Ghazals Of Ghalib

The Almighty Of Rekhta

Mirza Asadullah Khan (Ghalib)-27-12-1797(Agra) To 15-02-1869 (Delhi)

OTHER LINKS

Indian Classical Music
 

My Maternal Grand Mother page 2.

 

(1968)

 

{Kolkata (Noihatee, Madral)]

 

 

But hardly I had paddled the bicycle a minute, back tyre became punctured. Again I went back to Shyamal and returned the bicycle and started walking taking torch and umbrella .

 

Granny was very fond of me. She loved me too much. Thinking about these things, I covered a fair distance. Torch battery became drained. At a distance in front of me, in the dark the shadow of the mohalla was visible. I increased my speed.

 

When I covered some more distance further, I saw somebody with a lantern and an umbrella was moving in granny's field. My God! After a fair time, I saw a human being.

 

When I reached near that person, realized It was Kamla aunty. The mother of Kamla aunty was a housemaid in granny's home. She was a widow. At the age of 15 Kamla aunty was married off. And at the age of 19 she was widowed. Her In-laws threw her out of the home.

 

There was no one to take care of her. By that time her mother also died. 

Nowhere to go. Kamla aunty  came back to my granny. My granny asked her to live there as her mother used to be. She used to take great care of me whenever I was there. At that time she was 62.

 

Me:- Kamla aunty what you are doing here at this time in the rain? She looked at me. Her eyes were dripping. It was rainwater or tear, was not clear.

 

She started crying after seeing me. Oh, Babloo you came. Go to home first. Your granny is no more. I came to check the field. You go. I will follow you.

 

I started crying and running toward the home.

 

Crying I reached the home. Granny's dead body was kept in the drawing-room. Family members and neighbors were there.

 

I started crying helplessly. It was the first time in my life, I was losing a family member. Everyone started consoling me while crying themselves.

 

A few times later I was offered water. 

 

My elder maternal uncle:- Babloo, you came alone in this dark rainy night. Felt no fear?

 

Me:- What fear? If a 62 years old lady can visit field alone in this situation, then I am a young man.

 

Uncle:- 62 years old! Who?

 

Me:- Kamla aunty, who else?

 

Pin drop silence.

 

My mom, aunties came to me hastily. Started touching my  head, back and seeing in my eyes.

 

Me:- What happened? Why you all are acting like this?

 

Uncle:- Your granny left for heavenly abode at 6.20 pm. And your Kamla aunty died at 3.50 pm.

 

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