.  The man called Alok and Alok rushed to the hospital but Monu had succumbed.  An autopsy revealed he died of a heart attack.  Alok was the first person to see him after he had died.  Laxmi came briefly but left shortly thereafter. 

I have forwarded all of the tributes to Monu from his Order colleagues and Alok will see to it that the family gets copies.  I often felt that Monu was the most talented Indian we had on our staff.  He certainly was the best singer!  Regardless of his personal flaws, he changed lives and bent history.  May he find peace.

Grace & Peace,

Jack

On Jan 27, 2010, at 7:20 AM, marilyncrocker wrote:

Jean, I really appreciated your memories of Monu.  I first met him as "Menzes" in 1971 at the Jabalpur ITI.  He and another young man (whose name I don't recall) teamed up and were "the life of the party" among the many older, more serious participants.  His enthusiasm and engaging charm were infectious.  When Joe and I encountered him again five years later at the HDTS in Maliwada he had become, indeed, a spirit giant.  Does anyone know where his journey took him after the Nava Gram Prayas days?

Marilyn 

Marilyn R. Crocker, Ed.D
Crocker & Associates, Inc.
123 Sanborn Road
West Newfield, ME 04095
(207) 793-3711

On Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:02:13 -0700 Jean Long <jean.long512 at gmail.com> writes:

I met Monu at the first training school in Maliwada.  He had been to an ITI and, understanding that symbol was key, he changed his name from Menzies (christian) to Monu (Hindu) so it would not be a block to Indian villagers.  
Monu and I were assigned to Chikale, one of the four villages started with graduates from the first school.  I never heard Monu speak the English words to the magic he shared with folks as he was always speaking in Marati or Hindi - either translating or speaking directly to villagers.  He created sheer poetry.  I will never forget meetings when he spoke to angry villagers.  They would come in stiff with anger - and within minutes their heads would start to waggle (Hindi for yes) and he had them from then on!  I asked him once what he said to them and he said I just put their anger in perspective.

That year Monu did exactly what he was  called to do using a deep understanding of O:E and ICA spirit and social methods and  extraordinary spirit skills.  I never saw him happier.

He was a great soul and he is now singing with the saints for sure.

Jean Long
Denver

2010/1/25 A.M. Noel <amnoel at comcast.net>

Dear Vinod,
How are you?
A.M.Noel

From: oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net [mailto:oe-bounces at wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Vinod Parekh
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 4:14 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Monu Bhatacharrya (sp?)

Sorryto hear of Monu's death Jack. 
I've asked Hiraman to let us have Laxmi's phone number. 
Kamala and I are going to be with TISS at Tuljapur tomorrow onwards. 
Regards, 
Vinod 
9225119181 

------ Original Message ------ 
Received: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 08:19:32 PM IST 
From: Jack Gilles <icabombay at igc.org> 
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net> 
Subject: [Oe List ...] Monu Bhatacharrya (sp?) 

Dear Colleagues, 

I am in India and was just notified today by one of our colleagues 
that Monu died yesterday. He had been ill for some time. That is all 
I know at the moment. 

Grace & Peace, 

Jack 

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Paula  

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
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