Old relatives from Mumbai pay tribute to Freddie Mercury's late mother

Jehangir Bulsara and Freddiersquos mother Jer Bulsara second left with close family membersDays after the late British rocker Freddie Mercuryrsquos greatest champion his mother Jer Bulsara passed away quietly in her sleep in the UK a wave of grief has hit Dadarrsquos Parsi Colony where the extended Bulsara family continues to live ldquoI cannot believe Jer kaki is no morerdquo Jehangir Freddiersquos second cousin told midday at his Parsi Colony home on SundayAs Freddie Mercury transformed from boy to British rock star to international icon hundreds of miles awayacircAcircu00c2u0080Acircu00c2u0088mdash the family home in Dadarrsquos Parsi Colony remained the one link he had to his beginnings as Farrokh Bulsara His mother Jer Bulsara was fiercely proud of him but always ensured that the family kept in touch with their rootsAlso Read Indian artises on who would be best suited to play Freddie MercuryFreddiersquos second cousin Jehangir Bulsara recalls ldquoHis parents were very close to mine I remember when Freddie had become a star he used to tell his parents that when they visited Mumbai they should stay at the Taj hotel Freddiersquos parents would always say no and stay at our place in Dadar instead That is how simple and down to earth they wererdquoStill unable to come to grips with Jerrsquos demise on November 13 Jehangir says ldquoShe was always kind and her advice was invaluable Once I was so depressed because I had lost a job but she encouraged me to take a parttime job saying it would keep me occupied She was a very noble person They do not make her kind any longerrdquoProud parentsJehangir reminisced about a conversation he had with Freddiersquos parents who recounted how their son was born with a latent musical talent ldquoHe was in Mumbai once on holiday from his school in Panchgani He heard a song being played at Dadar He heard it just once and immediately went home and played it on the piano mdash he was so giftedrdquo says Jehangir a trifle proudlyJehangirrsquos prized possession is an autographed picture of Freddie given to him by the singer He adds that Freddie was also a talented painter and fashion designerJehangir said that initially Freddiersquos father especially was a trifle disapproving of his chosen vocation in music but they were immensely proud of Freddie once he made itldquoThey used to say lsquoFreddie has become a very big person in records what a hit he has becomersquo Yet there was not an ounce of ego in Jer kaki If you met her you would not even know she was the mother of such a star like Freddie Mercuryrdquo adds JehangirldquoShe was a wonderful cook too Her dhansaak was memorable She used to add just a little sugar to everything she cooked Freddie used to love her cookingrdquo says Jehangir who often spoke to Jer on the phonePray for FreddieWith stardom came the trappings and Jehangir recounted how concerned Freddiersquos parents were about him ldquoFreddiersquos father did not like seeing his son smoke He was an orthodox person but everyone smoked on the music circuit and there was little they could say to their son by thenrdquo he saysRead Story Freddie Mercury gets asteroid named after him on 70th birthdayldquoJer Kaki used to tell us on the phone lsquoPray for Freddie He has contracted a disease called AIDS There is no cure I am so afraidrsquordquo recalls Jehangir on a somber noteFreddie died in 1991 at the age of 45 The lead singer of the rock band Queen had acknowledged that he had AIDS a day earlierJehangir then perks up as he remembers ldquoYou know I resembled Freddie quite closely when I was younger I was once at the Wodehouse Gymkhana in SoBo when a stranger came up to me and asked lsquoAre you related to Freddie Mercuryrsquo Turns out he was a classmate of Freddiersquos in PanchganirdquoIn the end says Jehangir he will live with the regret that he did not visit Jer in Nottingham ldquoJer kaki always used to call me but I never went I wish I had visited her especially towards the end when she used to say she is not feeling well and she had breathing difficultiesrdquo says Jehangir wistfullyIf there is some small solace in her passing it will be that Jer kaki will finally be reunited with her son Freddie and her husband Bomi They will meet in heaven like they say or maybe in this case on Mercury