Saturday, October 09, 2004

 
Dear Buro,
Thank you for the message. Your voice was so welcome at Nimtala Burning Ghat yesterday. I could not talk to you properly in the din and while coordinating various activities. I tried to send Didi a message a few minutes back that we are reaching Nimtala within 10 mins. Even after 5 tries, I could not send the message out whereas through the same mobile I could talk to you a few mins later.

Barokaku was restless and wanted to know about Baba. Swati Pisi rang up Mamoni when we were at the hospital. Kakumoni was restless and sleepless the night before. He rang up Mamoni around 12:30 in the afternoon and enquired about all. As he was about to take off, Mamoni could not pass any message. I do not have any explanations for these. Does it really mean that the message is passed around beforehand to near and dear ones who are far away, first ? Who knows ??

I could realise the end is near, when I saw him in the ICCU in the morning at around 7:45 am. Mamoni rang me at around 6:45 am saying that Dadu is vomitting and sweating profusely.. I gave her the hospital numbers and requested her to ask for their ambulance. The ambulance turned up fast and he was admitted by 7:25 am. Mamoni and Kali Pisi accompanied him. I called Bikash and reached there at around 7:35 am. He was conscious but lost his speech probably. He recognised Maa, Mamoni and Kali Pisi when they called him out. My only regret is that seeing his closed eyes, I did not want to disturb him, thereby losing all contacts with him on his last day.

He started losing his consciousness rapidly from around 11:00 am. At around 1:45 pm I got a call from the hospital to rush and take him out to a nearby hospital for a CT Scan. I took him out for the same at around 2:20 pm and brought him back by 2:45 pm. The guys who did the scan told us that the condition was very serious and he suffered massive bleeding in the brain. Maa brought the image back to the hospital. The RMO then tried to explain to us what has happened. We told him we were already aware of it. This is the time, when Swati Pisi's call came through in Mamoni's mobile. She told that Barokaku was enquiring about Baba for the past two days. I started sending out messages to everybody that the time is near without realising that it was so near. At 7:30 pm the visiting Cardiologist who treated Dadu earier and Maa in the same hospital told us that the condition was very bad and advised us to go back home and take rest as treatment would in any continue. He also told us that if anything happens we would be informed anyway. We came bacck, was planning to have dinner and also the arrangement for who would stay back, where any how they could be picked up. The first call came at 8:05 pm that he had another cardiac arrest and the next call came at 8:10 pm when I was asked to rush and realised that he has left us for his eternal journey. Though I was preparing myself for this eventuality for a long time, it came as a rude shock and momentarily everything became void. I gathered together myself and without breaking the news, left for the hospital with Maa, Mamoni & Somu. On reaching there, we were given the final news which I passed on to everyone and rang up Sona Kaku who was already told by Swati Pisi. I am grateful to God that he did not make Dadu suffer for long.

On getting the news, friends, relatives, acquaintances (including some nuisance creators, as it happens everywhere) started pouring in. I sent back Maa & Mamoni home. Dada (Kumar Jethu) alongwith Boudi & Rimona arrived. So did BublaKaku. I called in ManuKaku who took a long time to reach Ultadanga for the President's visit. With him came Bappa (Tutun Pisi's son) and his two friends.

Dada forced me to leave briefly to break the news to Didu which I did. Dada and I tried to calm her down and then left the place as by then all our Masi's and the only surviving Meso arrived.

I sent out Manukaku, Somu & Bappa for hiring of a vehicle (which was not liked by many as they wanted a decorated satkar samity vehicle to be hired) and make arrangements in our traditional style.

The vehicle alongwith a reasonably good quality cot with mattress, pillow, bedsheet, namabali and lots of while flowers and wreaths arrived at the hospital at around 12:00 midnight. Neighbours from Minakshi arrived by around the same time. The death certificate and the dead body were handed over at around 12:10 am. The body was loaded on the vehicle ( Dada & I picked up and the front of the cot on our shoulders while others lent their shoulders at various other places) and all arrangements made by around 12:30 am and we left for Labony where we reached by around 12:45 am. Everybody paid their last respects including Didu. Neighbours from Minakshi placed garlands and wreaths on the body. I took Didu's permission for the final journey at around 1:30 am and lifted the front of the cot. My first tears rolled out. After picking up all the people on the vehicle and several cars, we started our journey at around 1:55 am.

I detoured to drop ailing Shanta Pisi and Meso on my way. Even then I reached Nimtala first. On my way, I wanted to pass on the message to Didi who was in constant touch with us, that we are going to reach Nimtala within 10 mins, which never went inspite of my five attempts. Earlier I asked Didi to send you a mail informing of what happened. One by one, all the vehicles arrived, the body was unloaded and placed in the queue. We were ninth. Manukaku and I then orgasnised the last photo to be taken as per Didu's wish. During this period, your call came in. All the photocopy shops were closed at Nimtala at that hour. I sent out one of our office vehicle to our Talla Office which is a protected place, for photocopying the death certificate. The vehicle was denied entry as they did not have any prior information. I tried to ring the Executive Engineer, whose mobile was switched off.

Rana, Mamoni's cousin brother, was all along insisting that we go to Kashi Mitra Ghat which normally remains empty. I requested him for a scouting mission and inform the status. When he informed me that it was empty, I decided to go Kashi Mitra Ghat (which we could do because till then, we did not deposit the death certificate at the counter as we needed photocopies of the death certificate) and lifted the body on the vehicle again. This time, I was on the same vehicle with Dadu. Rana was asking us to hurry up as another dead body was in the vicinity. I ordered the vehicle sent out for photocopying to be back immediately to come to Kashi Mitra Ghat.

The dead body who reached minutes before us, wanted to perform the last rites in the traditional "chita" where bodies are burnt through wood by "dom"s. We took the chance and placed Dadu first in the queue in front of the electric furnace. The vehicle carrying the death certificate from the> hospital arrived a couple of minutes later. I then had to observe certain formalities for the all important death certificate from Kolkata Municipal Corporation. Then the implements were bought. The Purohit was called in and the final ritual started. I was as composed as I could be. Finally, when he was place at the edgde of the electric furnace and all of us were asked to spread chandan powder on the body, I lost control of myself and cried inconsolably realising that I would not see him again. The furnace was opened at 2:45 am and his body pushed in.

I calmed myself and went back to my managerial role asking everybody whether they have taken some food and chai. I made Bikash, who did not even brush his teeth in the morning and could just bathe without being able to have his lunch which he prepared, incharge of taking care of all. At this hour of sorrow, he was with us all along. He was scheduled to go to his village to see his wife and daughter with the salary, Puja bonus, a shirt for him and a dress for his daughter which I gave him. He left this afternoon and promised to be back tomorrow if everything is well at his village. I am grateful to Sanjay, our Office Driver, who volunteered his services in the hour of need. And how do I forget little Basanti, who took it upon herself to take care of everybody's need of chai and some food during our absence all throughout. I must thank Tara and Aarati also for their dedication and service to Dadu all along. I have asked them to be around and take care of Didu till Didu decides where she is going to stay.

The burning was complete by 4:00 am. It took 30 mins extra as the furnace was cold and started on arrival of Dadu. Final rituals over, we started back from there at around 4:15 am. After dropping people at various places, we reached Labony at around 4:50 am. Rituals over, Maa and I started back for Teghoria at around 5:00 am leaving Didu in the company of Didu (Mamoni's mother), Santi Didu, my surving Meso and Mamoni. I arranged to drop Gouri Didu and her sons at Metiabruz before I left. I was dying to lie down as my legs and "komar" were paining like hell. We reached home around 5:15 am. Undressed and while taking the shower, received a call fro Bhutan Kaku who left his Thana at Farraka and arrived Sealdah Station by night train. I asked him to go to Labony and then informed Manu Kaku that he would be arriving. After shower, I tried to sleep amid few> telephone callsat around 5:30 am. I got up at around 10:00 am and started receiving visitors and telephone calls.

I received a message that Kakumoni on hearing the news was crying inconsolably and was trying to contact me. He rang up twice around 6:30 pm but neither of us could hear anything. I the went out and called his mobile (+91) 98193 00747 as signal strength inside the room is poor. He cried a lot and I also cried alongwith him. I gathered myself and asked him to forget everything about rituals and start meditating by closing his eyes and sitting in his hotel room. I reasoned out that it is respect that matters, not the rituals. He calmed down and I promised to be in touch with him.

You guys should also ring him and Didu { (+91) (33) 2337 4020 } to console them and calm them down. A voice at this hour means a lot.

Didi and DB on their way to a temple yesterday had an accident with their office car. DB's expensive mobile was snatched. Maa advised them to be careful. You too should remain careful during the mourning period of 10 days at least. You should carry some for of iron (may be a key) with you always.

Tomorrow, I would be at Labony for the final arrangements for another ritual.

Lastly, Dadu wanted you to be doctor and wanted you to write his death certificate. Everytime I visited him, he used to enquire how long you are going to take to become a doctor. He waited that long. You rightly said "That he was a tough man, and that he s made our lives possible. That he had a good life and that I have so much respect for him."

Thank you my son for your respect for my father.

Keep smiling & good health.
Papa

P.S. I wrote out this mail and while sending you, it just vanished. I re-wrote the entire mail and saved it as a notepad file. I hope it goes now.

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