Rashmi Rekha Das
A father is every son’s first hero and every daughter’s first love. On Father’s Day, Sunday POST catches up with a few celebrities who say their fathers’ absence has created an emotional vacuum in their lives which is impossible to fill.
A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets in our society – Billy Graham
A father is every son’s first hero and every daughter’s first love. A father’s love is just as important to a child’s development as a mother’s, and sometimes more. Fathers are central to the emotional wellbeing of their children; they are capable caretakers and disciplinarians – a pillar of strength, support and discipline. A good father strongly disapproves of his children’s misdeeds, using tough love to prove a point. He does this through the power of his words, not fists. His absence creates an emotional chasm which is almost impossible to fill. On Father’s Day, Sunday POST catches up with a few celebrities who share their special bonding with their beloved fathers whose departure has left a heart-wrenching void.
Arjya Patnaik, daughter of actor Hara Patnaik
I truly believe in the Sanskrit shloka that says ‘Father is the heavens above, he is the essence of religion, an embodiment of ultimate sacrifice. He is placed at a higher pedestal than all the Gods combined’. Whatever I am today is because of my father. He was not the pushy kind of parent who would go to any length to make his children fulfil his own failed dreams. He gave me liberty to choose my subject of interest. I remember the day when I bagged the gold medal at Symbiosis University. Seated in the audience he started clapping before the others. That was a moment I will always cherish. When I was awarded the gold medal at Ravenshaw University, he was undergoing treatment in Vellore and shared his elation with the hospital staff. I used to score better than my younger sister in the examinations. He never praised me for my performance but encouraged my sister to do well next time. I felt bad. One day, I asked my father the reason. He told me a story: ‘When the construction work of Konark temple was in progress,’ he said, ‘King Langula Narasinha Deba used to come to the temple along with a danseuse to inspect the work. The king praised the temple architect, Bisu Maharana, while the danseuse never uttered a word in praise of Maharana. Instead of being disheartened, Maharana made up his mind to do better to please the danseuse.’ ‘I never appreciate you for your good grades because I want you to do better in future,’ he said. Those were inspirational words which motivated me to give my best. I am proud to have him as my father.
Ritesh, choreographer
I remember dad most when I am lonely. I remember him for all my good deeds. His absence affected me and my younger brother when we were too young. We had not completed our studies when father passed away. Had he been there I wouldn’t have had to struggle to follow my passion and my mother wouldn’t have had to sell her jewellery for our education. I remember the night when I was suffering from high fever due to malaria and my condition was deteriorating fast. That night I saw my father crying for me and telling me repeatedly not to worry as I would get well soon. He was always positive-minded and had the ability to quickly find solutions to problems. That is why everyone loved him.
Jina Samal, actress
The inspirational man who taught me balance, grace, the beauty of knowledge and the power of education and love was my father. I had many fabulous teachers but the person whom I listened and looked up to was my father. I was his princess. My father, Binay Kumar Samal, was a high school teacher who died four years back. Although I feel his absence always, I also consider it to be a blessing because after his demise I came to know how to face difficult situations. I was a stubborn kid. Whenever my mother scolded me, I used to lock myself up in a room. I didn’t open the door till my father came. Eventually, he would scold mother to mollify me. During Rajo, he would get four pairs of dresses for me keeping others in the dark. When I told him I wanted to pursue a career in acting, I was confused whether he would support me. But he supported me because he had faith in me. No one can fill his void.
Riyana, actress
In 2013 I lost my father. Initially, he did not support me in my choice of career as he wanted me to focus on studies. But eventually he supported me after I passed graduation. After graduation I moved to Mumbai to study acting and I still remember the sight of him happily waving at me at Cuttack railway station the day I departed for Mumbai. The most tragic day of my life was when I got a call from my mother saying that my father was no more. I was speechless for some time and controlled myself. I rushed to my native via the next flight. I was unfortunate that I was not with my father at his deathbed. My mother told me he was eager to see me once for the last time. His advised me to choose a simple lifestyle and cope with situations both good and bad. Nowadays I miss him a lot whenever I am in a crisis. Had he been alive I would be the happiest girl in the world.
