A call came in today morning. As i was busy in bathroom getting ready for office, I asked my wife - "Please check who is it?"
Few minutes later she came back to tell me that our cousin uncle Radheshyam Jha has passed away last night. He has not been keeping well for quite a some time and of course many of it were attributed to the long life he had. He has just celebrated his 90th birthday few months ago. These days i am forced to live a city life either by necessessity or by design. And thus i have not been able to visit my village very often. Maybe once in a year or two, and even that is a very rushed time bound visits. But i still fondly remember the days when we (me and my brother and sister) used to 2 months in our summer vacation. It doesn't seem that long ago. We always looked forward to our visit there, to see the beautiful mango gardens and rice fields and our beloved Radheshyam uncle.
He was always a sweet and genial person. It appeared that trouble and sorrow were either afraid of him or he had made a secret pact with them to not disturb him in public. One can always find him happily doing whatever he was doing. Be it either catching fishes from the family pond, or instructing workers on farming or talking with people on several village related issues. If we compare his achievements then we can say that he wasn't very successful in money wise, but it never bothered him.
We were his cousin niece and nephews. His face would always lit up whenever he saw us on our summer visits. We were always spoilt with chocolates, biscuits and ice-creams who were delivered by vendor on a bicycle. He loved children and children loved him.
His family consituted of his wife (Prabha), two children (a son and a daughter who are well settled now), his old widowed mother and his widow sister (Madhura). In his otherwise a very happy life, this was the only sad aspect. His sister who lost her husband after 5 years of their marriage and has been living with her brother ever since. She always seemed to be lost somewhere and kept on murmuring something, which I as a young kid never understood.
It was later when i grew up, i understood the tragedy and even after so many years, it fills my heart with sadness. The story is as this.
In their childhood, Madhura and Radheshyam were very close. They grew up together. Radheshyam was the protective elder brother and Madhura was the sweet little sister. People say that after the marriage of Madhura, Radheshyam was so overcome with loneliness for his younger sister that he didn't talk to any one for a month, till the sister came back to celebrate one of the post marriage ceremonies. That's how close they were. With the grace of god, Madhura had a baby boy after a year of marriage. Radheshyam uncle was extremely happy and very fond of his nephew. He never lost an opportunity to either bring his sister back home or go to visit her whenever the occasion arose.
Then came the unfortunate incident of death of Madhura's husband in a road accident. It was a thunderstrike on the whole family, turning all happiness into sorrow. Everyone was talking - "What will happen to poor girl? Who will take care of her? Who will look after the young kid?" It was unbearable for Radheshyam to see his sister in any distress. He reasoned with her in-laws and brought her to live with him. As they say time heals most of the wounds. Couple of years went by. By this time he also got married to Prabha and had his first child a beautiful daughter. Prabha is also a very loving person. She accepted Madhura as her own sister and her child as her own child. Sister in laws were living very happily with the two kids growing and as ever Radheshyam was the pillar of strength.
Alas the happy moments were very short lived. It so happened that one afternoon Madhura's son started complaining of stomach ache. Everyone thought that he must have eaten something and has a normal stomach upset. They gave him some home remedies. Initially he seemed to get better and everyone relaxed. But in evening he started vomiting. He kept on vomiting for 4 hours with an interval of 30 minutes or so. His body became warm too. The local village doctor was called in. He inspected but couldn't figure out the root cause. As it was already past midnight, he gave some medicine to bring the fever down and advised to take him to city doctor as soon as possible in morning.
The whole night Madhura kept her son in her lap. Radheshyam was also sitting with her. Madhura would ask in between - "Brother will my son get better?". Radheshyam would reply - " Of course sister. It is just a matter of few hours. I will take him to the best doctor and he will be fine and play with you in no time." His consoling words had the calming strength on Madhura. But destiny has something else in mind. In morning when the doctor came again to check before taking kid to hospital, he found that kid was not breathing and didn't have any pulse. He said it was of no use taking him anywhere.
It was a shock. People started preparing for funeral and final rites. But Madhura was lost in time. She was not ready to believe that her child is no more. She kept on repeating - " Don't you dare touch him. My brother has told me , that he is going to take him to a good doctor who will treat him in no time. Can't you see that he is sleeping. Don't you disturb him. Where is my brother?"
Radheshyam was such grief stricken and was unaware to bring himself to his little sister. But people urged him and explained that "Final rites need to be performed soon otherwise body will start decaying." With a stone on his heart, he went to his sister. Seeing him, Madhura cried - "Brother look at these people. They are saying such nasty things about your nephew. When will you take him to doctor. Brother please hurry." Radheshyam hugged his sister and said - "Dear Sister. Don't worry. I will take care of your son. Give him to me." This was a white lie, but it was necessary. Then only Madhura gave her son to Radheshyam thinking that he is going to doctor.
The whole day Madhura was waiting for his son and brother to return home. Nobody had heart to tell her the truth. They asked her to eat something which she refused saying - " I am waiting for my brother. He will bring back my son. Then we all will eat together."
In the evening Radheshyam came home after performing all the rituals of funeral. Madhura was confused to see him alone and asked him - "Brother, where is my son. Why is he not with you. Is he playing outside. Let me get him." Radheshyam didn't had courage to lie any more. He caught hold of her hand and said - "My sister. I am very sorry. Your son is dead. Please forgive me." And then he started crying bitterly. Madhura was stunned to hear his words. For some minutes she just stood standing there like a statue. The she gave him the first slap on his face and then another and another and kept on doing that till her hands got tired. People tried stopping her, but Radheshyam asked them not to interfere.
Since that day Madhura had lost all her worldly senses. She was a living dead. Her sister in law took all care of her - her eating, her dress change and all her needs. But Madhura wouldn't say anything. Only time she spoke was when she saw her brother and said - "Brother, where is my son?" to which Radheshyam had no answers.
Madhura just died few years ago. After her death Radheshyam also fell ill as if he has fulfilled all his duty and now his time has come. His whole life he had this guilt of betraying his sister's trust and hoped that his sister would forgive him.
Today on hearing his death news, i close my eyes and imagine that both brother and sister are in heavenly garden and playing together as they used to do in their childhood.
Copyright 2014 @Anup Mayank
