Chapter 10
Vishal and Vinita were deeply saddened by Sandhya's sudden death as they had a very emotional relationship with Sandhya. All three spent a lot of time together happily. Both of them had returned to the hotel from the hospital. On reaching the hotel, Vishal informed his team members about Sandhya's accidental death and asked them to reach Sandhya's last rites in the afternoon if possible. He then called uncle Pratap Singh informing him of Sandhya's death as Pratap Singh had a daughter-like feeling for Sandhya. Pratapsingha was speechless for a while after hearing this, then he told Vishal that he was taking care of himself, I am leaving for Pithoragarh tomorrow morning. Sandhya's last rites should not take place before my arrival. I want to have my daughter's last darshan. After talking to Pratap Singh, Vishal and Vinita sat silently for a long time. They had no desire to eat but on the insistence of Rachna and Siddhidevi, they ate a little. After a while, Sukesh Acharya called that he has reached Pithoragarh and checked in at a hotel close to his hotel. So he will come to meet tomorrow morning. Vishal replied that his secretary and friend Sandhya has died in a road accident last night and her cremation will take place tomorrow and he does not want to do any good work tomorrow so he will meet Sukesh not tomorrow but the next day. Sukesh agrees and says that he will meet Vishal the next day. After disconnecting the phone, Vishal starts to think that the hills of Pithoragarh had taken away his third relative in a road accident. Years ago, his parents died in a road accident while they were coming to Pithoragarh. Vishal didn't know much about the cause of his parents' death, that much he knew. His parents had gone to Pithoragarh for some work and their car met with an accident on the way. Their car was pushed into a deep valley. Vishal was only three years old when his parents died and was brought up by his uncle Pratap Singh. And he didn't even get married so that Vishal could take care of him peacefully. Vishal had become his life. When Vishal asked him about the death of his parents, he avoided the matter without discussing it much. Vishal had no idea about his death, Pratap Singh only said that. Your parents had a love marriage. Since your mother and our caste are different, your grandparents and paternal grandparents ended their relationship with your mother. Today this mountain took away from him his best friend and guide. Sandhya and Vishal met ten years ago. Vishal needed a secretary for himself because Vinita had given birth to a child so she could not go for fieldwork with Vishal to take care of the child so she suggested Vishal to hire a secretary for himself. Following an advertisement given by Vishal, Sandhya came for an interview and Vishal and Vinita appointed her as secretary after seeing her knowledge and good nature. Within a short time, Sandhya became an integral part of Vishal and his team. Vishal and Vinita let Sandhya stay in their vacant flat. Taking Vasantavila was Vishal's personal work though Sandhya helped him in it. Even before this, Sandhya had risked her life and supported Vishal in many projects. Sandhya was very close to Vishal and Vinita. Vinita was also lost in the thought of Sandhya. Sandhya was not just an employee but her younger sister to her. Tears were flowing in her eyes. Vishal and Vinita were lost in the thought of Sandhya. There was no sign of sleep in the eyes of both of them, but considering that the body was doing its work, it was not known when both of them fell asleep due to exhaustion. The next day, when Vinita's eyes opened, it was already nine o'clock in the morning. She woke up Vishal and herself went to the bathroom to freshen up. Both of them got ready in about an hour and reached Siddhidevi's room. They requested Siddhidevi to help Sandhya's cremation with full scriptural rites. Siddhidevi assured Sandhya's funeral will be according to the scriptural ceremony. Then Bharat and Vishal Siddhidevi reached the market of Pithoragarh to buy the necessary items for the funeral as per the list given. In about two hours, both of them came to the hotel with the funeral goods. Siddhidevi has checked all the luggage, nothing is left. It was almost twelve o'clock in the afternoon. Vishal's office team members had arrived. Pratap Singh also received a call that he would reach the hotel in about fifteen minutes. Vishal called the hospital and requested Sandhya's dead body from the morgue to be taken to the crematorium and they would reach the crematorium in an hour. Pratap Singh had reached the hotel and Vishal told him that Sandhya had risked her life to save our lives. He hugged Pratap Singh and cried. Pratap Singh also had tears in his eyes. He reassured Vishal that before God we are helpless son what was meant to happen happened. Now we have to act with courage. Then everyone left for the cremation ground. Soon all the people reached the cross road near the cremation ground. Vishal called the hospital and took the number of the hearse driver and called him and said that we are standing at the cross road near the crematorium, so please come to the cross road. In response to not coming to the crematorium, the driver said I am on the way and will reach there in ten minutes. In no time, the funeral procession arrived. Siddhidevi said that all the women will have their last darshan of Sadgat here in the funeral vessel and all the men will leave Sandhya and take them to the crematorium from here. Vishal, if you give the cremation to Sandhyasingh, all the rest of the scriptural rites will be done by Bharata. All the people paid their last respects to Sandhya Singh and prepared her for a final farewell by offering flower garlands. All the women stopped there and the men gave a nod to Nami and proceeded towards the crematorium. After reaching the crematorium, a pyre was prepared and Sandhya was laid on the pyre and Bharata started chanting according to the scriptural rituals. As Pratap Singh considered Sandhya as his daughter, he set Sandhya on fire. In about four hours, everyone returned to the hotel for the evening's final rites. After arriving at the hotel, they all gathered in the hotel banquet hall and ate the simple food prepared. After settling the meal, everyone went to their respective rooms and the members of Vishal's office were to leave for Dehradun the next day.
