30. Misfortune hits hard.


Talat was a frequent visitor to Patna. She had this sugar problem that was  turning her very weak rapidly. This time when she came, doctors were consulted for the treatment of sugar and the weakness she complained about. I found that she had turned  extremely pale.  After staying in Patna for a few days Nuzhat called her to Purnea for a change in surrounding as well as for dedicated medical treatment that was possible there. The two sisters being close in age, had a very strong bond between them.

With the two  children, Sohail brought her to Purnea, I could not immediately go there as very recently I had come from there after a long stay. For a month or so she was under treatment there but no one ever could detect the heart ailment. In the meantime, Tarique and Nuzhat had to come to Patna for Jawaid’s wedding. So they called Sohail to stay in Purnea in the meanwhile.  After Jawaid’s wedding when they were returning to Purnea they asked me to come along. But didn’t mention about the heart problem.

By evening when we reached there and I went in Talat's room, as she saw me she started weeping in unconsolably. I wasn’t expecting anything like this. She looked extremely pail and frail. I tried to cheer her up. She had lost hope. Sometimes in Rajendra Nagar when  they saw a cute young girl at any function Nuzhat would tease her and ask if the girl is ok to be made (Khalid’s) daughter in law,

“I am not destined to see that day.” Was the reply.

Reyaz who had appeared for the job in Saudi Arabia had been selected and after that came to meet Talat in Purnea. When  Reyaz was to return  she again burst into tears. Reyaz said if you weep so much I will not come again to see you. May be they had got the inkling of what was about to come.

Which mother will ever be able to gather courage to describe the  scene of her daughter’s  death? For the last six days I have been sitting every day with the pen and paper in my hands – and fail to proceed further. I think it is beyond me to describe that unfortunate happening.  On 26th Ramazan, in the night of shabe-baraat ages ago, my beloved aunt was taken away by God,  On 28th Ramazan  my beloved daughter was taken away from me.  I have no complaints. His will prevails.

A day after the Eid, this unfortunate Kafila returned to Patna. Nuzhat remained extremely depressed probably under the impression  that is was she who had pressed Talat to be taken to Purnea. I tried to console as much as I could, saying that life and death are in the hands of Allah and beyond any human control. In Patna there always was a good number of visitors who came for the mourning. Most illiterate women folk know only one way of paying their homage is to dig into the wound which the aggrieved wants to forget. In my early days, when my Aapa had passed away and women came to meet Amma, they would invariably try to make my Amman weep all over again after she had just gone silent. I had a deep aversion for this kind of display. So I  kept mum all through and just continued with the “tasbih”

Sharique was still quite young then and Talat had asked Nuzhat to take care of him. So Nuzhat got him admitted to the same school where her own children were studying in Darjeeling.

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