Nepal plane crash: Old Bandra couple loses both sons

MUMBAI: A pair of siblings from Bandra who were ardent devotees of Lord Krishna lost their lives in the air crash in Nepal on Monday. Mukesh Handa or Murli Mohan Das was 33 and his younger brother Rakesh or Gagan was 27. Both were active members of the Iskcon order.
The brothers were on a pilgrimage, which they planned to end at Pashupatinath. But before that, tragedy struck."They were the only children of their parents. Having lost both their sons in the prime of their youth is a big blow to the old couple," said Ameya Tandel, a devotee of the Iskcon order who knew the brothers well. "The parents are in no condition to travel to Nepal, so Iskcon members are bringing the bodies back."
The last rites are expected to be performed after the repatriation of bodies on Wednesday.
Murli was a full-time devotee who designed robes for the idols at Iskcon temple, Chowpatty. He joined the order six years ago and often worked for up to 20 hours a day. "He would adorn the deity for 12-14 hours, then perform kirtan for three hours and return to serve 50 guests," recalled Tandel. "Before retiring for the day he made sure to perform the ritual of putting the deities to rest." Once, despite being down with a fever, Murli did not abandon his duties, Tandel remembered.
Many Iskcon devotees said they see a divine pattern in the disaster. "The Almighty has a plan for all of us and nothing happens without his will. The fact that they lost their lives on a pilgrimage makes even death seem auspicious," one devotee said.