Nitu switches on her mobile she frowns her face during conversation later she picks up her bag.
'This call is of my Mummy. I shall have to leave now. I give you call from home.' She said making her way towards the gate of Sriram garden.
Amit puts his bag on chair beside him, the place Nitu had vacated. He opens book of economics, goes through the chapter of differences between micro-economy and macro- economy. After a short while he looks at old person, a Septuganerian , wrinkled faced, coming towards him with slow step with a folded newspaper in his hand, in search of vacant space.
' Sit here, Baba.' Amit said taking his bag on his lap
.
Rajiv Ranjan Parsad smiles at him later he sits down on chair. He unfolds newspaper, begins to skim through the pages of newspaper.
'How is Yogesh' Rajiv Ranjan asked him turning her face towards Amit
'He is fine. Papa has gone to Chennai for office work' Amit replied
'and your Dadaji' Rajiv Ranjan Prasad stopped in between, having folded newspaper.
"He is in Gurgaon with Suresh Uncle.'
'I know, Your Dadaji told us while leaving for Gurgaon that he was going for weak but it is going to be almost two months.'
'In fact Uncle doesnt let him come. Dada ji called us he was telling that he is getting bored there.' Amit said smilingly
'I can understand.' Rajiv Ranjan said wiping out the glasses of his spectacle later put it inside the pocket of his shirt.
'Beta, How is your preparation.'
'Fine.' Amit replied having flapped pages of book.
'Ok, read studiously, this is age of very tough competition. If Dada ji calls, tell him i had remembered .god bless you.' Rajiv Ranjan caresses him in affection. He grips handle of chair from his right hand, slowly lifts himself and moves towards place where some of his friends were sitting under asbestos shade, a place specifically reserved for senior citizens.
Sri Ram Garden is situated in the center of Rama Colony. Amit and Nitu often come here to spend sometime when they come back from JCT College. There is also reading room inside the corner of garden where boys and girls come for study. Amit likes the place much so he spends sometime here , enjoys studying in open place.
Amit looks at shade where Rajiv Ranjan is immersed in reading newspaper, his others companions are busy in conversation. He looks at them in between, smiles over their conversation again begun to read the paper. Amit smiles when he looks at him he remembers the days when he was 7 years old and he had been gifted a cricket bat by Rajiv Ranjan on his birthday. When Amit saw his father calling him Baba since then he also started to call him Baba.
Ashwin Kumar, grandfather of Amit and Rajiv Ranjan are employees in district collcteriate. When Sriram Divedi local small landlord, made plan to sell the land in pieces, to set up small colony on his unused land. Both had built their houses adjacent to each other after purchasing small pieces of land.
Paresh Ranjan, school mate of Yogesh, was preparing for UPSC after doing his master in public Relation , a topper of his batch, only son of Rajiv Ranjan ,eldest among his four sisters, Beloved of his sisters, Sunita, Sonali, Sunidhi and Surbhi. An apple of Sudha Devi,s eye.Paresh Ranjan had won several competition, represented his college in all India quiz competition, Rajiv Ranjan would get elated when his friends congratulated him for achievements of his son, his friends used to predict him potential candidate of Adminitrative Service . He was also good wristy and reliable batsman of Colony's Cricket Club.
It was 18th January. People were gathering at Parsad Kunj , resident of Rajiv Ranjan. Everybody was asking surprisingly to each others over the news which had changed the house into place of grief and sorrow. Noise of sobbing of Sunita and Sunidhi were coming out from inside the room. Paresh Ranjan was taking his last breath in hospital. Doctor had lost hope of his survival.
By evening Doctor declared him dead. News of his sudden death had spread all over in coloney. Nobody was believing on this shocking incident.
Doctor had tried his best to save him but it had been too late.It was sever brain Haemmorrage. Paresh Ranjan fell from running bus while he was coming home.
Sudha Devi had gone into coma after hearing the shocking news, When She came out from coma after three days, her only son, eldest among siblings, an apple of her eye had gone to place from where nobody comes. That shock had impacted on her so much she couldn't tolerate it. The memories of Paresh Ranjan and his sudden death had devastating impact on her brain, she couldn,t tolerate the lose.After three years she also succumbed to it. That was last attack of shocking memory on her mind, She couldn't wake up next morning. Some suspects foul play behind falling of Paresh Ranjan from running bus but who was behind it, was matter of question since Paresh had never scuffled with anyone, he had no enemy.
Demise of Sudha Devi had broken Rajiv Ranjan completely. His health kept deteriorating day by day.
Burden of four daughters, thought of their marriage kept him gnawing, Even though Paresh Ranjan was a student, but he was his strength, helping hand of his old age, prospective guardian of his four younger sisters.
Back to back incidents had devastated him emotionally as well as physically . He was taking care of his four daughters what a feeble, devastated father could have taken care.
Sunita and Sunidhi had entered into threshold of adolescent. Rajiv Ranjan kept searching for suitable boys for his daughters. Somewhere because of dowry or some other reason, his all efforts would go in vain. Some proposals which had been sent by his well wishers were tantamount of ridiculing his helplessness, a low income helpless father of four young girls.
After long wait he eventually succeeded in getting two of them married.
Sonali also got married later with a local businessman, Anirudh who runs a small restaurant in Sunder Nagar, few kilometers way from SriRam Colony. Rajiv Ranjan gave his approval when he came to know that both had liked each other. Anirudh is elder brother of Shweta , friend of Sonali, both became friend later their friendship changed into love. Family of Anirudh had also not opposed on their relation.
Rajiv Ranjan's daily activity is to visit in morning and evening in Garden, walking inside, talking with his old friend since he had retired from service last year. Surbhi, youngest daughter of Rajiv Ranjan takes care of feeble, ailing father. Rajiv Ranjan has only worry in his old age how to get a suitable boy for her.
Amit closes his book, looks towards Asbestos shed, most of friends Rajiv Ranjanof had gone back to their houses. Amit moves inside the shade. Rajiv Ranjan looks at him standing from chair having folded newspaper.
'Yes'
'Baba' You shall not go home' Amit asked
'Yes,Yes, I am going.Are you also going back.'Rajiv Ranjan replied coming out of shade .
'Yes, today I want to see the trophies, certificates which Paresh Uncle had won in school and colleges.' Amit said taking slow step along with him.
'You are most welcome, Beta.' Rajiv Ranjan replied putting her hand on his shoulder.
Both enters in Prasad Kunj. Ravi Ranjan opens cupboard , brings out a bag in which memories of his only son was saved. He brings out trophies and certificates silently one by one, keeps explaining the occasion when Paresh had won the medals. Amit looks at all attentively. He looks at Rajiv Ranjan, tear was flowing on wrinkled face of him. Tear of a hapless father of young son who had been snatched away from their parents by the cruel hand of system of nature.
'I am sorry, Baba' Amit said putting all back in the bag.
Rajiv Ranjan wiped away his wet face from towel. He gives smile on Amit.
'Ok Baba, See you tomorrow in garden.' Amit said making way out of room.
'God bless you beta, Take care.' Rajiv Rajan replied putting bag back inside the cupboard.
Next day Amit as usual came in Sriram Garden.he would give sometime talking with him. Rajiv Ranjan would feel sort of attachment with him so he also spends with him.
Ashwin Kumar is his only close friend so when he came back from Gurgaon.Rajiv Ranjan would spend most of his time with him in garden. Both would walk together in garden , enjoys discussion later came back homes before sunset.
Sunita, Sonali and Sunidhi had visited occasionally to see Rajiv Ranjan which would give a sort of happiness on his morbid face. Cry, scuffle of his granddaughter,Grandsons make him happy but a thought, concern of Surbhi was eating him out he wanted to see her settled in his life.
Four years had almost passed since his retirement but there was no proposal came before him for Surbhi from any where. Queries about Surbhi from his acquaintances and friends would make him upset. He had no positive reply, he has had only wish that he would complete last duty of a father in his life getting Surbhi married. Ashwiin Kumar is his only sincere well wisher who keeps him assuring that something good is waiting for Surbhi.
I is about 10 clock in night. Ashwin Kumar is sitting on chair in corridor, inside his house. Amit is studying is sitting in other room. just then phone of Ashwin Kumar rings up. He switches on his mobile looking at number.
'Hello'
'Uncle, Papa is not well. Pls come here.'
Ashwin Kumar gets surprised over hearing the voice of Surbhi from Rajiv Ranjan's Mobile.
'What happened Beti' Ashwin Kumar asked eagerly
'Since morning Papa was suffering from dysentery I took him to Dr Kishore, who had given some medicine in morning but there is no improvement.'
'Ok I am coming' Ashwin Kumar replied
'Amit,' Ashwin Kumar called from corridors.
'Yes Dadaji'. Amit replied having coming out from his room
'Rajiv is not well. Come with me.' Later Ashwin Kumar called up Yogesh, his son
Rajiv Ranjan is lying straight on bed closing his eyes, covred in brown shawl. Surbhi is sitting on bed beside him, pressing softly his head.
'Did You call up Anirudh.' Ashwin Kumar asked her
'Yes, I called him up, he is on way.' Surbhi replied. She told in Rajiv Ranjan,s ear about Ashwin Kumar,s arrival but he didt open his eyes.
Immediately Ashwin Kumar calls up number of emergency ambulance by then Yogesh also reaches at Prasad Kunj. Rajiv Ranjan is immediately admitted to Central Hospital
After detail check up doctors declares him serious, he remains 4 days on glucose, his condition keeps deteriorating later he is put on ventilator and oxygen. Doctors had lost hope, their all efforts to revive his condition had gone in vain
Rajiv Ranjan took his last breath leaving Surbhi alone.
Dream of getting her married could not materialize. It was death of old age father who spends most of his life in fighting with the circumstances, incidents which had every now and then kept him challenging, debilitating his courage. A conspiracy of nature which didn't let him live happily, even didnt let him complete his last wish.
End
End
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