DEATH CONNECTIONS

No. I am not going to write about features of death like murder, plot, killings etc.. Nor I am going to write about features of death like wars, mercenaries, revolutions and such social equivalent to features of death at individual level.

I cannot claim vast expanse of experience either time wise or space wise. Still with whatever small experience of life that passed my journey, strange phenomena has come to my notice. Just as people are connected by birth or by marriage they are also connected by death. The end of a being has such bonding impact on those who live behind.

I could look at the bond between the victims of 26/11 through their interviews. Its not necessary to come together and form some kind of forum for that. It’s a matter of emotional bond. I am sure the emotions of a war widow can be best understood by another war widow known or unknown. We have lost our young son. We immediately bond with others who have similar fate. It is Just like love at first sight. No introduction is needed. What is true about a husband or a son must also be true about other relations.

Some times death comes from unexpected quarters. Our assistant lost his life while on duty in my office. We were at loss as how to console his mother. To our surprise she thanked my wife for acting as his mother during last moments.

My wife lost her aunt at the ripe age of 90. She died as SUHASINI at that age. Her husband is 98 years old confined to bed but still breathing .Too frail to react. Just tears rolling down silently. The neck is dropped. One does not know weather due to grief or weakness. Is it a bond till the death does them apart? In contrast we come across instances of old patients on death bed counting last moments are removed from the bed and kept on cold floor so the last breath can be hurried.

My maternal uncle has some knowledge of astrology. He knew that he is going to loose one of his son. He had three sons one of whom is dumb. For no reason, he earmarked dumb son for early death. Did almost nothing to educate him. The destiny had something else in store. It was middle son brought up like regular child that died early. The uncle is no more and the dumb boy is now burden on his elder brother. Half knowledge ? Wishful thinking ?

Simple natural deaths with no foul play also have stories to tell. I am sure every one will have stock of them if looked for.

Arvind Khare