In the journey of life we make so many relationships and we also break a few. But then when somebody very close to us is about to leave us for ever you sense it either in thought or in other ways. The day my father left me, I was hundreds of miles away in a small village chatting with my aunt. In fact even my mother and my brother and his family were with me. My aunt is few years elder to my father and she was telling us incidents from my father’s childhood and then how he studied and how my mother got married to him. Listening I was half asleep and then suddenly this thought came into my mind that my father is there in this room, this very moment listening to my aunt speaking about him. It was evening and my aunt requested us to stay back and go in the morning. But I was not ready and we started home. As I opened the door the phone was ringing. I ran and picked it up to receive the news of my father’s death. My elder brother and his wife were there at home and realized late when my father did not come out for his evening tea. The TV was on with the cricket match going, the fan was running and the newspaper flapped. But father was in another world.  

       My son’s final exam got over. Next week Ugadhi festival is to be celebrated. Suddenly this thought came into my mind, “Why not celebrate festival with my mother-in-law in the village. After I got the train reservations I phoned up my husband who was posted at Bangalore. I said I am going to village for Ugadhi and if he can he can join me there in the village. I reached my village one day before the festival. My mother-in-law and my co-sisters and kids were happy at my sudden arrival. She enquired about my husband and I said I was not sure since he was not able to get the reservations. On the festival day my husband arrived. We celebrated and it was evening. The whole day my mother-in-law chatted with me. In the evening she was feeling little unwell. I got her medicine. We had early dinner and lay down together on the porch since it was beginning of summer. Mother-in-law asked why we are not sleeping inside I ignored the question. My brothers-in-law and their families were watching TV and chatting. I called out to my mother-in-law if she was feeling okay. But she did not reply. After ten minutes I felt like somebody was calling from far away. Suddenly I realized it was my mother-in-law. She was gasping for air. I went out and shouted for my co-sisters. And every one came and surrounded her. Immediately an auto came. My husband and my co-sister accompanied my mother-in-law as she stepped into the auto. After the auto went everyone sat chatting. I was feeling uneasy. Within half an hour the auto returned with the body of my mother-in-law. She passed away in the hands of my husband before they reached the hospital.

         My mother-in-law was nearly eighty years old but carried out her work and was quite independent. Everyone marveled at the fact that how come she waited for her youngest son and daughter-in-law to make up their mind and arrive on that particular day so that she breathes her last in their company. I don’t understand whether it was she who directed my mind to plan for the travel or was it my strong feeling that I should be with her when she breathes her last. Even though she lived all her life with my co-sisters, she spends the last few hours exclusively with me.   I remember when my father-in-law passed away he waited for three days for the arrival of my husband from abroad and when somebody faked that see your youngest son has come, he opened his eyes for few seconds and breathed his last.

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From,

C.Radhika.

Published in Times of India -16^th March, 2008.

Times life -soul curry ( One last time before......)