Harbans Kaur Panesar

Harbans was born in Nairobi, Kenya, in 1926 and she was the oldest of the three siblings in her family. Her father migrated from India as a skilled worker under the British Government and she received her primary education in both Kenya and India. Her mother died when she was only nine years old, so at a tender age of nine years, she was taught how to cook and take care of her siblings. This experience taught her the challenges one faces in life when encountered with tragedies, and how to cope with them. Harbans quickly picked up cooking, as her father who was also a great cook, taught her the basics initially, and she slowly developed her own style as she had the natural affinity to culinary arts. Noteworthy is also that Harbans learnt Gurmukhi (Punjabi) at the tender age of eleven years when she was taught how to read the Guru Granth Sahib by a priest. Ever since then, she partook in the recitation of Gurbani, and avidly participated in Akand Paths and Sehaj Paths whenever she got the blessed opportunity. Harbans was very religious and never missed her Nitnem a single day in her life.

Harbans got married to Late Mohan Singh Panesar at a very tender age, and moved to India where she again took over the household chores as her mother-in-law was in deteriorating health at the time. Mohan Singh was the oldest of the siblings and was only 18 yrs old at the time. Harbans was now responsible to cater to a much larger family that comprised of her husband, four brother-in-laws, a sister-in-law, a father-in-law, and a terminally ill mother-in-law. Her youngest brother-in-law was only one year old at the time and was placed in her care. Harbans never hesitated to take on any challenge and she would get up at the crack of dawn before anyone else, and milked the cow, churned the milk for fresh butter, made the morning breakfast and made sure that everyone had clean clothes and were ready for school. She took care of the family for several years before she had any family of her own.

Months turned to years, and she finally moved to Kenya with her husband where they settled and started a family. They had five children who are all born in Nairobi. Harbans gave the best any mother could ever give her children. Her love can never be measured, and her wisdom was unparalleled to even the most intellectual, even though she had only received basic elementary education in life. She taught the family good values; how to love unconditionally, how to respect others, how to be humble and courteous to the needs of the less deserved, and serve selflessly without ever expecting anything in return. She never held back any recipe, for which she was so famous not only in Kenya, but in England, and the brief time she spent in the USA. Those who speak of her all say how loving she was, how intelligent she was, and how smart she always looked. May her soul rest in eternal peace. Waheguru.

There are no words to tell you, Mom,

What losing you has meant,

But now each day brings memories

Of happy years we spent.

You’d want us all to smile again

And that’s just what we do,

Every time we reminisce

With loving thoughts of you.

You’re with us

when each new day dawns

And when we say Goodnight,

Our guardian angel here on earth

And Heaven’s shining light.