When Death comes to Pass........

When Death comes to Pass........

Death had descended.He had done so in his inimitable way-quiet and sudden.This was an approach he used when he did not want his victim to feel his wrath-not entirely atleast.He spread his blanket of sorrow over the household and those bereaved choked under it.He started observing..........

His victim was a mother.She had 3 children.The eldest 10 years.The youngest 4 years.The husband bore a dignified silence.After all,he wasn't expected to lose his control over himself....he was a man.He was expected to make sure that those arriving shortly for one final glimpse of the lady were treated properly-arrange coffee and snacks if possible.

The kids were too young to understand the seriousness of the situation.When the youngest had woken up in the middle of the night,her mother was sleeping with a tender smile on her lips.Now it was almost afternoon.She was still sleeping,sans the smile.The daughter decided that her mother definitely looked better with a smile and went about her routine.Only,she could not understand why her mother was sleeping beyond breakfast time today.

The other two children were at school and had been sent for.The eldest arrived first.He could understand his mother was dead,but it was not actually a bereavement for him.His mind was involved in all sorts of permutations as to how this could affect his daily routine and at a most profound moment,he felt there was no one else to take care of him when Father left for work.He could see a few relatives sobbing around him.He felt he was expected to cry too....but hunger took over and he went inside.

Friends of the husband arrived in a group.Most of them had not seen his wife when she was living.All they could do was pat the husband on his shoulder without uttering a word,for they did not want any statement to be taken in the wrong sense.Diplomacy came first.A few who had the courage just asked "How did this happen?" or "How have your children taken this?"or in a most mundane way, asked "Did you have a coffee atleast?"....The husband could not think of a response most times.Not that anybody wanted him to,either.There was a fire burning in every cell of his body....yet he had to be calm and dignified,inspite of himself.

Then the elders took over.Death throws up leaders out of unexpected people.There are people to decide the course of action.People who decide what happens when,who is the priest to be called,what are the rituals to be performed and more importantly who must perform the rituals.The council unanimously decided that the eldest son must perform the rituals since his thread ceremony was over.No sooner the announcement was made,two aunts of the child went in to brief him about his responsibilities.Thankfully better sense prevailed and the husband volunteered to perform the last rites himself.

A pall of gloom engulfed the household.There the husband was,clad in a dhoti in a sombre mood,trying to get through the last rites before he had to send her away forever.The children were crying now,more influenced by the unhealthy commotion around them.There was their maternal grandmother who was lamenting that she was unfortunate enough to see the birth and death of her daughter........

Ten days had passed.In a corner of the living room was a framed photograph of the mother.The youngest was talking to it.The other two children had started going to school the day after the death.The husband was almost his usual self to the outside world.Little did anyone know that each night his resolve burst and he cried eternally after putting the youngest to sleep,answering her curious questions about mother.In some corner of his parents' mind, a buzz had begun about getting their son married again.On the one hand,he felt a crushing anger about them.On the other he knew it was just blind affection..........

Death patted himself on the back for his handiwork.When he was there as expected,people almost brushed him aside.But when he was at his stealthiest,he was respected,almost revered.Having successfully cast a lasting impression on this household,Death finally left with his blanket of sorrow- tucked under his powerful arm- for future use.

And no sooner had he left,the household saw the birth of a beautiful girl child.....

-To a Mother survived by her children