FUNERAL @ SANDWELL CREMATORIUM – 30 JANUARY 2021
Greetings.
We are all here because Satnam, our dear Sata has died.
I want to start by expressing the sorrow of all the wider family to Aunty Ji, Supriya, Simran, Rai, Daniel, Purdy, Bally, Bindri, Nimba and all the family.
We are with you in your sorrow and pain.
Here we are 30 in this room, but many more online.
Thank you joining in today.
Your company is a great strength.
Everyone has a story, and everyone’s story is special.
When someone dies, we are left with their story, and our memories of them.
It is important to tell the story and share our memories.
First hold out your arms like this, now do this (wrap around your shoulders), this is how Sata always greeted us, with a big hug.
Dekh lawo, chori, choric chale geya. He stole away from us quietly.
Koi bimari nahi si. He had no illness.
Galan karda, pishle door thani chup kar ke chale geya, khisk geya. Talking and conversing, he slipped away out of the back door.
Apni maa nu, apni patni, bachea nu, bhena-bhrava nu, andi-quandi nu nahi tung karna chohnda si. He did not wish you give any trouble to his family, friends and neighbours.
Koi smaj nahi ae rahi, ke ho ki geya. It is difficult to find meaning in what has happened.
Dukh de vich apa sare bethe ha. In pain we are seated.
Duur, duur bethe ha. We are seated in distance from each other.
Mode laga ke ro nahi sakde. We cannot weep with each other, on each other’s shoulders.
Par dil apne nal-nal he, sath sada tuhade nal hae. But our hearts are one with each other, we give each other our company.
Ek batti apni bhug gaye hae, par odi Roshni nahi ghate ghi, naal rahe ghi. A bulb may have gone out, but nothing will remove the light of Sata.
Honsla rakhna, dil bhada kar ke rehna te ek duge di seva karni hae. Let us keep heart, and keep strong, and continue to serve each other.
Bhogla de vich pyar bohut hae, te aida hi pyar rave apna. There is a lot of love among the Bhogals, lets keep this love alive.
Sata dekhal ke geya sanu, pyar ki hunda, and kidan karida. Sata has shown us how to love, and what love is.
I have been asking family members for their special and best memories of Sata.
Sata siga sada shota Bhogal, sub ton vade dil wala, pyar wala. Sata was a young Bhogal, but he had a big heart, and lots of love.
I am old enough to remember Sata being born, I was 20 at the time.
I held him in my arms, I played with him.
Many of my memories of Sata are of him running around in 4 Park Hill Street, in the living room, in the landing, in the garden.
He ruled the stairs, here all the younger members of the family talked and played, with Sata at the centre of all his mates, Purdy, Nimba, Jita, Dala, Pappu, Pinx, Daniel, Jasdeep, Gian, Karam, Prem, Jivan, Liamarjit, Sunny, Aman, Kirthpal, Roopi, all the lads.
Sata was a kind of mentor for those a little younger than him.
He was their footie friend, shared his Megadrive with them.
I’ve just mentioned the lads.
The girls loved him too, Pommy, Goody, Pritpal, Moni, Sandeep, Poonam, Bibby, Michelle, Anjuli, Amber, Jassy. There are more girls who loved him than I can name.
Everyone loved Sata, young and old. Maa, Baap, behn, Bhra, Chaache, Chaachia, Maame, Maamiya, Masr, Masiya
Whether anyone thought of him and a dost or as a dushman, he only gave love.
He was the young Bhogal, but he was a man with a big heart, big love, for everyone.
He never looked at anyone as Dushman or Varry, he treated everyone well and with love and respect.
Sata loved his children above all, Simran, Rai and Daniel, and we know you loved him very much. He was very proud of you. He was a good father.
Sata also had a special bond with Kirthpal, and his dad Kal.
Sata worked with Kal fixing houses, boilers, cars.
Gian and Karam remember him fixing and decorating their room.
For a while he played dholaki like his dad in the Gurdwara.
At Langar, he served others before he ate.
The same at Sheddon Street.
He was a shota Shabba. He was like his dad.
Ao Ji. Come in.
Sat Siri Kal Ji.
Big smile.
Betho ji. Have a seat.
Cha pivo ji. Have some tea.
Happy days, happy memories.
So, of course, Sata was also a delivery man.
He managed drivers and deliveries with Hermes.
I still buy fish and chips from Five Ways Chilly in Rotherham where he delivered fish!
Sata greeted us all with rib breaking hugs.
We have all received regular WhatsApp messages from Sata, with greetings, photos, funny videos.
He regularly sent me photos from years ago, all special memories.
He had a fabulous, infectious laughter.
He cheered us up in every situation, made us laugh.
We can all learn this from Sata.
He was the heart and life and soul of every family gathering, viah-shadi (wedding), birthday party.
Drink in one hand, food in the other, music centre in front of him, blasting out from his room sized speakers, then he would take to the dance floor, and we would all dance with him.
I remember him at Pinx and Kiran’s wedding, at Sunny and all the younger members with him, dancing to “Yeh dosti, hum nahin toran ge” (this friendship we will not break).
There is a memory of him with the younger lads, Sata poured them all a Bacardi drink, knocked it back, gave out a great belch, and said, “right then, where’s the masala fish?”
We loved having Sata at our table at parties.
He went to every table to ask how everyone was.
He took time to check in with everyone.
He treated us with respect.
He had our respect.
He had a very distinctive voice, beautiful smile, awful jokes.
You knew where Sata was from the sound of his voice.
He was a brilliant mimic.
He was the king of the dance floor, bangra.
He created a special atmosphere around him wherever he was.
Sata was very loving and important to all of us, and to so many others.
Sata had much more life to live and love to give.
He was overcome by Covid-19.
Without Covid-19 he would still be here.
And if it had not been Covid-19 there would have been hundreds here today, with many lining up outside.
So we say a fond fare well to Sata.
Fare Well Satya.
All your family and friends bid you fare well.
Our prayer today: Apne charna de vich niwas. Give to Sata, O God, a place in your being and memory.
We take strength from the knowledge that you are with God and in the company of those who went before you.
You and your story have a special place in our memory.
Go well.
I want to say in a big thank you, in closing, to those who have created and contributed to the Crowdfund Page for Sata’s family. The fund stands at almost £10k.
Thank you.
Inderjit Bhogal
30 January 2021
