Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Memories..



yesterday i was talking with my cousin sis Urmy on phone.. she was saying me, 'try to call on 13th if you can. it's aunty's birthday on 13th. i was looking at our family diary, and saw everyone's birth date. so, got to know about aunty's birthday. and, 12th was chotopapa's birthday'. i kept replying her,like 'ohh,accha..', 'i see', 'is it?'. but suddenly,when she said about chotopapa, we both got quiet for a few second. didn't get what to say. then i was like,'ohh,is it?'.. she said,'yeah,i saw on diary'.
then we talked for more sometime about another things and and hung up.

after I got to know about chotopapa's birthday. i wasn't feeling good.

'choto' means 'younger/small/little' in Bangla.i used to call my uncle as 'chotopapa'. he was my dad's younger brother.and for me,he was,no actually,he IS more then my father.

when my grandpa passed away,i was like about of 6/7 years. i didn't cry that day,cause of i was going to miss him or i was upset that he is no more. but,i remember,i was trying hard to bring some tears in my eyes,seeing my mom,my grandma,my aunties,my cousins, crying! but,i was failed to bring some tears. and, it didn't make a big difference to me actually,after my grandpa passed away. even,i don't remember anything of my that age,much.


- but yeah,now i am old enough to cry for a reason,that makes me upset.

I remember that day well. it was 2nd of November. I was sleeping in my room, my mom and dad was sleeping in there room with my younger brother. guess,it was about 11 am, when our phone ranged. my mom picked up the phone. it was some of her very far known cousin on phone,from London. he was saying sorry to mom,for her brother-in-law[my chotopapa],that he is no more. and he was saying, my mom should be strong and take care of my dad.
my mom was quite shocked hearing this. she was like, 'what are you talking about? 2 days back i called home,they said Hassan bhai is fine.' now,my mom's cousin was little confused too. he said, 'I am sorry dear, if i am wrong. but i just heard it from your sister,yesterday night. so i thought i should call you. please call your home,and confirm about the news. '
till then,i was awaken. because of my mom's unique voice. when she shouts[with worry,in shock or in anger], no one in this world has guts to sleep! I was wondering what's going on. till then she said everything to dad, and was going to call my grandma's home in Bangladesh.

she called, and she started crying on phone,while asking 'how is Hassan bhai mummy?' guess,my grandma was also crying. saying,he is no more. my mom made a odd noise with a huge volume hearing that, i remember.

now i was confirmed about the news,sitting in my room only.

didn't knew what to do,what to say,how to react. this time i didn't had to work hard to bring tears in my eyes. as they stared flowing before i cud recognize,i was crying. unknowingly,i started thinking about my childhood. my past days,when we used to live together (we had an attached family. my grandma,me and my mom, chotopapa,chotomummy and their daughter Chandni, we used to live together. and my dad was here,in Japan.)

i could remember those days,when chotopapa used to bring same chocolate,same dress for me and chandni. he never made any difference in between me and his daughter chandni. he always behaved the same with me,as he used to to do with chandni. i remember,when he used to bring something specially for us,he used to call me from the third floor.(his family used to live in the third floor and we were in second floor.) he used to call like, 'Ritu! upore aasho to ektu!' and, i just used to wait for the moment he call me! and i used to run,leaving book or just anything. i knew,he brought something for me,so he called. used to become very happy,knowing i am going to get some yummy chocolates.
what else! he used to give us anything he brought and as u know,chocolate can make any possible kid happy :). same was for me and chandni.

though,my dad used to live here in Japan. i never missed him. i never felt,i need my father with me. why would i have felt so? my chotopapa was there with me always. just like my own father! he never let me feel bad,for my father lived far away from me. and i even was quite happy without my dad.

I could never explain,what all my chotaopapa did for me. or what he means to me. all above i wrote,is nothing in front of what i really feel.

I respect him more then anyone else is this world. he taught me many things.
his death was a shock for me. i could never imagine,we will lose him so early.

when urmy said me about his birthday on 12th august. i was wondering, about this birth and death thing. why do we born,when we have to die one day? or when we know,we will be dead one day,why we are so much eager to live?

why from now on,2nd November will be more important for us,then 12th August?..

well..i wasn't a very good thinker ever. nor i am. i don't think much about anything.the way things comes to me,i take it. good things makes me smile,bad things makes upset. i am just an another girl.

but, chotopapa's death made me learn many things. taught me,how to face such situations. how to be strong even after losing a precious part of your life.and yeah,his death made me to think on things,which i have never thought about before.

yeah,i miss him.
i miss him so much,whenever i think or talk about him,i cry.
i die to hear him calling me 'Ritu!'..
when i am upset. i miss him saying me,'arre o pagli. don't worry. everything will be alright.'
i miss the sweetest smile of my chotopapa.
i miss my father in chotopapa.

last time when i went to Bangladesh alone, he was very sick. he was on coma at first. then,after he came in sense.he was out of his memory.

but,i could never ever forget about that moment. when i entered the room for first time,after i went from japan, i saw chotopapa was lying on the bed,and chotomummy and many other of our relatives were there standing around the bed.(they kept him in our room in the 2nd floor,as we wasn't there,and it was tough to take him to hospital always from the third floor. he couldn't walk properly after he fell sick.)
i saw chotomummy was holding chotopapa's hand,which was shivering endlessly. she said, ' jaan dekho kon aayi hain tumse milne!.. Ritu!.. dekho!..' but,chotopapa didn't look at me. he was only looking at the ceiling fan. i don't know,what he was trying to find in that fan,which was moving with a very slow speed. he wasn't saying anything. he was supposed to be very happy,seeing me after 2/3 years.but,i couldn't see him smiling.
I sat beside him,hold his other hand,and i said 'chotopapa!'. he still,didn't say anything or didn't even reacted. i started crying making noise. everyone around me,started crying too, keeping hand on my shoulder,saying,'don't worry dear,he'll be alright. he remembers you. he didn't forget you.'
i was wondering,did he really forgot me?
suddenly,that silent room smiles up with wonder, when chotopapa starts shouting on me,saying 'arre o pagli,why are you crying? I am not dead yet. stop crying right now. i didn't forget you!'.. i start smiling,while having tears in my eyes. saying,'no am not crying at all'.

i was very happy at that time, when he called me like 'arre o pagli' as he used to do always. everyone was shocked seeing him talking,after so many days. and most of all,remembering me.
i will never forget about that moment.

He wont ever come back to us. but his memories are with us forever

just like that song,

'iiye yaadein kisi dil-o-janam ke,
chale jaane ke baad aati hain..'


some people says,Good person die soon. may be they are right.

I always pray,wherever chotopapa is now,he stay happily.
I know,he is always there beside me.

I actually dont have a proper ending of this post. don't know,what to write as the end.

so i will end here.

2 comments:

kunalc said...

death is another way to make u feel how precious life can be...treasure it...don b sad watever happens...for the simple reason....that u r alive....i m alive.....we r alive....isnt that a wonderful thing to know......
and yaa don let anybdy die....bodie may become invisible...but its on us to let ppl die.......we can let them live...cant we....[:)]
wish u all the best in life....everything u wish....

~kunnu

lil rain drop said...

@kunnu

yeah,i know what you mean. and this is what i also think. a person's body dies,not their memories, or their presence in our heart. they are always alive in our heart.
and my chotopapa is,for me. :)

thanks. wish you the same!