When Shanta ji died of a sudden and massive heart attack , there was no one in the house . Pran Nath , her husband had gone for an evening walk. That day , Jammu was extremely hot and Humid . Walking back to his home , Pran Nath kept thinking, “ This is August and next month is September.That is the end of this Hell like season over here. I can withstand that hot and dry climate of June but not this irritating humidity of August . How many times shall you go under the shower ? How many times shall you change your sweat soaked clothes ?This is a real Hell for us .”
On his way back, he had bought two Ice creams for himself and Shanta ji and these were meant to be relished after the Dinner . Even when the ice creams showed signs of softening , he was tempted to enter into some discussion with Ram Krishen President Colony Welfare Association whom he met just near his house. They probably discussed some procedure for conducting Next election of the colony Welfare Association . After that he went to Bodh Raj’s chemist shop nearby and bought two strips of Arbital H for elevated Blood Pressure . Shanta ji and Pran Nath were diagnosed with mild Hypertension and had been put on medicine. In fact , It was Shanta ji , who had reminded him about buying of these tablets as they had no stock for their morning consumption.
Over with it , he straightway headed towards his house .
Ignorant about the calamity that was waiting for him at home, he pressed the door bell but there was no response . He pressed it again for a longer duration but there was again no response . He then dialed his landline number but no one picked up the receiver from the other side . It was something unusual as Shanta ji would normally be in lobby watching her favourite Aastha channel. Now he turned suspicious and called Aashu , his Neighbour’s son , whom he requested to climb the boundary wall and open his main gate from inside .
Once inside the house, Pran Nath came to know as to what had befallen him. For him, Life had taken another turn suddenly and unexpectedly . . He visualized that this unfortunate development shall permanently affect his immediate and future life. Suddenly the ice cream , the BP tablets , Dinner , evening walks ,Colony elections and even his sleep meant nothing to him . He thought as if he lay buried under some debris that had suddenly come from a huge concrete wall .He also thought that he could come out of this debris by action and courage only.
Sweating profusely , He sat under the ceiling fan and telephoned their domestic maid Kaanta , Ram Krishen (Colony president ) , his sister and brother in law and also Shanta ji’s brother settled in Delhi informing them about Shanta ji’s sudden Death. Thereafter he dialed Sanjay’s (his son) mobile number but the back message from the system informed that he was out of reach . Sanjay lived in Canada. He sent messages through SMS, VIBER , FACEBOOK and SKYPE to Sanjay asking him to speak back immediately in view of some grave exigency .
Kaanta and her son arrived first followed by Ram krishen . His sister and brother in law also joined later.
It was 9.30 PM and a hectic activity started in the house . While Pran Nath kept waiting for Sanjay’s call , Ram Krishen , Kaanta’s son and Pran Nath’s brother in law shifted all the furniture from the drawing room and the Lobby into the lawn. Ram krishen was directing and helping in this work . They also furnished both the rooms with simple carpets so that maximum number of Mourners that were expected to visit the house in the morning could sit . One room they prepared for the ladies and the other for Gents. Shanta ji’s body was made to lie upon open floor with a white sheet over it . An Earthenware oil lamp was kept burning near the body . Ram krishen brought a Bhagwat Geeta audio CD from his house that he inserted into the CD player and switched it on to Play mode . For Pran Nath , it was an unusual night . Instead of TV News , the Lobby resonated with SHLOKAS from BHAGWAT GEETA . That was needed to be done immediately.
Without informing any person , Ram Krishen went to Gian Singh’s Provision Store nearby and bought 15 Kgs of Potatoes , 5 Kgs of P Mark Mustard oil ,5Kgs of Pulses , 50 Kg Gunny Bag of Sharbati rice ,5 Bottles of Rooh Afza , 5 Kgs of sugar , 10 kgs of Atta and some spices . Neither Gian Singh asked for the money nor Ram krishen paid it as Gian singh had come to know what had happened . He then telephoned his son sonu and told him,
“ Open our store room . There are 5 filled Gas Cylinders . Bring one HP cylinder over here and take the empty one from this place . I have kept the empty gas cylinder near the main gate . “
After that Ramkrishen said to Pran Nath,“ What about the Cremation now ? It is hot and extremely humid. You understand . Whatever had to happen has happened , now we have to send her off in a proper manner enumerated by Shastras . Shall I fix up with a Guru Ji ? We better go for a contract for all the days . I mean the cremation , immersion of Ashes ,10th day , 11th day and 12th day Samaskaara . Did Sanjay ji call back. ? “
And at that moment , Sanjay called from Canada . Pran Nath informed him about what had happened so suddenly. He also advised him to fly immediately for the cremation and other rituals. Sanjay informed his father that he shall call back after checking up everything.
Sanjay was the lone child of Pran Nath and Shanta ji. He had been living in Canada for the last 15 years . Initially he had moved out of India for a job in Singapore But finally he migrated to Canada and settled over there along with his family. His wife was a teacher in a Canadian Government school and they had two children .
After so many years , Sanjay was planning to Visit Jammu in November to celebrate DEEWALI with his parents . He had already booked tickets for himself and his family who were also travelling with him . He had conveyed this to his mother in July and since then Shanta Ji had been busy buying something or the other for the her son or his family.
A Month before her death Shanta ji had told Pran Nath,
“ Find a day and come with me to Khajuria Jewellers at Jain Bazar . Nirmala ji told me that he is a reasonable Gold smith. I want to Exchange some old jewellery . Don’t worry , No fresh buying . I want to give all my gold to Sanjay’s family in a graceful manner .This GUNUS ( Heavy snake shaped Gold Karra ), two chains , three rings and two Katchhakars ( Golden Bangles ) that I have kept in locker are of no use . What for do I need all this . When I die , you may not be able to deal with it . I shall keep a small Dejjhur , one chain that Lakshmi’s parents have gifted to me , one ring and one Katchhakar ( Bangle ) for my use . After my death , handover the Golden chain to Lakshmi and donate the Rest to the Shamshaan Ghat committee. This president has been collecting donation every month for Shamshaan Ghaat( Cremation Ground ). It needs funds.”
Pran Nath had felt bad with this conversation but had accompanied Shanta ji to Khajuria jewelers . Shanta ji had exchanged her old jewellery and bought sleek Earrings for kittu ( her grand daughter ), a gold chain for Ranil her grandson and small almond shaped Dejhurr for Lakshmi ( Her daughter in law ). She had also given her own Pashmeena Saree to Ghulam Nabi Dar, a shawl trader known to them for the last 30 Years . Ghulam Nabi Dar also kept visiting them in Jammu after the widespread militancy forced them to move out from Kashmir valley . Shanta ji trusted Ghulam Nabi like her own brother who in turn had made two beautiful shawls of her old Pashmeena Saree. These maroon coloured shawls were embroidered with Tila Thread ( Golden thread ) . Shanta ji wanted to give both the shawls to Lakshmi. For Sanjay , she had bought a Gent’s Dussa ( Shawl Type Blanket ) from Ghulam Nabi. She had about twenty thousand rupees with her that she saved from the money that Pran Nath gave her for monthly Kitchen expenses . This money she had spent on all on these purchases .
Apart from that ,she would tell Pran Nath everyday to bring one thing or the other which she carefully stored in their Refrigerator . This one thing or the other included , Almond kernels , Varimuth ( Black beans consumed by Kashmiris ) and even Rice powder.
Just some days before her death , Pran Nath had asked her.
“What for have you bought these Pashmeena shawls and jewellery for children ? What is the use to them at this moment ? . “
To this she had replied.
“ Who knows I may not live to see Ranil’s Mekhla ( Yageopavit or Sacred Thread ceremony ) or Kittu’s Marriage ? And then what is the purpose of keeping all this in locker when it is of no use to me . You are also paying rent for the locker. This is August now only September and October are left . November they shall be here. I shall keep them in a Box inside this house only . Where do I go ? . I shall hand over this Amaanat to Lakshmi. And then You are a pensioner now . How much can you pay during these days of inflation ? Our medicines , Telephone Bills , Electric Bill , Grocery , Maid’s salary , Milk Seller’s Monthly Bill, Vegetables , Fruits , Gardener’s salary, Petrol expenses and so many sudden expenditures. At least let me support you indirectly. O God! I shall be seeing my grand children after 5 years now. .Kittu must have grown taller now. And this naughty Ranil , I am told , uses a Bicycle now ? I am worried for his slim physique that I saw in the photo ? Let him stay with me for 10 days only, I shall feed him daily with Rogan Josh , Yakhni , Fish and tasty dishes. His father too had problems with Eggs and milk . . I have also told Gh Nabi to bring one Box of special Ambri apples from Kashmir before Deewali. I shall give them fresh juice every day . Let them be here and I shall see what best I can cook for them. God ! If they speak to me in English , how shall I understand what they want . I am sure they must be conversing in Kashmiri . After all they are the Children of a father who himself is so rich in Sanaskaars and family values . “
It was 11.30 PM and Pran Nath’s mobile started ringing. Sanjay was on the line…
.. to be continued
Autar Mota is a blogger and writes in English , Urdu , Kashmiri and Hindi. His write-ups have appeared in many national magazines and journals.
Autar Mota is a Banker by profession. He is a Blogger , Translator and writes in English , Urdu , Kashmiri and Hindi. A well Travelled man , he is fluent with kashmiri ,English , Punjabi , Dogri , Hindi and Urdu languages . His write-ups have appeared in many national magazines and journals.
