Something I Look At-459 Poem by Smruti Ranjan Mohanty

In memory of someone I love and adore, not merely a remembrance, but a pause of the heart—a moment to bow before a life that walked with grace, endured with dignity, and departed without noise.

SOMETHING I LOOK AT-459
BY-SMRUTI RANJAN MOHANTY

A Tribute To The Man Who Lived And Left With Dignity,
My Father In Law, Engineer Late Pratap Chandra Mohanty.

In the midnight of seventeen
He silently passed away,
without a complaint,
without a regret,
without telling anything to anyone—
with a mysterious serenity on his face,
fulfilling his only desire,
a deep craving
to meet his wife
somewhere on the way.

He left as quietly as he had lived,
carrying no burden,
owing no explanation to the world.

A man died in the ICU,
fighting his last battle alone
in the lonely corridors of life.
The hero of many a war
lost to time;
with him, an institution collapsed—
an institution that had faced
the vagaries of violent weather,
turbulent seas, scorching heat, winter showers and gusty winds
for more than ninety years,
now mingled into oblivion.

Strength stood its ground till the very end,
then bowed gently
before the inevitable.

Tears rolled down cheeks,
emotions ran high;
earth and sky seemed to come together
to mourn the sad demise
of a true son of the soil.
A family melodrama unfolded for days—
mourning the poignant tragedy,
recapitulating the buried past.
The reincarnation of bygone days
brought only tears to tired eyes;
but the man—
the pivot around which the family revolved—
never came back.

His absence spoke louder
than his lifelong presence.

Memories fade,
tears vanish,
reason slowly rules the mind.
Man learns to live with reality.
The wound heals,
but the scar remains—
sometimes you see it,
sometimes you forget.
Life goes on,
leaving moments of happiness and sorrow behind.
But the man—
the architect of the family's destiny,
the silent axis of our revolving lives—
slowly withers away from our reality.
That is the saddest part of life.

Time moves forward,
but the heart lingers behind.

Pratap Chandra Mohanty
has been dead since the seventeenth of this month—
but is he gone forever,
or present in multiple forms,
in multiple dimensions
we do not dare to enter,
to which we have no access,
yet feel—
in silence,
in memory,
in love?

Bio-

Pratap Chandra Mohanty, beloved son of Ananda Chandra Mohanty and Nishamani Mohanty, was born on 28 November 1934 in the historic city of Cuttack. From an early age, his life bore the marks of discipline, diligence, and quiet brilliance. He received his schooling at P.M. Academy, Cuttack, where the foundations of his character and intellect were firmly laid.

With a keen scientific temper, he went on to pursue Intermediate Science at Ravenshaw College, the premier seat of learning in Odisha, whose scholarly ambience further shaped his mind. His academic journey then led him to Bhubanananda Engineering School, Cuttack, where he trained in Electrical Engineering, preparing himself for a life of service and technical excellence.

Upon successful completion of his studies, he joined the Government of Odisha as an engineer. Over the years, he distinguished himself as a dynamic, innovative, and conscientious technocrat, earning the respect of colleagues and the trust of the institution he served. His career culminated with his retirement as an Executive Engineer, marking the end of a professional life defined by integrity, competence, and quiet achievement.

He was united in marriage with Kishori Bala Mohanty, his constant source of inspiration and his perfect companion in every sense. Their bond was one of deep understanding, mutual respect, and unwavering affection. Though his ancestral roots lay in Dagan, Balikuda, Jagatsinghpur district, part of undivided Cuttack district and his paternal home stood at Bamphi Sahi, Cuttack, he chose to settle at Bomikhal, Bhubaneswar, where he made his home and heart.

After retirement, he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the upliftment of the locality. A man of conscience and concern, he became the voice of the people in various social forums, working selflessly for the common good and earning enduring goodwill.

He was blessed with a loving family—two sons, one daughter, their spouses, two granddaughters, two grandsons, and a great-granddaughter. By his guidance and blessings, all are well settled in their respective walks of life, carrying forward his values and legacy.

The passing of his wife two years ago dealt him a blow too deep to bear. The shock was so profound and poignant that it erased even the memory of her departure from his mind. Till his final days, he lived under the gentle illusion that she was still by his side. Though he survived her by two years, life, in its true sense, had quietly ebbed away from him.
It was no mere coincidence that both of them departed this world on the same tithi—Chaturdashi—and were consigned to the flames on the very same chullah, Chullah No.22, at Swargadwara, Puri. Such an alignment of time and place feels almost ordained, as if destiny itself conspired to reunite them beyond life. It speaks eloquently—far beyond words—of a love so deep and a longing so enduring that even death could not keep them apart. Their final journey mirrors the quiet, unwavering bond they shared, affirming that some connections transcend the boundaries of time, ritual, and mortality.

Surrounded by his sons and daughter, Pratap Chandra Mohanty breathed his last on 17 December 2025, leaving behind a silence heavy with absence. His departure has created a vacuum that can never truly be filled.

He was a man of honesty and uprightness, of character and conviction—simple in living, strong in spirit, and steadfast in principle. He never bowed before changing fortunes, nor compromised with his conscience.

I humbly pray to the Almighty to grant his departed soul a place at His lotus feet, a grace he richly deserves. May his immortal spirit continue to shower blessings upon his family, as he always did in life.

ENGINEER PRATAP CHANDRA MOHANTY DAGAN

E-Engrossed in duty from his early day,

N-Nurtured in Cuttack where values found their way.

G-Gifted son of Ananda and Nishamani dear,

I- Integrity shaped his path, steady and clear.

N-November twenty-eight marked his first breath,

E-Entering life with grace, not fearing death.

E-Early schooling at P.M. Academy stood,

R-Rooting his mind in discipline and good.

P-Pursuing science at

R-Ravenshaw's light,
Refined by learning, reason, and insight.

A-At Bhubanananda he mastered his art,

T-Training as an engineer, sharp of heart.

A-Adept in electrical craft and design,

P-Prepared for service, precise and fine.

C-Called by the state, Odisha his field,

H-Honest in labour, no truth concealed.

A-As years went by, his merit was seen,

N-Named Executive Engineer—calm, composed, keen.

D-Dynamic yet gentle, respected by all,

R-Rising by merit, never by thrall.

A-A life of work done quietly well,
Leaving no boastful tale to tell.

M-Married to Kishori, his anchor and guide,

O-One soul, one journey, forever side by side.

H-Home at Bomikhal, though Dagan his root,

A-Affection for people his chosen pursuit.

N-Never aloof, but deeply aware,

T-To local upliftment he gave his care.

Y-Years after service, he served once more.

D-Devoted to people, their voice and their shore,

A-A blessed family—children, grandchildren, great grand child bright,

G-Guided by values, walking in light.

A-After his wife's loss, memory grew thin,
Living gently, believing she still walked within.

N-Now rests his soul at the Lord's lotus feet—
A life upright, serene and complete

Smruti Ranjan Mohanty©
India
All rights reserved
25.12.2025