The year 1978 was a glorious one for Karl Umrigar – a young man who won many prestigious horse races, including the Indian 2000 Guineas and the Indian Oakes. Finally, Karl Umrigar fulfilled his dream – every jockey’s dream – to win the Indian Derby. His name remains in the Indian Derby scroll of honour. [READ: Aarti Raheja: Where One is Not a Number and But just at exactly the moment Karl won, he fell from the horse. A fall that finally saw the country mourn for him when the headlines of the Indian Express read, “The King is Dead.” Karl Umrigar, the young champion and loved by many, was laid to rest on May 3, 1979. Karl Umrigar’s Death: Bridge between Two Worlds You can imagine what Karl’s death did to his family, particularly his mother – Nan Umrigar. She says, “ Nothing could have prepared us for the darkness that descended upon us – nothing! ” While her family tried to pull on with daily routine, Nan Umrigar found herself in such a state of agony and ...
A Journey To The Inner Self | Reflections on Culture, Spirituality and Bhakti