A way to Heaven

What people of my age often reminisce about is the time they had spent with their grandparents (nana & nani). They tell how their grandpa/ma’s narrated them stories to get them into sleep or how they used to relish spending time listening to them and hoe they used to scold their moms and supporting them in the silliest thing they did. In vacations too, most of my friends usually visited their grandparents. But here I am, standing aloof with this brigade of my peers. I was around three months old (as told by my mum) when my nani left for heavenly aboard.

Albeit I had my nanaji, I wasn’t as close to him as generally people are as I hardly used to meet him, for he lived somewhere else than with my uncles. So, I never got a chance to spend some time with him. And I was too small, perhaps 5-6 years old, when I was in a constant touch with him. So I don’t remember that time. After that I met him at the time of my eldest uncle’s death, three years back. I never had that close bond with him. I was aware of his presence but had no clue as too where he was or his well being.

My mom often told me how great he was. He had been, perhaps, the most loyal, veracious and a dependable man in uniform. She says that he epitomizes a perfect honest officer. He was so benevolent that he had never hurt even a thief behind the bars. In his life, he had achieved a lot of admiration, respect and applause. And this is what makes me feel proud. But I lost him too. The day (14^th June ’08) is a dark page in the diary of my life. Though I never had that affectionate and loving bond that a usual pair of grandfather and granddaughter has, still I feel that ‘YES!’ somewhere, somebody was there in my life, who has gone beyond my reach. I saw my mother craving to catch a last glimpse of her dad, weeping and fainting every now and then, and that scene still makes my heart beat faster. I just can’t imagine how she must have been feeling after the loss of her man, who brought her in this world. I pray that he remains happy and peaceful where he is. I MISS HIM!!