Well well well... finaly here at blogworld... decided today was a good (auspicious)day to start ! Ama Vasya day, did 'tharpanam' for my dad and ancestors. Feelin like goin down memory lane ... here's a little something i posted to the Zambian Newspapers about him, after we moved back here for good... makes me think how time flies...



CHIEF IN DISGUISE...

Sunday Nov.9th 2003

Dear editor,

hi..this is Rajesh Raman, better known in Zambia as BlaaZe' - the rapper from Kitwe.
Well, i am now based in India and rappin is always goin strong. However i write this to you, because for 25 years, my parents had been in Zambia, until a few months ago, when my father passed away...

Mr. R V Raman is my dad's name. Ours was not a typical Indian household living in a foreign land. The main reason i think is because my father worked as an architect, originally in the copper mines, and then with other organisations, helping to lay a foundation of structures in Zambia that will last even after his time. The Sathya Sai School, various offices for the mines, the fencing around hospitals, pipelines and so many numerous things that still benefit thousands if not more. I had never been too keen on exactly what he was doing and why... but it's too late now. I realise that his constructions and his visits all over zambia, from the copperbelt to southern province, northern province, north-western province etc kept him working hard ( too hard sometimes ), but he always was happy when fellow Zambian colleagues smiled. This time when i came to Zambia to perform the last rites for my father, ( as i was not present when he passed away ), i was amazed by the people and the stories his colleagues and ex-colleagues had to tell me. This is when i realised that though we all go in search of fame and fortune, my father silently had cared for and served the country which gave him a home, and his family an identity. I am a Zambian with Indian Genes...proudly!
On the night my dad had a first heart attack, my mother had called her neighbours at Lubambe centre who were there with my dad in his last moments. They rushed him to Wusakile hospital, right opposite the copper mines, and there he had a second attack. His last vision was the copper mines and his last breath was the Zambian air. By the following night my wife, my sister, brother in law and niece were in Zambia, only to see him as a body without a soul.
Even though Zambia had been a home away from home for us for so long, we knew that this time when we had to leave, it would be for good. So, within two weeks, we cleared all the formalities and were ready to bring our mother back with us to India. When arranging to leave, my mother had kept two sets of trousers-shirts and all my father's belongings to just give away to every colleague, every worker, every friend my father had been with during his time in Zambia. They were very thankful and told me this...Only in the villages of Zambia, whenever a chief passes away, he gives his things to his tribesmen and people. Your father was a true Chief. Our chief.

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank everyone in Zambia, for your kindness and friendship. Thank you.

As for me, the rapper, well am busy working with musicians from Asia and am touring too. Always maintain and remain real. A Zambian with Indian genes is who I am and Zambia is where my career began and is still continuing...

Peace
BlaaZe