Dear Departed

The auditorium thundered in applause. The young lady in off-white saree stood there, all smiles. Her tryst with life now bore fruits. Innumerable awards, lot many recognitions and  huge fan following as the country's most potent writer. Antara Mukherjee-She was a sensation of the generation.

The host of the evening, made her seated and asked, if she could tell about the source of that immaculate love, which filled all her impeccable works. And she started narrating another common yet uncommon odyssey of love.

"It were the days, when i struggled with my dreams and toiled for my passion. The only support i had, was the love of my life. My husband. It was a love marraige, without the consent of either of the families. While he worked for his career in a 10 long hour job in an IT firm, i took the household along with my pen and notebook, with a desire to carve something out, that shall make its own space in the world of literature. We weren't very rich at bank balance but were rich in passion and love. We had learnt it well to design our own haven under the hills.

One evening, scarlet clouds, took over the sky. He had just returned home after a tiresome day. I had some urgent shopping requirements but looking at my hubby and the weather, i was reluctant. But then, he held my hand and said, "Your dreams shouldn't stop, at any condition. They are meant to be lived." So within 15 minutes, off we were on his bike, to the nearest super market. After the shopping chore, my eyes fell on the road side roasted corn on the cob and we had to have that. Cool breeze, warm corn, a rather peaceful shade of a tree, in the busy street. How well i remember that fateful evening!

After some we-time with the corns, the tragedy of my life, had to come over. My husband met with an accident and i lost him forever, just within a blink, to mere carelessness of the driver,on the spot. Grief, knew no bounds. In the engulfing city of Bombay, i sat alone on the road, at the age of 26, desperate and desolate, crying over his corpse, unable to believe that i just saw. My world of pleasant dreams shattered forever.

Ashish, my husband left behind his mark in me, as i realised that i was pregnant with our son, Aayan after a few days of his demise. Seeking help from my ageing parents and being the burden of their old days was never my option. I could remember his glittering eyes, dreaming of my success. I chose our love over life, our dreams over destiny, and today after ten years, I stand as a person, enriched, enlightened and endowed by love from the memories of my dear, departed husband."

The audience gave in another loud round of applause. Seated somewhere amidst the young adults, love was proud that day for having lived in the departed.