A little goes a long way

Wg Cdr JS Bhalla (retd)

IN 1957, I moved to Kanpur to pursue my studies and stayed with my sister’s family. My stay brought me closer to the family and her three children, including her son who was closest to my heart.

A few days ago, my sister, who is staying with her son in Hyderabad, called up to inform me about the upcoming wedding of her grandson in Delhi. Considering this as an opportunity to meet my ageing sister, we decided not to miss the occasion. On the day of the wedding, we reached  the venue and my nephew said he would escort me to my room. But I insisted on paying regards to my sister before moving to the room. 

She was relaxing on the bed when we entered her room. She got up, and putting an arm around me, blessed me with tremendous warmth: “Khush  raho.” Choked with emotions, I touched her feet, tears rolling down my cheeks, as I went down memory lane.

The next day, the wedding was solemnised in a gurdwara. There was  great excitement among the relatives for the last wedding in the family. It was a grand wedding with lots of eating, drinking and dancing. While the guests were still enjoying the party, my nephew told his mother that he was exhausted and was going to his room for some rest. Later in the afternoon, the newlywed couple arrived at  the retreat with a band  in attendance.  

A message was sent to call the groom’s father. Unusual shrieks   from the room indicated something terrible had happened. The heart-breaking news trickled down in the lobby that the father was no more. It was a tragedy too deep for words. All were in shock; a pall of gloom descended on the lobby. A tsunami had hit the family. There is nothing more painful than the  untimely death of someone so dear to you. The body was  taken  to hospital where the doctor declared  him brought dead. The final chapter of an unpredictable journey called life came to an end. Death is an integral part of life, but when it comes, it brings along a storm in the family, wrecking it. 

After emotions had subsided, my niece walked towards the bride and  escorted her to the lobby where close relatives had assembled. She was made comfortable in those complex circumstances and was told that after anand karaj, she had become a member of that family.

The concept of a mother-in-law has changed with the times. My niece did not act like a traditional mother-in-law, blaming the new bahu for the tragedy, but was affectionate in welcoming her even after the tragedy. A cordial relation between a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can change the old perception that has been prevailing in our country since long.