Maa ka Sapna

माँ  कहतीं है जब मैं छोटी सी थी तब हम माउंट कारमेल कॉनवेंट स्कूल के पास रहा करते थे. वहाँ की नन्स को देखकर और वहाँ  रही वेल ड्रेस्ड, यूनिफॉर्म और जूते मोज़े पहनी लड़कियों को देख उनका भी मन करता था की वे मुझे भी वहाँ भेजे. पर ज़्यादा फीस होने की वजह से और बाबा की साधारण सी नौकरी होने के कारण उन्हे लगता था की मेरा अड्मिशन वहाँ नही हो पाएगा. जब मैं तीन साल की हुई तो बाबा को डब्ल्यू. सी. एल मे नौकरी मिल गयी. और हमे रहनेको नया क्वॉर्टर. 

पड़ोस में एक शोभा दीदी रहती  थे जो संयोगवश माउंट कार्मेल स्कूल में ही पढ़ती थी।  माँ से  उनकी  दोस्ती हुई तो  उन्होंने मुझे अपने ही स्कूल में भर्ती कराने का सुझाव दे डाला।  माँ के लिए तो ये  " नेकी और  पूछ पूछ "  हो गयी। शोभा दीदी मेरे लिए फॉर्म ले आये , कुछ दिनों में मेरा और माँ - बाबा का स्कूल वालो से साक्षात्कार हुआ, और फिर मैं  भी वेल ड्रेस्ड होकर , यूनिफार्म और जूता मोज़ा पहनकर माउंट कार्मेल कॉन्वेंट स्कूल में जाने लगी।  

माउन्ट कार्मेल  स्कूल और उसमे पढ़ रहे बच्चे, दोनों ही मुझसे बहोत अलग थे।  हिन्दी और अंग्रेजी विषयो के  अलावा मुझे और कुछ पढ़ना अच्छा नहीं लगता था।  वो भी इसलिए क्योंकि  उनमे जीवन से जुडी कहानियाँ  होती थी।  नतीजतन सिर्फ इन्ही दोनों विषयो में मेरे अच्छे नंबर  आते , बाकी विषयो में तो माशाअल्लाह से पास होने में भी जैसे मेरी जान जाती थी। पढ़ाई से मेरा कुछ बैर सा था, और पढाई के अलावा जो कुछ था उनमे घरवालो को कुछ दिलचस्प नहीं लगता।  तो कुल मिलाके मैं स्कूल में  लूज़र् ही रहि. इस  वजह से  ज़्यादा  दोस्त भी नहीं बन पाये। कान्वेंट में जा रहे बच्चो को घर से हिदायत मिली होती है कि वो मुझ जैसे  लूज़र्स से दूर रहे। हाँ ! कभी कोई मुझसे भी बड़ा लूज़र मिल जाता तो उससे मेरी दोस्ती हो जाती।  पर फिर मेरे माँ बाबा मुझे उससे दूर रहने की हिदायत देने लगते :) सो ये माँ बाप के  स्कूल तक आज्ञाकारी रहने वाले बच्चे मुझसे दूर ही  रहते। इन आज्ञाकारी बच्चो में से एक गुड़ियाँ भी थी।  पर  एक ही कॉलोनी में रहने  की वजह से उसे मुझसे थोड़ी बहोत दोस्ती रखनी ही पड़ती।  पर उसके मुझसे जुड़े रहने का ये बहाना भी तब समाप्त कर  दिया गया जब   पाँचवीं कक्षा में एक बार हिस्ट्री के टेस्ट में फेल हो जाने पे मैं अपनी एक और लूज़र दोस्त के साथ स्कूल से कही भाग गयी थी। आज भी कभी मैं उस वाकए के बारे में सोचती हूँ तो लगता है कि काश उस  दिन ये याद रहता की आज तो फ्राइडे है।  उन दिनों W .C .L  में शुक्रवार  छुट्टी होती। मैं फेल होने पर माँ बाबा की डांट से ज़्यादा  लंच टाइम पर हमारे घर आनेवाली आंटियो के तंज़ो से घबराकर  थी।
स्कूल  ख़त्म हुआ।  आठवी कक्षा में संयोगवश  कुछ ऐसे दोस्त मिले जिनकी संगती के कारण मेरे रिजल्ट्स में थोड़ा बहोत सुधार आया।  दसवी में पछत्तर पर्सेंट मिले तो घरवाले गद्गद हो गए। आज का पता नहीं पर उन दिनों एक छात्र को कौनसा  चाहिए ये उसकी रूचि से  नहीं बल्कि उसके दसवी में आये नम्बरो से निर्धारित किया जाया था।  सो डिस्टिंक्शन आने पर साइंस के अलावा कोई और विषय चुनने का सवाल ही पैदा नहीं होता  था।
हमेशा फेल होती बेटी के पछत्तर पर्सेंट आ जाने से माँ बाप के सपनो को जैसे पंख से लग जाते है। बारवी में मुझे न चाहते हुए भी बायोलॉजी और मैथ्स दोनों लेने पड़े।  क्योकि माँ बाबा के पंख लगे सपनो को लगने लगा था की अगर मैं इंजीनियरिंग में न जा पायी तो  बायोलॉजी लेने से मेडिकल में तो जा सकुंगी। बायोलॉजी मेरे भागते हुए पैरो में ज़ंज़ीर का काम करती रही।
खैर किसी तरह बारवी पास की।  रिजल्ट बहोत ख़ास नहीं था।  माँ चाहती थी मैं इंजीनियरिंग करू।  क्यों? कह नहीं सकती।  शायद वे मुझे अपने से अलग ज़िन्दगी जीते देखना  थी। बाबा भी मुझे इंजीनियर बनाना  चाहते थे क्योकि ऐसा करने से चंद्रपुर के प्रवासी बंगाली परिवारो में बाबा ऐसे पहले शक्स होते जिनके दोनों बच्चे इंजीनियर होते। दादा चंद्रपुर इंजीनियरिंग कॉलेज में लेक्चरर थे इसलिए मेरे उनके कॉलेज में पढ़ने से  उनके लिए भी मुझ पर नज़र रखना आसान होता।  बची मैं , तो  सपनो की भूलभुलैया में मैं इतना  उलझ गयी की इस बात पर मैंने  ही नहीं दिया की बारवी में भी मेरे सबसे ज़्यादा नंबर हिंदी और अंग्रेजी में ही मिले है।
इंजीनियरिंग के चार साल किसी सुन्दर सपने  बिते. मैंने खूब मेहनत की।  माँ बाबा को थोड़ा बहोत फक्र भी हुआ।  साहित्य, कहानियाँ , शेरो शायरी से नाता टूट सा गया। इंजीनियरिंग की डिग्री मिली। माँ, बाबा, दादा का सपना पूरा हुआ। कुछ साल मैंने नौकरी भी की।  आज़ाद रही। फिर शादी हुई।  एक अच्छा जीवनसाथी मिला जिसने हर मोड़ पे मेरा साथ दिया।
शादी के बाद भी ज़िन्दगी बिलकुल वैसे ही  चल रही थी जैसे पहले थी।  बिंदास, खुशहाल! मैं और मेरे पति दोनों नौकरी करते थे।  सुबह निकलते और रात में लौटकर एक दूसरे को दिनभर के किस्से सुनाते।  संडे को सुबह सुबह जाते।  कोई फिल्म देखते और बहार से खाना खाकर लौटते।  कई बार मुझे लगता की इससे अच्छी ज़िन्दगी हो ही नहीं सकती।
फिर एक दिन मेरी सांस बीमार पड़ी और उनकी देखभाल करने के लिए मैंने नौकरी छोड़ दी।  दो महीने उनकी सेवा करने के बाद दुबारा काम करना शुरू किया तो पता चला की मैं गर्भवती हु। मैंने फिर नौकरी छोड़ दी।
मेरी बच्ची आज चार साल की है।  इस बीच मुझे कई नौकरियों के ऑफर्स आये पर मैं नहीं कर पायी।  पिछले पांच सालो से मैं घर का और अपनी बच्ची का ध्यान रखती हु. ससुराल जाती हु तो उन सबका काम  करती हु। कोई चीज़ लेने का मन करता है तो बहोत संकोच के साथ अपने  से मांगती हु या फिर कई बार संकोच के कारण चुप ही रह जाती हु।
कल मेरे पति ने मुझसे शहर के  सबसे अच्छे स्कूल से हमारी बेटी के  लिए एडमिशन फॉर्म लाने को कहा। मुझे भी अपनी बेटी को उस स्कूल में वेल ड्रेस्ड होकर , यूनिफार्म और जूता मोज़ा पहनकर जाते हुए देखना है। मैं भी चाहती हु की वो कुछ ऐसा पढ़े या करे जिससे मैं उसे अपने  अलग ज़िन्दगी जीते हुए देख सकु।

Aaj Amrita main tumhe jagaana chaahti hu!

अमृता... जिस तरह तुमने कभी वारिस शाह को जगाया था...

आज मैं तुम्हे जगाना चाहती हूँ...
तुम पंजाब के हाल पर रोई थी..
मैं तुम्हे आज देश का हाल दिखाना चाहती हूँ....

तुम हैरान थी कि हीर के दर्द पर किताबे लिखने वाला वारिस शाह,
पंजाब की लाँखो लड़कियो का दर्द सुन, कब्र से क्यूँ नही उठता?
मैं परेशान हूँ कि आज सारे देश की सैंकड़ो  लड़कियाँ रोती हैं....
अमृता क्या कब्र से तुम्हे उनका दर्द नही दिखता?

वो विभाजन का दर्द था... जिससे रूहें काँप गयी.. 
कुछ वक़्त तक हीरे सिसकी.. पर फिर बाहार भी तो आई...
पर ये कैसा दर्द है जो ख़त्म ही नही होता है...
कभी दहेज..कभी रेप तो कभी भ्रूण हत्या के रूप मे रोज़ उभर आता है। 

अमृता...क्यूँ तुम इस दर्द पे अपनी कविता का मरहम नही लगाती?
पंजाब की हज़ारो लड़कियो का हाल सुनाने वाली...
तुम भारत की इन सैंकड़ो बेटियो पर कोई नज़्म क्यूँ नही सुनाती?

जब पाँच नदियो के पानी मे ज़हर मिला,
 तो खेती ज़हर से भर गयी। आज लोगो के खून मे ज़हर मिला है...
देख!!....आज तो इंसानियत ही मर गयी। 

तब रांझे सिर्फ़ गाना भूले थे..
अब रांझे जीना भूल गये...
तब हीरे क़ब्रो पर रोती थी,
अब रोते रोते उनके आँसू ही सूख गये। 

तुम उनका किस्सा लिखने को एक और वारिस शाह ढूंडती थी...
मैं इनकी व्यथा बताने को एक और अमृता ढूंडती हूँ...

अमृता...जिस तरह तुमने वारिस शाह को जगाया था..
मैं तुम्हे जगाना चाहती हूँ। 

 'अज अंक्खा वारिस शाह नु '… अमृता प्रीतम की इस कविता ने एक ज़माने में विभाजन के दर्द को ताज़ा कर दिया था। अमृता की इस कविता को जब मैंने पढ़ा.… और बार बार पढ़ा तो लगा की जिस तरह अमृता ने वारिस शाह को कब्र से जगाया था , आज मैं भी अमृता को जगाऊ और विभाजन से भी बढ़कर जिस दर्द से आज देश त्रस्त है वो दर्द उन्हें सुनाऊ । जिन लोगों ने अमृता की वो अत्भुत कविता नहीं पढ़ी है उनके लिए उस कविता को भी यहाँ लिख रही हुँ. और क्यूंकि ये कविता पंजाबी में है इसलिए उसका अंग्रेजी में अनुवाद भी पेश करती हुँ. यह कविता तथा अनुवाद दोनों ही www.folkpunjab.org से ली गयी है. जिसके लिए मैं उनकी आभारी हूँ। 

Aj aakhan waaris shah noo kito.N qabra.N vicho.N bol!
Te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol!

Ik roi si dhii punjab dii tuu likh-likh mare vain
Aj lakkha.N dheeyan rondian tainuu.N waaris shah noon kahan

Uth darmandan diaa dardiiaa uth tak apna punjaab!
Aj bele laashaa.N vichiiaa.N te lahu dii bharii chenaab!

Kise ne panja paania.N vich dittii zehar rala!
Te unhaa.N paaniaa.N dharat nuu.N dittaa paanii laa!

Es jarkhej zameen te loo.N loo.N phutiaa zehar
Gith gith chadiaa.N laliyaa.N , fut fut chadiaa kehar

Vihoo.N vilissi vaa fir van van vaggi ja
Ohne har ik baans di vanjhli ditti naag bnaa

Naaga.N keele lok moo.Nh bus fir dang hi dang
Plo plii panjab de neele pai gye ang

Ve glio.N tutte geet fir traklio.N tutti tand
Trinjhno.N tuttia.N sahelian charkhde ghookar band

Sne sej de bediya.An ludhan dittian rodh
Sne dalia.N peengh ajj piplaa.N diti tod

Jitthe vajdii phuuk pyaar di ve oh vanjhli gayi guaach
Ranjhe de sab veer aj bhul gaye usdi jaach

Dharti te lahu vasiya, qabran payiyan chon
Preet diyan shaahazaadiiaa.N aj vich mazaaraa.N ron

Ve aj sab ‘qaido’ ban gaye, husn ishq de chor
Aj kitho.N liaaiie labbh ke waaris shah ik hor

Aj aakhan waaris shah noon kito.N qabra.N vicho.N bol!
Te aj kitab-e-ishq da koi agla varka phol!

Lyrics contribution: Pramod Varma and Manoj Sharma

Translation

I say to Waris Shah today, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love

Once one daughter of Punjab wept, and you wrote your long saga;
Today thousands weep, calling to you Waris Shah:

Arise, o friend of the afflicted; arise and see the state of Punjab,
Corpses strewn on fields, and the Chenaab flowing with much blood.

Someone filled the five rivers with poison,
And this same water now irrigates our soil.

Where was lost the flute, where the songs of love sounded?
And all Ranjha’s brothers forgotten to play the flute.

Blood has rained on the soil, graves are oozing with blood,
The princesses of love cry their hearts out in the graveyards.

Today all the Quaido’ns have become the thieves of love and beauty,
Where can we find another one like Waris Shah?

Waris Shah! I say to you, speak from your grave
And add a new page to your book of love.

Durga Pujo...Aaj 'Shoshti'...Aaj Baba retire hochchen!

30 September 2014

Its Sashti today. The day when the actual Durga puja begins for all the Bengalis. Durga Puja for me and for any other bengali is all about:

1: Loads of sweets: I remember Baba getting all the varieties available at bengali camp. I always hated goja and boondi and wondered why did Baba considered them as sweet. But the freshly made Roshogullas were my favourites.

2: Pujo Mondop: We hardly used to visit any other Pujo Mandap other than the one at Bengali camp. Simply for one reason that Baba was the secretary of the Bengali association which organised it.

3: Get together: Another reason why I loved Durga Puja was this. The puja mandap used to be the meeting point for all year lost friends. And as my childhood was a time of landlines. Most of them met like a pleasant surprise.

4: New clothes: A must for every Bengali. The whole mandap used to be filled with ladies wearing their best saree and jewellery.  I always preserved the new pujo'r dress for Ashtami morning.

5:Maha Prashad: Khichudi proshaad, mixed veg, paayesh and tomato chaatni....aahaaaa!!... Maa tried to prepare all of them at home many times but it never turned out as yummy as the Maha proshaad used to be. I heard some aunties speaking to my Maa once that even they tried to do so but no one can get the delicacy of Maha Proshad into their dishes.

6: Proshad Bitron: Serving dry prasaad to the huge crowd at the mandap was mine and my best buddies' favourite adventure. Sonu, Vivek, Supriya, Gautam da and me..... Nothing made us feel so condemned as doing this seva did.

Baba used to be busy with the preparations of the puja from almost a month before. We used to sleep without seeing Baba and wake up hearing that Baba has already left for bengali camp. Baba worked day and night. Money collection, gathering sponsors, getting the murtikar and the dhaakis, arranging all the things required from the huge list for the pujo and the never ending meetings. I saw Maa waiting for him till he came back home at night in my initial years. But then I think Maa got a little old to wait for him for so long. Baba had the same enthusiasm for each puja every year.He kind of had a joyous spark in his eyes in those days. From Sashti to Dashami he used to leave much before us and only came to pick us and then drop us back. Maa always insisted him to bow before Maa Durga. But he never did that. He said that the work that he does for the pujo was good enough.

Baba religiously worked for each and every Durga Puja and Kali Puja held by this association. We hated him doing this as this meant no time for us or even for Maa. But Baba continued doing this always until 4 years back he got a brain stroke and got paralysed. He was again at Bengali camp when he got the stroke. Since then he is at home.

Baba (now) with my daughter

Today is Sashti, the day when puja begins, the day when Baba was supposed to be the busiest. But today Baba is not at all busy. Today Baba is getting retired. He used to go to the office for two hours daily. And now he won't have to do that either. Today if I go home I will see him at home....before sleeping and after waking up. I no more hate the old time when he did not had time for us. I want him to go back and work day and night for Durga pujo again. His eyes are blank now. I want the spark of his eyes back. I want his enthusiasm back. I would never ask for his time again. But I want his old time back !

Mahalaya

                                                      

Today is Mahalaya. I still remember those fresh Mahalaya mornings. Those were a little cold and a little cozy. Baba used to wake us up early in the morning, initially to listen to ‘Mahisasura Mardini’, the Chandi Paath on All India radio and later to watch it on Doordarshan. Every year the story looked absolutely fresh and new. Mahishasur, the son of King Rambha and Princess Mahishi pleases Lord God Brahma and asks for immortality in return. Lord Brahma refuses to make him immortal. However grants him the wish to choose his killer. Mahishasur then thinks a lot and asks for a boon to be killed by a woman as he thinks that a woman can never defeat a strong demon like him.

Maa Durga, was then took birth out Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva’s anger, to defeat Mahishasur.

Maa used to tell me that she has no idea whether this story or any of the mythological stories are true or not. But she believed that these stories had been our epics because they give us life- lessons. Yes every story has the same moral, ‘The victory of good (truth) over evil’. Ramayana had Shri Ram, who won over Ravana. Mahabharata had Pandus, who won over Kauravas. Then what is it different with Mahalaya? Yes it is Devi Durga. Mahalaya might have been made up to give all the demons that a woman can take your life. She can do what none of the men could do.

At the end of the story the Gods, rid of the demon showered Maa Durga with praises and prayed her to appear everytime they were in need of her. Maa Durga granted this wish and promised that she will come again if called with devotion.

The ‘Geeta saar’ says almost the same thing that Lord Krishna will return every time he is needed.

                                    

I don’t know much about Chirtianity or Islam but heard that even ‘Jesus’ and ‘Mohammad’ said the same things in Bible and Quraan respectively.

I often think was Nibhaya not calling devotedly Maa Durga while the brutal act was being commenced on her. Does Lord Krishna think that saving Draupadi from the disrespect against her was all he needed to do to eradicate Adharma from Bharata? When will Jesus let us celebrate Easter truly? And when will Mohammad come again to save us?

Raksha Bandhan :)

I still remember those Rakhi mornings, when Dada and I used to take bath earlier than the usual time and wear any of our party wears ( no we didn't buy new clothes for Rakhi :D). All I used to wait for was the Rs. 20 note that I used to get as a Rakhi gift from Dada initially. Well gradually Rs.20 increased to 50 and slowly to 100 :)
Dada's presence was taken for granted by me.... the only thing mattered then was the increment in the yearly Rakhi gift.
Iam not sure how many times after college did I get to meet Dada on Rakhi as he had to go for his Mtech and then shifted to Goa for his job. But I definitely know the past 6 years. I got married in 2008. In India girls don't go for every festival to their parents place. Of course we have a festival every month so these days even boys have similar rules :).
Today its the seventh year in a row that I have sent my Rakhi online and wished Dada over the phone. No more expectations of the increments. No more dramas on getting lesser money than expectation. With Dada's expensive gift in my hand...all I wish today is just a chance to tie him my rakhi myself.
I know, I still take his presence for granted.  I know he is always there. And I wish he does always!
Dada... all I have to say is that I don't know how much I love you. .but I definitely rely on you. .. I lean on you on every difficult day and you are right there with your shadow to shelter me each day. Having you in my life is just like having a life jacket all the time. I am so overconfident on this, but I strongly believe that you would never let me drown as you have been doing all these years!
Thanks for being tied in this Raksha bandhan. Thanks for being my Dada :)

I wish...I could call you!!

I wish whenever I wanted to speak to 'just' someone, I could pick up my phone, just dial the first number stored  in it without even thinking of the time of the day or night.... without even counting how many times before I have called him.... without even wondering whether you want me to call you or not.... without even measuring whether you love me as much I do or not........ I wish...I could call you ....I wish I could call you just... 'NOW'!!!

Namo!!! Namo!!!!

16th May 2014, 8:30 pm
I can still hear crackers all over. Rallies, celebrations and laughters as if our country got independence once again. BJP won with 278 seats in the loksabha elections and Narendra Modiji will be our next most awaited PM.
The whole country is singing in one chord.. "Namo...Namo".
This evening Maa asked me to get Baba's blood pressure and her diabetes medicine. The whole city was 'modi'fied. An old person was crossing the closed railway gate when others were waiting for the train to pass and the gate to be opened.  He was telling the young boy walking with him and breaking the same rule that "achche din aanewale hai" ( good days are about to come). The boy corrected him by saying " aa gaye" (it has already come) because by then results were out and Modi was declared as the next PM.
We Indians are such idiots.  I know I'am a little harsh in my words. But can you just think about it once? We break the traffic rules, we spit and pee wherever we want, we burn our daughter in laws, we kill our girl child, we bribe our officials to get out of one trouble to create more troubles, we let our under eighteen year old kids to drive, we drink and bash our cars on the people sleeping on footpath, we waste hell lot of food everyday, we still believe in black magic, we cut our trees for no reason, and the list goes on and on. But yes, we believe that changing just one person in the country that is getting a new Prime minister will get us all we loose by doing everything mentioned above.
No.... guys have some common sense.  How many of you are concerned about the nifty and GDP rising due to the new government.  How many of you knew who was the last human resources minister or education minister? What is going to change if these ministries change? Is the area near your house going to be clean with the change of government? No!!! You have to stop putting that shit of yours there. Is your life safe even if you pass that closed railway gate due to the new PM? No!!! Stop breaking those rules if you love your life.  Is your daughter going to be safe on the roads once Modi takes the charge? No!!!! Control your ridiculous boys first.
Modi kya kya karega??? Congress kya kya kar leti? Look at yourselt my country mates!!! Time to show a mirror to yourself first. Its not too late to start. Don't depend on a PM or a government to change your country, to change yourself... 

Your life is the last important thing you have!!!

15th May 2014, 2:08 pm.
I'am sitting here in one of the most famous gynecologist's hospital, waiting for my turn for the ultrasound and papsmear test. These tests are going to determine whether my infection in one of the organ inside me (don't remember the name) is cancerous or not.
Just before a week the sudden death of a friend made me feel that there's nothing more important than a human life. But the last few days after her death has taken my feelings to the exactly opposite side of this thought. Trust me your life is the least important thing that you posses right now. Your spouse may feel a vacuum without you for a day or two. And the third day his relatives will remind him about how young he is to lead the rest of the life alone. His mom will be worried about his food, laundry and other basic day to day stuffs that was taken care by you. His friends will be amazed on how he is going to fulfill his sexual desires for the rest of his life. After all paid options are not really safe in India. People who don't even know him will wonder how he is going to take care of a toddler who was completely dependent on you. And finally he himself will start thinking practically and get another soul mate.  Soon all your pictures will be buried somewhere. And they would have a valid and very much practical reason to do this and that is that those pictures would make them remind you and this would not let them accept the new 'you' in their life.
It took me 15 minutes to reach this hospital.  I took the shortest route. There were hundreds of other people driving on that route. What if I don't go back through the same path? No one is going to miss me there. None will wait for me to reach to their destination.  No one even bothers about where I went or where I want to go. Each one will drive till the end. I will drive till the end. 

The last breath!!!

Ashish Kulkarni a.k.a Kullu a.k.a Anna as he was called by all of us in the college. He was in the final year of mining department and a very good friend of Adi. I was standing outside the library when Pankaj sir, another senior from the mining department and a part of our huge group came to me and said that he wants me to introduce Anna to one of my friends from the electronics department.  Since then all I knew about Anna is that I can pull his leg any time and anywhere I meet him though I was a junior to him. I loved addressing him as Kullu sir!
Kullu sir was a localite and his family soon became a second family to Adi and the other group members. Aunty was an ideal Indian mom, who loved cooking for all her son's friends and even the friends of those friends.  Jyotsna Didi became the universal Didi of the whole group. And Smita was cuddled and protected as a baby by each one of us. Uncle was proud of all the future engineer friends of Anna. A big happy family....
College was over... but not the friendship made there. Jyotsna Didi' wedding, Smita's graduation,  Adi and me getting tied...each meeting while chandrapur visits...Anna's wedding.. every moment was cherished fully by us. Anna got married to Pallavi two years back. We thought it would be our last chance to make fun of Kullu sir as everyone changes after getting married. But it was not the case with him at all. The fun continued more after Pallavi came to his life. And then within a year Anna and Pallavi gave us another reason to smile. Anvi was born. The whole Kulkarni family knew how to celebrate life. And there they were...celebrating Anvi's birth even after knowing that she had a major problem in her kidney and will have to be operated within an year. There's this saying that keep smiling on life's problems and soon life will be tired of troubling you. They made this saying true. Anvi was operated and was healthy now. Soon Pallavi started keeping unwell. Aunty had to take care of everything now. But she always had the time to listen to everyone else's problems and wish for their happiness when I used to call her. Anna still was a target for fun for me and Adi. A week before too when Adi called him, he kept laughing that the doctors are idiots who are still confused on the disease that Pallavi has. And yesterday morning at 5:30 am... Anna called Adi...his voice was shaky and filled with tears... "Dost...Pallavi nahi rahi"...( Friend, Pallavi is no more!)..
Anvi is taken care of by Aunty now. Anna is still in shock. I don't know if we will be able to see Anna again laughing and giggling at any joke on him like before. It was just a matter of that last breath that Pallavi might have took. Everything changed with that one breath.
Life is so uncertain. If you hate someone just think he might not be there to hate with that last breath.  If you have a grudge just remember it will remain here but the person will go away with that last breath.  If you expect more just remember you might not have even what you have right now with that last breath. If you love but forget to say it today...remember today can be that last breath!!!!