THE FUNERAL....!!!

THE FUNERAL

Everybody knew that the end was imminent.It was only a matter of time.Shova could not stop crying.Mohan did not know how to console her.Her mother was staying with them for quite sometimes.She preferred to stay with her daughter than with her sons.Like many Indian families,tussle between the mother in law and daughter in laws,were always an issue here.
The phone rang around 4AM in the morning.Mohan Menon was half asleep.He did not get proper sleep at night.And the house was full of near relatives,who flocked in anticipation.The man from Hospital announced over phone-‘all has ended .There was nothing more to do in her case.Relatives must come at once’.Mohan could visualise the old lady,roaming around in his house and smiling shyly at him.His thoughts became philosophical-‘This is life,a moment here and within a moment,it’s gone’.
An E mail came followed by a phone call.Sunny George was overwhelmed by grief.But he had to arrange things fast.No time to feel the emotions and think.Distance to Mumbai,definitely had to be quite long and arrangements were required.

Of course she was suffering quite a lot.Let her soul be now in rest in peace.
Shobha was weeping heavily.Some of the other women folks were also crying loudly.The sons were slilently crying.But it was time to go and bring her from the Hospital for her final journey.Mohan and other male members got up and started for the hospital leaving the sleeping children and weeping women behind.

Hospital at that hour was in a total chaotic situation.Many of the staffs were not available.It took quite while to understand where the body was,as it had been already shifted from the bed.After doing all the formalities like making payments,collecting Death Certificate and of course paying numerous tips at different corners,they could only reach near the body at 8am.She was lying in the Hospital Mortuary,a dark and dimly lit airconditioned room,along with a few of similar bodies and ice slabs.The body wrapped up totally with just the face only visible.The Dom/caretaker checked the ticket number tagged to the feet and confirmed-Body no.118-Parvati Menon…

Sunny George,wiped his eyes,as the plane started landing at Sahar Airport,Mumbai.He has to reach Nashik fast.He was feeling worthless as a son.Had he been with her at her last breath,she might have had some peace?He was feeling terribly guilty.Being so far away from her,he could not do what he should have done as a son.In the pursuit of his career in Silicon Vally and good life,he went away from her.Somehow he could not influence his American wife and children to develop that feeling of nearness with her.And now ,she is no more there.He felt totally orphaned.

The men took the body to Menon’s Residence, to prepare for the last journey. The sounds of crying intensified further. The Neighbors came to console the family. Only the 8 year old Kitu,son of Mohan, took a look at the face of the departed lady and exclaimed-This not my Grandma?Mummy,who is it?His mummy was not in a state to reply.Then the time had come to take the body to Crematorium.Grieving family,performed her last rites,admidst tears and respect. A void ruled the hearts of near and dear ones,as the flame engulfed the pyre.

Everybody was sad and a number of them was crying,in Old John’s Home.Brother Gabriel was consoling Sunny George.Preparations had been made.The Coffin was ready.As per ritual,the cloths were removed from the body to annoint sandalwood oil all over,before dressing her up again with new cloths.Then the body would be put inside the Coffin.Suddenly,Sunny George exclaimed-Hey! This is not my Mother!This is somebody else!!!

It was a great mistake on the part of the Hospital and the Menon’s as well.A wrong body was handed over and while in grief,it was not detected. Thus, was cremated in full Hindu rites.It became a great local News Story.Blame game started and some of the employees of the hospital were suspended.Who in turn started a Dharna before Menon’s residence.Menon’s were totally embarrassed and shocked.Sunny George filed a USD 1 million suit against the Hospital.He , of course had no other way but to Cremate the body of Parvati as his mother,since Menons could not Cremate her again in the same Name.

Somebody up there,smiled a beautiful smile.It was his way of saying-''The path to Heaven may be different but leads to the same Place.At the end of the Journey,All will come to ME.''