We had spent many years away from
our hometown and relatives. We used to visit my parent’s family once in a year
during our summer vacations. Obviously, “two months” felt like just “two days” to my
parents . It was too less for them and they used to miss their family badly.
Even my elder sister and I are close to our mother’s family. We loved spending
time with our grandparents and our two uncles. We always felt so special and
welcomed by them. They would fulfill our every single wish. We meant the world
to each one of them. Therefore, when my father announced that he had been
transferred to our hometown, we were super excited. We were looking forward to
spend more time with my mother’s family.
In 2003, I came here with my parents. My elder
sister did not come with us as she got chance to study civil engineering in another
city in south India. She used to visit us during her holidays. Therefore, it
was three of us and later mother brought one dog, which made us again 4 in
Kolkata. Our dream came true. We got to spend more time with my grandparents
and two uncles (my mother’s brothers. My mother is eldest among them). Even my
grandmother’s mother was alive then and stayed with them. We could meet or talk
over phone whenever they or we wanted. It felt too good to be true at
first. Looking back, we feel that it was the best time of our life for my
family. Everything was just perfect. It is a dream of every military personal
around the world to live closer to their family. We could not ask anything more
from life.
I still remember we arrived here
on 22 Sep 2003, in the middle of my academic session. I thought I would manage
somehow. I forgot about the hardships I would face like adjusting with the new
school, friends, teachers, and courses. All I wanted was to be with my
grandparents and uncles. Before shifting to our flat and taking admission in a
new school, my parents wanted to spend few days at my grandparents place.
My birthday was just few days
away. It was on 26 Sep. My younger uncle wanted to celebrate my birthday in a
grand way because it was the first time that I was with them on my birthday.
They never got this opportunity to celebrate my birthday before with me, as we
were living in other places, away from them. My uncle was planning about the
foods and how he will decorate the whole house with balloons as well as other
stuffs since the day we arrived. I never felt special like this before.
Although, my parents used to celebrate our birthday every year but this was
different.
Suddenly, one day before my birthday,
my father announced that we have to shift to our new home and so I could not
celebrate my birthday with them. It left my uncle heartbroken. He had already
booked my favorite chocolate cake and was decorating the house when he got to
know about it. I tried to comfort him by saying that we would celebrate my next
birthday at my grandparents place next year. "No matter what, we will celebrate
together next year", I assured him. I could see a faint smile in the corner of
his lips as if he was trying to say that he does not believe in tomorrow.
Life was good that time. We
visited each other’s place often, talked over phone daily; we were attending
family picnics and gatherinsg for the first time in my life. The happiest among
all was my mother. For the first time after her marriage, she was staying
closer to her parents. My mother treats her brothers like her own kids. I had
never seen them fighting ever in my life. However, our happiness did not stay
for long. It was just for six months then suddenly life happened to us and killed
all our happiness and dreams.
When we woke up on 10 April 2004,
we thought it is just any other normal day for us except that it was my uncle’s
birthday. We did not know it would change our life forever. I was at home that
day. My senior higher secondary examination was over and I was waiting for my
result to get admission in college. Like everyday, my mother was shouting at me
that day to take shower, so that we three can have lunch together, after my dad
come back from office. I used to take 2-3 hours to take shower those days. To
avoid my mom’s anger I thought bathroom is the best place to hide and have fun.
After dancing, singing, and obviously bathing I came out from bathroom. I took
at least one hour that day. Meanwhile, I had heard phone ringing and my mom
screaming over phone. I did not pay much heed to it and went on with my
singing, dancing and bathing. I thought she answered a wrong number.
When I came out from the
bathroom, I noticed a strange silence hanging over our house. However, dad was
not back from his office yet but still the silence made me scared and
uncomfortable. I stared calling my mom and asked where she is 2-3 times but I did
not get any reply from her. My heart started beating fast. I dressed up quickly
and rush towards drawing room to find my mother.
I found her sitting beside the
phone motionless like stone and blank. All of a sudden, my beautiful young mom
looked 50 years older than her actual age. I called her, "MOM ,MOM". She did not
reply. I was not sure if she is alive. My father came back from office after
half an hour. Somehow, my mother gathered courage to bring out the words from
her mouth. She told father that her younger brother (my uncle, whose birthday
It was) had met with an accident. Grandmother further told my mom that he was
hit by a bike and taken to a hospital.
First, we tried to assure my
mother that bike accident is not a big deal. My uncle will be fine, nothing
will happen to him. It was hard to tell from her expression if she was at all
listening to us. She was blank. Her eyes were not wet. We asked her name of the
hospital where my uncle had been taken. She did not know. Therefore, my father
called my elder uncle to know the name. We forgot about our lunch and rush
towards nearest taxi stand to reach hospital.
After running here and there for
a cab, we finally got one. Though, I was damn sure that it was just a minor
accident and nothing will happen to my dear uncle. I shouted at the insensitive
driver who was playing some Hindi songs aloud even when he knew that we were
going to hospital and someone might be battling for life there. I do not
understand how people become so insensitive.
On the way to hospital, my mom did
not talk to us. I tried to give her courage. It was hard for me to see her in
pain. I thought this would be over soon when she will see her brother herself
in the hospital and doctor would tell her that her brother is completely out of
danger. Meanwhile, my father got another call from my uncle. All I heard him
saying is,”okay”. Then my father instructed our driver to take us to another
hospital, which was not far from my grandparent’s place. I found it strange but
did not say anything and still I felt confident that nothing would happen to my
uncle.
We saw my uncle and my younger
uncle’s friend standing inside the hospital gate. We could not make anything
from their faces. When my mom asked them, how is his brother now? They just said, "he is inside". Then they asked us to go home (my grandparent’s place). We left
reluctantly. Some of his friends left with us. They were quite inside the car
and talked tactfully. Giving away nothing about the condition of my uncle.
As soon as our car reached near
my grandparents place, we found huge crowd standing outside their house. Road
was jammed with people. Crowd for a minor accident, did not make any sense to
me Moreover, my uncle will be back from hospital tomorrow, I thought
confidently. Seeing us, my uncle’s wife came running to us and asked me crying
uncontrollably that how is her husband? Where is he? Why he didn’t come with
us? I replied, “it’s just a bike accident, mami(aunty). You know well, he will
be fine. Don’t you? Then why are you crying?”
It was evening when we reached
our grandparent’s house. Crowd was increasing and the father of the man who had
hit my uncle by his bike was present in that crowd. I got to know about it
later. I found my grandparents in terrible condition. They were sitting at the
floor and were behaving like mad persons.
I was thinking everything would get back to normal once my uncle comes back
from the hospital tomorrow after getting his first aid, but I was so wrong.
Sometime later, my father or someone else I don’t remember announced that, “My
uncle is no more.”
Infact, he died just 17 minutes
after the accident but nobody had the courage to inform us and rest of the
family. Only my father and uncle knew it. He died much before ambulance came to
take him to hospital. He was returning to his home on his by cycle to have
lunch with his family like everyday but that day was his birthday. He met a
friend on his way and was talking with him, when suddenly a bike came and hit
him in the head. There was no traffic or anything. He died just like that
because of someone’s carelessness. That person is living a normal life after
spending just 3 years in jail. He killed an entire family. My uncle’s life was
worth few bucks and three years.
After that, all I could hear was
the sound of crying and screaming. The whole town was crying with us. Those crying
voices haunt me even today. It was the darkest night of my life. In the midst
of all, I noticed that my mother’s eyes were dry. She was not crying and moving
at all. She sat like a stone there. Somebody told me that it is not good for
health. She must cry. We must try to make her cry. I was all alone. There was
no one beside me that day. How can I make my own mother cry? How can tears make
her feel better? I didn’t know what to do. I was finding it hard to believe
that our life had turned upside down just in seconds. It felt like a bad dream.
However, it was not. My grandmother tried to make my mom cry but she behaved
like a deaf person.
At last, she busted into tears
next day when she saw her child like brother lying motionless. She fainted in
my arms. There was a huge crowd outside but no one came to give us support. I
was finding it hard to carry my mom’s fainted body in my arms. I started
screaming and crying but no one paid heed to us. Somehow, I took her to house
and sparkled some water on her face. Meanwhile, the vehicle which carried my
favorite uncle left us alone ,taking my uncle along with him.
After some time my mom came into
her senses. I touched her and found that her forehead was burning from
fever. She looked at me and then at the direction of the vehicle. When she didn’t
see the vehicle, she said to me,” he left ? But he didn’t have his evening tea.
Ask someone to make tea for him. its his tea time”. She passed out again saying
that. Her words broke my heart. That moment I knew I have lost my mother
forever. She will not be same ever again.
She is alive just for her
daughters. That night I tried hard to make her cry and since then she never
stopped crying. My grandfather left us just 10 months after my uncle’s death.
My family went through again pain and suffering. She went into depression. She
has changed. I never found my old beautiful, lively, and confident mother back.
However, she always did her duty well. She is an awesome mother and wife.
Last time my younger uncle called us, he wanted to speak to me. I did not answer his call as I was upset with my parents and so I was not talking to anyone. I regret it now. Life never gave me second chance to talk to him again.
Its 12:42 am here right now and my mom is sleeping in another room. The first thing I would do after waking up in the morning is I would hug her tight. I wish, I see smile on her face.
**** ***** ***** *****
Dear choto mama(uncle),
I know you are around us always
and you are our guardian angel. I know you saved me from many troubles. Life has changed so much after you left us. Grandma and uncle left that house because
your memories haunt them. Last time I went there, it does not looks like our
house anymore where we spent happy times together. The house looks
neglected, sad, and abandoned. I am sure the walls, plants and walls miss you
and us terribly. We met your friends and they too miss you badly still. Your
elder niece is married now and she has one daughter. She is naughty like her.
I hope you know that I am getting
married too. Choto mama, we will miss you badly on my D-day. It breaks my heart
to know that my children will never get chance to meet you and play with you
like we did.
Be with us and bless us always!
Convey my regards to our beloved grandfather.
P.S. I Miss You.
