Mumbai: Travel industry firm holds virtual shraddhanjali for over 100 departed during pandemic

When the DDP group in the travel and hospitality space decided to hold a virtual meet on Monday morning called lsquoHonouring the departed souls a prayer meeting to pay homage to the travel and hospitality heroes we lostrsquo they did not know that the numbers of colleagues lost during the Covid19 outbreak and few to other illnesses would climb over 100Managing Director SanJeetDirector Devika Jeet said ldquoWe reached out across the country and though we had learnt about the tragedies many very personal losses through the outbreak we were shocked to see the number reach almost 140 when organising this memorial service While all of us have grieved personally we wanted to come together not just as an industry but as a family to say our goodbyesrdquoJeet said they did have a message or two saying grieving is ldquopersonalrdquo Yet she added ldquoThe response overwhelmingly was favourable and a clutch of associations thought this was an apt forum to give expression to their thoughts and the void these persons have left with their passing The departed were different things to different people Some were mentors to others they were friends and to some they were coworkers and associates What cut across those differences were that they left their mark in various ways We wanted to highlight the role they played in the workspace too many of them illumining a path for those in the industryrdquoManaging Director SanJeet started the virtual prayer meet He said ldquoTwo years ago none of us could imagine that something like Covid19 would invade our space and change our life in such a dramatic and distressing way We have lost some of our family members The industry is shedding silent tears Stalwarts with exceptional experience and some young ones with so many hopes and dreams are no more with us We feel the pain of their loss and at the same time are privileged that they touched our livesrdquo SanJeetrsquos lines from shayar Bashir Badr resonated with all ldquoMusafir hai hum bhi musafir ho tum bhi kisi mod pe phir mulaakat hogirdquo We are all travellers and we will meet once again at some placeWords of wisdomSpiritual leaders sent messages of hope coping and wisdom Ejaz Ahmed Aslam spoke narrating the lines of poet Rabindranath Tagore ldquoEvery child that comes into this world and opens his eyes brings a message that God has still not become disappointed with human beings May God give us the courage knowledge wisdom and strength to fight this pandemic and prepare for our everlasting life in heavenrdquoGuru Yogi Shivan said ldquoThe departed souls our beloveds must be existing in a different plane of consciousnessrdquo The Yogi stressed it is vital to control ldquoonersquos mind to get protection from the situationrdquo From the spiritual treasure trove Veer Bhupinder Singh said ldquoMany say this outbreak period is a punishment given by God Some say it is created by usrdquo Singh said the pandemic is an equaliser touching everybodyrsquos life regardless of statusThe words were followed by a devotional song in the background with a picture of each person who left the world with two lines citing their workplace and designation in either of the two industries that are inextricably linked After that leaders of some travel and some hospitality associations spoke with sentiments ranging from personal loss that compounds the dark times these industries are facing to continuing legacies these individuals have left behind Some wove the takethevaccine message into their tributes while others stuck out for unity as an industry in this trying period as the Shraddhanjali with its haunting bhajans and visuals of a diya glowing in the dark stayed long after the onehour memorial closed