Sunil R P Sethi
From childhood he lived a very tough and hard life. He was an orphan who served as domestic help to make his two ends meet . Getting educated was his dream but life never gave him opportunity of such a luxury. From domestic help he travelled to an assistant in a shop of his master but salary was too meagre.
On coming of age, he got married to Sita who herself was working as domestic help but she was a refined lady whose ideas and ideals about life were very clear. She was also illiterate but educated by school called life . They worked together to make things happen and life became comfortable though tiring . Then they were blessed with their a son Gaurav and they both had dream of giving him life which they never got .
He had collected some money by the time from savings and decided to take a shop on rent but was still short of money . His master also helped but that was just too less for establishing the shop . Despite his opposition, Sita made him to sell her gold ornaments which she had brought in marriage and also what he had given . So the shop was purchased and he started in a small way though independently. Sita left her job to take care of Gaurav to give him best what they could .
Life smiled on them and their happiest day came when Gaurav was admitted to school . He was so happy to see his name in school register as father of a student . By this time, he had learnt to sign his name in English though he had no idea of words . Time flew and brought mor1e good news as Gaurav was good in studies and was always in top three rankings in his class . He got distinction in Matriculation exams and then qualified for Engineering course . Arranging fee was little difficult but he managed . Now son of two illiterate servants is going to have high position in society. Gaurav was also a dutiful son who understood the sacrifices made by his parents .
Their eyes were living dreams of future of Gaurav settling and bringing respect and reputation to them . That was his favourite past time and his only intoxicant as he never smoked or used any intoxicant in life . Two pairs of eyes were looking a dream but one got shut prematurely because of cancer when Gaurav was in final year . Both he and Gaurav were shattered but they supported each other out of catastrophe.
Life again started moving . Gaurav after completing education got a Govt job. High moral standard taught by Sita never left Gaurav who served as honest officer in department which was infamous of corruption . His honesty gave him reward as he was always posted in far flung areas so as not to create impediment in smooth working system of department. Gaurav brought his first salary with him and gave it to children’s home in Ambphalla and then took promise of never being given salary unless needed by him which never came. His necessities in life were too less and shop was giving him enough to take care . He had taken loan on shop from bank for education of Gaurav but never told him . He wanted to pay loan himself and not from salary of Gaurav . Educating son was his responsibility and his self respect would never allow him to take money from his son for that.
When Gaurav brought Alia home as the girl whom he wanted to marry , he welcomed her with open heart and she was taken in family as daughter who was always missing . Birth of grand daughter brought unmatched happiness in his life . He saw spirit of his Sita reborn . The little angel was named Sita, though it was old fashioned by modern standard but his desire was honoured with respect by Gaurav and Alia . He started closing his shop two hours in advance to be with Sita for more times . Sita also recognised him more than even Alia who was busy with her job too .
When Sita was less than two years old she was detected with malignancy which was at inception stage and could have been cured . Money involved however was astronomical at 12 lacs . With advance withdrawal from his GP fund and savings Gaurav could arrange only 5 Lacs. Getting rest of money was difficult.
May be Gaurav could ask his father to sell shop but he knew sentimental attachment of his father with shop which was last memory of his mother. He was thinking if could have sold shop to save his Sita but that was not possible as shop was mortgaged . Time had come to reveal this to Gaurav as there was no other way out . But he was looking for one with all honesty
It came through his regular customer Dr. Gupta who informed him that one of his patients and a very rich person is suffering from renal failure of both kidneys and can survive only if kidney transplant takes place which was depending upon someone donating his kidney . Blood group was same – B positive . Hospital in Delhi was charging 30 Lacs for transplant out of which half will be given to donar.
That night was longest night in his life. Night of decision. How far he can go to save Sita . Next day he showed his desire to Gaurav to go for Tirth Yatra to char Dham for recovery of Sita and told him he will be back after two months but told him to collect seven lacs from Doctor Gupta with whom he had kept money , after a week . Gaurav cried as did Alia . Sita started sobbing when she found everyone crying .
He returned after two months. Surgery and treatment of Sita was going on and she was recovering . He was still left with 8 lacs and one kidney . He paid 4 lacs to release his shop from mortgage of bank . Rest four lacs he deposited in fixed deposit for marriage of Sita when time would come . Gaurav never knew what his father had done for him during his life time. It was only on Uthala of his father in July 2005 that he was told about what his father had done. without even saying a word and without letting them know , by Dr Gupta who had promised to his father not to reveal the truth but it had become difficult for him to shield the truth . He gradually purchased a house and named it Keshav Niwas . Spirit of his father Keshav lives their with his family particularly Sita who is now healthy and studying in Presentation Convent School .
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