Nishi Nehra of Rhode Island passed away on January 30, 2017.
Her family is organizing a Puja in the Sarva Dev Mandhir, 6 Main St. Oxford MA 01540.
Program
Saturday Feb. 4 11:00 A M to 12:15 PM Puja
12:15 to 12:45 Bhajans & Kirtan
12:45 Lunch
A tribute to Nishi Nehra
Nishi was born on August 15, 1940 in Amritsar, Punjab. She was the eldest of seven siblings and was instrumental in raising them. After completing her studies, her dream was to travel and see the world. In 1963, at age 22 she married Ram Nehra and began a lifelong journey when she travelled on her own to Kenya to be with her loving husband and his family. Nishi made herself at home in Kenya with her large extended joint family. She found great joy in caring for her nieces and nephews, and enjoyed travelling East Africa while learning its customs and language.
Shortly after the birth of their first child, Neerja, in 1969, the family emigrated to San Francisco. Their second child Rajiv was born in Davenport, Iowa the very next year. From Davenport they would travel to Warwick, RI. Here she would welcome a third child, Sanjiv and find enormous joy in raising her family. Nishi devoted her life to ensuring that her children were raised with Indian values. She also instilled in her children a love of learning and the value of education.
Just like her time in Kenya, she took advantage of everything that her new home had to offer. She fully adapted to the American way of life: becoming a girl scout leader, an avid bowler, and celebrating all the American holidays. She had many successful business ventures in Newport, RI – Fantazia, The Paper Lion, and Mall Laundromat.
Nishi and her husband Ram had great interest in building the Indian community in Rhode Island. She was instrumental in the establishment of a very important fixture in the Indian community – The Vishva Hindu Parishad children’s camp. Later on, she would give much of her time to volunteer for Ekal Vidyala, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children in Indian villages. Nishi and Ram worked tirelessly to raise money for this charity. They would travel multiple times to India to see the work of their mission being fulfilled.
Among Nishi’s many hobbies was to sing bhajans at poojas in celebration of her love for religion, cooking for family and friends, sewing and knitting and clothes for her children and grand kids. These handmade items will forever be treasured mementos.
Nishi and Ram were married for 54 years and enjoyed many anniversaries traveling the world. She was a devoted wife, and a “Madam” to her loving husband Ram. Her adoring children, Neerja, Rajiv and Sanjiv, would go on to raise families of their own. She would be blessed with eight grandchildren who brought her pure happiness. Nishi spent the next 20 years of her life celebrating and loving her grandkids. And they in-kind rewarded her with their love and respect.
Nishi spread her love wide and with great joy not only to her loving family; her brother and sisters – Lovely, Sunita, Gita, who remain in India; her loving in-laws Bhusan and Usha; and many nieces, nephews, grand nephews and grandnieces. Her family and friends will miss her but are certain that her love will forever surround us.
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says: "There, she is gone."
"Gone where?"
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when at my side says: There, she is gone!" There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: "Here she comes!"
....And that is dying.
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