Good bye Mr Achebe, Things fell apart - a holiday to remember

Almost the same time last year, I was in Peak district with family and friends. The snow hadn't receded, the peaks were beautiful and it was a nice cottage on a picturesque peak! This time we hadn't planned a lot of sight-seeing or any major activities. I had just submitted my thesis for my MBA dissertation and was in a perfect mood to relax. In the cottage, I found a book "Things Fall Apart" by Chinua Achebe.

Okonkwo, the lead role of the novel and leader of Umuofia, Nigeria just took me through the book and to much chagrin of my family and friends, I was just reading the book without putting it down! I love books, but very rarely I have motored through books like this. Then when I came back home, I started reading about Chinua and was impressed by this gentleman and his contribution to African and World literature.

I came to know Achebe, Chinualumogu ("May God fight on my behalf")'s "Things Fall Apart" was his first  novel, I was pleasantly surprised; in the sense, how could someone's very first book be so powerful, fluent and  heart-rendering? Just a couple of days before I came to know he had passed away (21-Mar) and went through a feeling that I could not explain. I have a weird thing. I often wish, that I could meet some eminent personalities like Achebe, Yogi-Ramsurat Kumar (YRSK) and a couple of others (I prefer not to mention).

I would have a random thought about these people and would feel an urge to meet them. Suddenly from somewhere, I would then recieve the news that these people have passed away. I had planned a couple of times to meet YRSK and those did not materialize. I literally embarked on a journey from chennai on my birthday 20-Feb-2001 to have a darshan of YRSK and called a friend who was ever-ready to take me to the holy town of Tiruvanamalai. That day even before I called him, the telephone booth owner who had a picture of YRSK told me that Yogi had just passed away.

In a similar vein, I thought of Achebe and said to myself, if at all I should somehow try to meet Achebe in Boston during my trip to the states. But a few days later I hear this news. I don't know how to relate to this.  I was always fascinated by Africa and Achebe's novel multiplied my urge to travel through Africa. I vividly remember his description of Okonkwo taking his matchet and delivering the blow on his son, and then goes on to highlight that Okonkwo did not want him to be perceived as weak. Chilling, but true - I see perception plays a big role in our life!

I am going to buy a few more of his books and I am told Arrow of God is a master piece. Have a safe trip Chinualumogu Achebe, you have done well and your name is etched in the literary world!