Wednesday 7 March 2012

Anuradha

Finally after 9 days I was out of office on time. As lift reached on ground floor I sweet feminine voice greeted me from elevator’s internal speaker, “Ground Floor, Now the time is 5 45 PM. Have a nice day.” I punched out my card and started my walk towards Metro Station.

Many thoughts started to arise in my mind. Human mind is such a fantastic creation of God. It keeps on thinking even when tired also when you don’t want to think. I thought about my dance classes which ended day before yesterday and if I rejoined, I had one today also. I gave disgusted look to the people smoking on roadside though they didn’t notice me. I crossed a bus stop of DTC (Delhi Transport Corporation)

As I turned right towards metro station, saw setting sun which was brighter than it was few days back. And continue my walk over three garbage heaps which were stinking badly and two hospitals and then I thought to let Manto to continue his story which I left in middle in the morning. Every day I read in commute time in metro. As I found it better than listening to music on headphone. I started a new book, of short stories by Manto, in the morning and was on story ‘Ten Rupees’ where Sarita, main lead of story, was very excited. So I started reading book to join her in her excitement.

I reached metro station at 6:05 PM. Metro towards Jahangirpuri is showing 04 minutes on platform no. 2. First I thought to go on common carriage. But as metro approached platform I thought to go into ladies car as ‘first car on the moving direction is reserved for ladies only’ and ‘male passengers are requested not to board the coach reserved for ladies’ in Delhi Metro. So I ran on platform to reach ladies car but a bit late. Train doors started to close and reminded me another warning used to play inside metro ‘while train doors are closing do not try to board or de-board from the train.’ So I let that train passed and started waiting for next train. And Manto continued telling state of Sarita. Next train came and I boarded into it.

A common scene in metro, as doors open people don’t allow passengers to get down first then rushes inside the train and look here and there for seat, so did I. I searched a seat for myself, and again began to read Manto where Sarita was very happy seeing sea shore, sun set and feeling cool breeze over her face. Train continued to stop at every station people boarded de-boarded and again train started to run from one tube station to next. While reading, my attention broke with the voice of a small child of 3 years. He was on her mother’s lap. That small boy was shouting, annoying his mother. And as usual I thought boys always annoy their parents more than a girl do. Next to her,  sitting a mother with her two years old baby girl. That small boy started playing with small girl while the small girl had full concentration on a toy watch which small boy was holding. Then mother of small boy asked to another mother how old is your daughter? She said, “2 years.” But she was looking life 1 year old. Then lady sitting next to this small girl said “hai to 2 saal ki lekin iski zindagi bs 10-12 saal ki hai. For an instance neither me nor any one in metro understood what she said and what actually she wanted to say. Then she continued, “Aaj to doctor sahab ne keh hi diya k 10 saal ya zyada se zyada 12 saal. Bas isse zyada nhi hai iski zindagi.” Her eyes were moist.
And I along with all the people were numb not in a state to say anything. She was her masi who told us all these things about that girl and she also told us the lady who was holding that girl is mother of the young girl.

Then someone enquired what happened to her. That lady replied that she is having some serious problem with her heart. An operation already had done 5 months back. Then someone asked about her name. Her name was Anuradha.

I was unable to think anything as I looked on her mother; she had a smile on her face. A smile which was saying that what doctors said was not true and her daughter will be absolutely fine.

Then she explained that Anuradha has some critical disorder in her heart structure. So her heart is unable to pump blood in body and pure & impure blood is getting mixed in right side of her heart. So Anuradha gets tired very easily. She told that Anuradha has very sharp mind. She immediately intimates things as she watches someone doing that.

 I was really feeling sad about that young girl who doesn’t know that she has very small life. Today medical science has developed to the extent where even heart transplant is possible. But I didn’t know whether they can bear the cost of medication and hospitalization. But to search cure of a disease comes in mind few minutes later. First reaction on such news is usually very depressing. Anuradha is her first and only child.

 I didn’t say anything to them but just looking at mother. How could she be so patient, so smiling and so normal? Just few minutes back, when she visited doctor in a hope of good news about her daughter’s health, she encountered with the biggest truth of her life?
 I really felt sad about both mother and daughter. I tried to continue story of Manto. But I could not concentrate. I was unable to feel the happiness which Sarita was feeling while driving towards her home. I was again and again thinking about that little girl and her mother.

And then an announcement in metro “Next station is Kashmiri Gate” I stood from my seat, threw a glance on Anuradha then on her mother. Blessed her silently, prayed to God to show some miracle over this family and moved towards another metro towards my room.