Minoo Master- (2)
A story by Ranjan Kumar Desai
" Papa! I am Kishore calling? "
" Yes, boy what's the matter?"
" Papa! Its very serious!! "
" Whats that all about. Shoot out the facts.
" Papa, our Minoo is leaving us for her heavenly abode . "
" Oh No! Ravi chandra out cried his agony. What actully went wrong with her?
" Papa! She has fallen victim of stomach tumor!"
" Oh No. "
Ravi chandra could not control his emotional tumult and tears began rolling down his cheeks. But soon he controlled his emotions and asked about his daughter.
" where is she? "
"In Tata Memorial Hospital. "
" O k. We are catching first available flight and reach Mumbai. "
" And Papa do bring Sunder along. Minoo is waiting to see her brother. "
" You dont worry about this. That is OK. "
And they started their journey to Mumbai. As soon as flight took off Ravi kant slipped into the memoirs of olden days.
' kanhaiya o kanhaiya tuj ko aana padega.'
On the eve of gokul ashtmi, Rohini had awakened him :
" Please wake up. The time for your Kanhaiya is due. "
He had quickly got up from the bed and completing routine., got ready and Rohini too was ready for maternity home. He had hired taxi and they were on their way to maternity home, soon.
Within 10 minutes time they reached the maternity home. Rohini was immediately rushed to cheking room. She was attended promptly but things were not normal as it was ought to be.
" Doctor' verdict disturbed Ravi Kant to greater extent ."
" There is no chance of normal delivery. "
This had disturbed Ravi Kant at greater extent. Just after an interval of 10 minutes doctor approached with unpleasant news.
" Both mother and child would not survive? What you want? Normally a father under such condition has no option but to sacrifice the child in womb."
Ravi kant was left with no option but to consent and forget about the child to save the life of Rohini. Despite of doctor's opinion Ravi kant was positive and confident about his wife delivering male child. And relentless humming of song played all the within him.
' kanhaiya o Kanhaiya tum ko aana padega. '
At this time he remembered what doctor had predicted.
" There is no guarantee of normal delivery.. "
Hospital in charge lady doctor too had suggested the option of scissoring delivery.. This had pushed Ravi Kant in tensed situation. Doctor asked him to complete formalities.
" Mr. Ravi kant please sign the papers so that we start our job."
He had signed the papers and appealed the doctor.
" Please save my wife. "
" Don't worry in such a situation our protocol saves the wife first.. Despite we too are human beings we fail quite often We are helpless in front of destiny of our patients.. "
Exactly after two hour's tumultuous situation the doctor had broken the news.
" Mr. Ravi Kant, God is great and you are fortunate.. Your wife has delivered a female child."
" How they are? "
" Both of them are O. K.. There is no place for anxiety. "
" Thanks, doctor.. "
" We don't deserve credit for the net result. It is the act of almighty."
" Sir! Can I meet them? "
" Definately. But after ten minutes."
" No problem. "
And exactly after 10 minutes, Ravi Kant had entered the ward. His face was beaming with fullest joy which surprised his wife Rohini. Her husband's dream was ruined. But it did not make any difference to Ravi Kant. He had anticipated the birth of male child and reverse was the result, which made no difference to him. Rohini was suspicious about her husband who would turn his face since his dream was not realised. It was evident that he had sportingly accepted the birth of female child. Despite she had casually inquired Ravi Kant what he was feeling about the situation. But he did not give chance to such question. He had immediately asked about the daughter.
" Where is my daughter? "
He had asked the sister on her desk and Ravi Kant querried about daughter's identification. ?
" She has number 4 badge in her neck. "
And Ravi Kant had rushed to the small room where all recently delivered children were placed. His joy knew no bounds to see his daughter's face. He had immediately praised Rohini with comments:
"Our Minoo is really beautiful.. "
Rohini was really amazed to see her husband 's reaction on the birth of female child.
He was over confident about the birth of male child in the house.
He had repeated the song again and again for the last few days..
" Kanhaiya O kanhaiya tujh ko aana padega."
This song was the berometre of his feeling for male child.
On meeting his daughter Ravi Kant returned to female ward with great excitement :, and could not go without repeating.
" Rohini! Our Minoo is just beautiful.She looks like a star. "
" Vow! You have fixed her name also!!"
" Yes! Rohini!! "
" Ravi! May I ask you a question? You would not feel bad about it. "
" never! "
" You dont have any grudge? "
" For what? " Ravi Kant pretended and asked.
" I gave birth to a girl instead of Kanhaiya!! "
" what nonsense! Boy or girl makes no difference to me!! "
On hearing this the lady next her started crying. This filled Ravi Kant's heart with sympathy.
She too had given birth to female child, and her family had abondoned her .
Ravi Kant had consoled her.
" Sister! Please don't worry about this . Time will make everything alright. Your this daughter will take more care than a son. "
On hearing him, the lady got strength to control on shedding tears. She felt normal. She thanked Ravi kant immensely.
"Brother you have provided a stick to a blind person. He will definitely give due reward in time to come. "
Ravi kant also inspired Rohini :
" Our Minoo too will prove a boy. She will fill up place of Kanhaiya in our life. "
And to day his dearest girl was leaving them. Ravi kant could not stand this reality. Rohini pampered her husband's back and consoled him.
And Ravi kant got connected with a chain of yester years.
" My great girl of 1970- tablet, tabudi.. "
Ravi kant always greeted his daughter with different names. Rohini never tolerated his habit, she was showing her annoyance all the times.
To this Ravi Kant defended himself.
" Rohini! Do you know? Minoo is tablet for me. May be I am upset to any extent, her face always inspires me. It sets me out of every negative situation. "
Ravi kant was a person of middle class family. After the birth of favorite child, his financial condition was deteriorated. For this change his relatives held Minoo responsible. But Ravi Kant never accepted this.
Once his brother in law- brother of Rohini had passed ridiculous, unwarranted comment.
" Minoo has brought these miserable situation for her father. "
Ravi kant could not digest this remark. He had not spared him and bounced back with harsh words.
He had not thought about second child after the birth of Minoo. But she her self was adamant about a brother for her like her other friends.
She had expressed her desire for a brother:
" Papa! Every friend of mine has brother to tie rakhi on his hand.. I too crave for a brother to tie rakhi. "
And Ravi Kant had assured her :
" Minoo! You too will get brother. "
And exactly after two months, Rohini had announced.
" I am carrying again. "
This news left him with thrill and excitement..
Thereafter there were lot of things changed Rohini' s life.
Now 50% of her mother's responsibilities was volunteerly accepted by Minoo. She was doing all of her homogenous herself..
Formerly her mother was taking care of routin matters like giving milk for drinking,serving food, singing lullaby for helping sleep to her. She was also helping her in bathing, dressing her and leaving her to school.
She was not able forebear the sudden changes in her mother's life..She had started to take over her responsibilities. Her mother was taken to hospital very often for check up.
Ultimately the much awaited day had arrived. Rohini had given birth of male child. At this instant Ravi kant had hugged his daughter and expressed his joy.
" Minoo master your wish is fulfiled, God has given you the gift of your brother. "
Advent of her brother made Minoo very jubilant.
" She was right from childhood very smart and talkative. She loved her grand father and never tolerated his father talking with him roughly and louder tone, telling him bad words. She never spared her father for any mis doings and scolded him like a teacher.
" Why do you talk like this with 'Dadu'? If you repeated it, I would never talk to you. "
On hearing her Ravi kant was speechless. He felt sorry for his behaviour. He realised the truth and instigated to title her daughter as Minoo master.
She had earned the title with her kind and sympathetic nature.
Destiny proved cruel with Minoo's brother Sunder. While he was seven years old, an event occured which shocked Minoo horribly. She was not able to get rid of the event.
" Your son will have to lead life of helpless. "
This was an act of Almighty God, but Minoo always took blame on her head. She was cursing herself.
It was the day of Raksha bandhan festival. House was flooded with joy and excitement with all the relatives. Minoo had bought colour full, fancy Rakhi for her beloved brother. She had also bought audio cassette for him. Sunder was very much excited on hearing the songs from cassette.
" इस राखी में प्यार छिपाकर लाई बहना "
The house was full with all the relatives including Ravi kant's brother in law, his wife, his daughter and son in law and sons. At that time sunder had asked Minoo for similar rakhi tied by his maternal cousin.
" Minoo, didi ! I too want such rakhi! "
Sunder was adamant for similar rakhi, which made her to fulfil his desire.
She requested her cousin :
" please take Sunder along and get him rakhi of your type. "
And Sunder had walked off with his cousin. His lips were engaged with Rakhi song."
' जाने कौन बिछड़ जाये कब भाई बहना'
And within no time whole area was covered with terror.
' A boy has met with an accident! '
The news was spread every corner, which reached to Minoo's ears.
This news made her to ask question to herself : ' Is he my own brother? '
This very idea plunged her into terror.
She immediately rushed to the spot to find her brother lying in the pool of blood, with newly bought rakhi lying next to him.p
The horrible sight made her to fall on the road in the unconscious state of mind.
On regaining sense she learned the truth. Her brother was admitted in the hospital and his both hands and feet were amputated from shoulders and knees. Minoo out cried this tragedy.
" papa! I have never left my brother alone, never allowed him to go out without me. What made me to break this order. And allowed him to go out."
Ravi Kant tried to pursue his daughter " Minoo Master, it is not your fault. "
" Papa! Sunder was always obsessed with the idea of tying rakhi on his wrist. Now I will tie rakhi to whom? "
" My dear girl, we cannot change our destiny. There is no use to brood over the split milk. Shedding tears is not the solution for what is gone by. "
" We should not allow our affliction to arouse on our head. It should be carried on our shoulders. Death is the biggest affliction which is carried on shoulders. "
With the help of a lady writer Ravi kant had tried to pursue her.
After this she was totally changed. Now Sunder was the lone person of her life. He was the only support of hers. She was taking care like a mother.
She had cleared B. A. in first class.
And it was her marriage date. She could not come out from the blow she had encountered.
She was ready to take an oath for not marrying, but she was pursued by her parents and made her to agree for marriage.
Her marriage was performed with Kishore chandra, who was hailing from millionaire family.
On her departure, Minoo had hugged her brother intimately and appealed her father in the emotional tone :
" Papa! Please make a practice atleast once in a month and that too with my brother. "
" Yes Minoo! Please dont worry about him any more. We will take all possible care of him. You too make a practice to meet atleast your brother. "
Kishor chandra too cordially invited them.
This provided Ravi Chandra with a great deal of relief.
Even after marriage Minoo could not remove the image from her memory/ system. Sunder 's image was all the time alive.
Before marriage she had raised complain about stomach pain.
This had dragged him into the pool of unhealthy thoughts. He had immediately taken Minoo to doctor. Doses of medicines gave her some amount of relief.
But it was revived after a while, which gave cause of great concern to Ravi Kant. To this Minoo had asked him not to worry.
And she felt ok till the time of her marrige and thereafter for couple of years.
She was in the habit of talking to herself in the frame of a big philosopher.
" Minoo! The string of life is in the hands of almighty God. One never knows when it will get cut off. One may be rich or poor and there is no discrimination between the two. Money cannot buy life extension even for a second. Then what is the use of wasting money for treatment, minor and major operations. "
" We are from middle class family and my father cannot spend huge amount on treatment. Despite all possible efforts no one can make my life string long. "
She was unaware of her ailment and it was kept secret from her. In lieu of this she had dared to inquire about it.
" Doctor saheb, may I know treatment given to me for what ailment?
Initially Doctor did not co operate. But Minoo suspected it to be a fatal ailment and doctor could not deny.
And it was disclosed, that she was patient of stomach tumor.
Her doubt turned out to be true, despite this she was very much shocked.
Again this sort of situation made her to appeal doctor to keep her family away from the reality.
Knowledge about ailment changed the course of her life.
One day after dinner laying her head in her husband's lap she demanded:
" Kishore! would you do favor to me? "
" why you are acting formal. You can order me. "
" kishor! I want to watch Anand movie. Can you bring video cassette on rent? "
" sure! "
And Kishor brought video cassette on rent, after dinner all the members of family sat together and enjoyed the movie.
" ज़िन्दगी लंबी नहीं बड़ी होनी चाहिये, बहन तुझे मैं यही भी नहीं कह सकता मेरी उम्र तुझे मिल जाये," ( life should not be long but big, Oh my dear sister I cannot exchang My life for thy self )
Anand was in the last stage and could die any moment. To this an unknown person prayed God to let win his bet:
" इतनी जल्दी पड़दा गिरने नहीं दूंगा. " ( " I will not let curtain so soon)
All such dialogues troubled Minoo at larger extent.
She for a while forgot her own ailment.
In the film there was no one for Anand. He too had stomach tumor ailment.. He was aware of the fact he was the guest of short time. While taking treatment he had captured hearts of lot of unknown persons.
Dialogues of the movie gave her unique inspiration.
On completion of the movie, Minoo could not control her tears. On viewing this Kishor Chandra lost his courage. He with his hands on Minoo's back commented :
" Minoo! You are very sensitive.. "
To this she had reverted back :
I am very weak at heart and cannot sustain any body's grief.
" Minoo you have carried out whole of responsibilities towards your brother like more than a mother. We can do every thing to save our people, but we cannot fight with God. "
" Kishore how could I forget, it was my greatest folly, which put Sunder in such a drastic situation. Had I accompanied him to get rakhi, this tregedy would have never occured. "
" Minoo you are most responsible person and never missed to carry out. It was your brother's destiny ruined his life."
And one day morning while taking bath she slipped in the bath room due to dizziness. The scenario took every body's breath to stop for a while.,
This issue was wrongly assessed by her in laws.
They took it as if she was pregnant.
They in anticipation enjoyed this situation.
But it was not the case.
Her end of was approaching and her delivery was not feasible under such situation. Abortion was the only option available.
Ravi kant with wife Rohini and Sunder enter the hospital.. And they reach Minoo.
Looking her parents Minoo wants to speak some thing, but the words gets stuck in her throat. She with action asks for a paper and pen.
Kishore Chandra arranges this for her.
Minoo jots down some thing with unclear words.
" Papa! Please make Kishore Chandra understand to remarry after my departure. And you take care of my brother Sunder."
Reading the content Ravi Kant was very much disturbed. Rohini too fails to cope up such situation. Sunder lays his head on her sister's bosoms and starts crying.
Kishore consoles his father in law.
Ravi Kant appeals his son in law.
" My Minoo is leaving. It is her last wish to get you marry. You please promise her that you will get remarry after her exit from this universe.. She is just breathing to hear this from your mouth."
Wiping his tears Kishore Chandra approaches Minoo, takes her hand and promises her :
" I will fulfil your last wish and get remarry.. "
On hearing this she smiles for a while in token of her words were being honoured, she closes her eyes for ever.
Sister covers her dead body with white coffin and announces her death.
And soon the entire hospital was filled in with tears.
Sunder knew about his sister. He laid his head on Minoo's bosoms and began to cry non stopped.
0000000000 (concluded)
