Arpan Bhattacharyya

From Arpan's mother, May 2025

I adore the notion of death as “going home.” It is the ultimate truth and destination. This body we have is a sacred vessel for the soul, allowing us to learn the lessons we chose prior to birth.  Mother Earth graciously lends us her resources to build this temporary haven, and when our journey ends, we return these gifts to her, enriching others in the process.

My son, you never truly “owned” a house in this life cycle, but you now reside in the most serene and breathtaking “home” imaginable. Mother Earth has cradled you in her loving arms, where you will rest peacefully until we reunite and embark on our next journey. Though you faced formidable challenges, including a debilitating disease that affected your mind, you remained a beacon of kindness and gentleness.

Your plans to move to Oregon after graduation were not merely a coincidence; it was as if you were guiding me toward discovering your eternal “home.” And now, I have found it. You have become one with this resplendent natural wonder, merging with the mountain breeze, the clear blue sky, and the majestic birds that soar above the lake. Your peaceful sanctuary is a place of profound meditation, where you can bask in solitude, yet connect with the countless visitors who seek solace in this sacred space. This “home” is a priceless gift, one that transcends the bounds of mortal wealth.

Please accept this offering from your mom and Mother Earth, and may you rest in eternal peace, knowing that we will reunite when I return home.

The Monk we Called Arpan (August, 2024)

Arpan Bhattacharyya was born on July 28, 1993 in Berkeley, California. Arpan was pursuing his masters degree in Supply Chain Management at Portland State University while working full time at the University of Maryland Medical System. Prior to that, he had earned a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy from the University of Maryland. He loved reading and he spent all of his money on books. He suffered a lot when his mind was not “quiet” enough to concentrate on reading. He loved music, especially western classical music. He loved poetry. He loved watching documentaries and thought-provoking movies. Arpan always wanted to travel, especially to Southeast Asia. His recent trip to Vietnam made him feel liberated and extremely happy. He told his mother that when she is no longer around, he would go to Vietnam and live there and practice meditation. He was a follower of Buddhism. He loved to meditate and when he couldn’t due to his illnesses, it gave him immense pain. Arpan was a Contributing Writer for Big Think, and wrote many insightful articles for the platform. These articles can be found here : https://bigthink.com/people/arpan-bhattacharyya/

He loved drinking kombucha and cold-brew coffee. He loved hanging out with his friends Rob and Michele who gave him a lot of support since college. Arpan was very fond of his grandparents, all four of them, and they adored him too. His sister was born when he was eight yrs old and he was her best friend and protector. He adored all his uncles, aunts, cousins, and relatives. He would have special names for them. At work he, was everyone’s favorite due to his polite, kind nature and his sweet sense of humor. He never judged anyone no matter how they treated him. He loved everyone unconditionally. He never complained and never asked for anything. He was extremely polite and full of gratitude. Arpan was very passionate about getting a job after graduation in Oregon, in the greater Portland area, at least for few years. He kept telling his parents about that. Arpan loved eating Indian street food as it brought lots of memories of his childhood when he visited India every summer as a young child. He spent a lot of time in his maternal grandparents' house in India. It was one of his favorite places in the world as he got so much attention there and he had so many aunts, uncles and cousins to spend time with. He always kept in touch with them after returning from his visits to India. He was very close to them. He has a beautiful soul. We strongly believe that he is in a very peaceful place.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to Mental Health Research by clicking HERE