KHATIJA BEEBEEJAUN
We have learnt with deep regret the death of Mrs. Khatijah Beebeejaun, wife of Dr. Rashid Beebeejaun and sister of Dawood Rawat, which took place peacefully at her home in Beau Bassin. She was the second of the 13 children of Ismael Ajum Rawat and Rassool Bibi Atchia and granddaughter of G M D Atchia.
Khatijah who spent most of her girlhood at Labourdonnais Street, Port Louis, completed her primary education at the Champs de Lort and was admitted to Loreto Convent, Port Louis. Rashid Beebeejau, proud laureate of the “Petite Bourse” travelled everyday from his native Riviere du Rempart to Royal College Port Louis. Fate wanted that Rashid fell for the most eligible young Khatijah. After school hours, Rashid would borrow a bicycle to ride along Labourdonnais Street to watch the angel that had conquered his heart. The relationship was sealed in a marriage and the couple gave birth to Salim, Reshma and Haroon, who have enriched Rashid and Khatija with 10 grandchildren.
Khatija was a fantastic housewife, a blue-ribbon cook and an affable entertainer. She spoke little and one needed an effort to catch her low voice; but her unfailing smile conveyed the message that as her guest at dinner, you were the only friend that counted for her. I always tease Rashid about his waist size and laugh at him that he was not realizing that he was wasting the delicacy of Khatijah’s cuisine.
Khatijah would always accompany Rashid at official functions and would play a low key role but never missed to greet everybody who crossed her eyes with her usual smile and the exchange a few words. What I remember of her is that Khatijah was a radiant figure, a silent lady with a dramatic instinct and with quickness to make everybody around feel at ease in front the wife of her Deputy Prime Minister husband.
To those in bereavement, I would like to offer my sincerest sympathy. May Allah swt grant Khatijah Jannat ul Firdaus.
Dawood Auleear.
30 November 2016.