16. Rajendra Nagar
As we came over to Patna from Muzaffarpur, we stayed in the first floor
flat of Hassoo’s house in Rajendra Nagar. We stayed there for almost 15 years.
After Muzaffarpur, this flat was not spacious enough to manage our entire
family. Somehow, we could manage as the house belonged to a close relative.
Nazim and his family were staying in a portion of Dulha Bhai’s house. Nazim’s
health was still a matter of concern. To make the situation worst, he developed
kidney stone. When the pain aggravated, the doctors advised for
surgery. His blood sugar level was pretty high which had to be controlled
first. Dr. Menhdi Nawab was the Registrar of the Surgical ward where he was
admitted and Senior surgeon Dr. U.P.Singh performed the operation. A servant
was kept for taking care. Alternate nights, Nawab of Sabzi Bagh and Doctor
Saheb would sleep in the hospital. The operation was successful and stones were
removed but the wound will just not heal due to sugar problem. Nazim was always
careless about his diet and that led to very high sugar levels. The condition
deteriorated from bad to worse. After 15 days of operation, Nawab called in the
morning to inform of his death at 2 in the night. He faced hardship and ill
health in the latter part of his life. Eventually it was all over.
Aslam and Sufi were admitted to schools. As Manjhli Dulhin’s mourning
period was over, news came from Aligarh that her father’s condition was
precarious and he wanted her to come back to Aligarh. The way life moves a full
circle, only Allah knows the motive behind. She was born with a
silver spoon and her father was Postmaster General. She was the only sister
amongst 9 brothers. They all never bothered to look after the welfare of the
sister even after her husband passed away. She was called back only when the
condition of her father went bad and she was needed to take care of him.
Right from Nuzhat to Ejaz, all the marriages were performed from this
Rajendra Nagar residence. When we came to Patna, Shahnaz was admitted to Magadh
Mahila College and Nikhat and Ejaz to schools. Nuzhat got shifted from
Darbhanga to Patna in the 4th year of MBBS Course. That was the
final year of Reyaz. As we came to Patna, plenty of matrimonial offers started
coming for Reyaz. Nuzhat, however, was to be married first.
I was always been very compatible with Hassoo. Now that we were living on
two floors of the same house, the bond was further strengthened. We would go to
the market together and the monthly groceries were purchased in combined
manner.
Neyaz had qualified in a couple of competitive exams for admission to
Engineering colleges in South India. As he was about to leave to join the
college, Doctor Saheb who was still in Muzaffarpur came to see him off. A day
before the departure, Neyaz Got the message that he had also qualified for
admission to B.Pharma. That night I saw Doctor Saheb worried as he kept smoking
and strolling in the balcony all through the night. In those day thousands of
Engineers were not able to get a proper job. Eventually he made up his mind in
favor of Pharmacy.
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Chapter
INDEX.------------------------------------
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