5
“The cardiologist will be coming in some time,” said Rajesh to Deepika and Veena. “Till then papa will be on ventilator.”
“Oh my! What has happened so suddenly,” Veena said crying.
“Don’t worry mummyji, everything will be fine. My Ram is there, He’ll make things right,” Deepika said trying to console Veena. Veena gave an ugly look but refrained from commenting.
Just then a group of doctors went inside the ICU. After a while when they came, Rajesh and Deepika were full of questions. However, without letting them speak, one of the doctors said, “We are doing the best we can.”
Rajesh and Deepika followed him to his chamber. “Mr. Rajesh, we have called our super specialist. He’ll be reaching soon. Till then your father is on medication.”
“Should we take a private room for him? Does he have to undergo some investigations? Will he need surgery?” Rajesh was full of questions.
“Don’t panic Mr. Rajesh. Be calm! Why don’t you both keep your stuff here in my cabin and wait outside the ICU?” said the doctor.
“OK, doctor saab,” replied Deepika.
They all waited outside the ICU tensed, stressed but trying to be hopeful. Just then they saw some doctors approaching towards them. They went past Rajesh and entered the ICU. When they came out after a while, it seemed like ages to Rajesh and his family.
“Mr. Rajesh, your father needs an angiography. You were really lucky to reach in time. He has escaped from a major disaster. It’s my opinion that he will recover very soon,” said the cardiologist. His words were like an elixir to the ears. His serene presence had such a calming effect that Rajesh soon forgot his tension.
“Really doctor?” exclaimed Rajesh. “I….I don’t know how to thank you?”
“Oh well you have already done that,” he smiled and said.
Rajesh and Deepika looked perplexed.
“Ha ha! I’ll tell you how. Well when I reached hospital I was very hungry. Then I could smell the delicious smell of kheer from your bags in the doctor’s cabin. Oh! What a delicious kheer, I ate all. No wonder I was in such a good mood,” he exclaimed laughingly.
“Just relax. We will do an angiography and monitor your father for a day or two. If all is well, you can take him home soon,” assured the cardiologist and went for his further rounds.
Rajesh shared this news with his mother and all of them took a deep breath.
“Thank you Ram,” said Deepika in an undertone.
By evening angiography reports revealed a minor block in the cardiac arteries. Doctors claimed that it could be treated with medications, no surgery was needed. Such news brought reassurance to the family and everyone managed a faint smile. Jamuna Prasad was awake and was allowed to meet his family members.
“Papa, I’m so happy you are OK,” said Rajesh. “Now please take your medicines on time.”
“Yes beta, I will,” said Jamuna Prasad in his faint and weak voice.
“You rest papaji, we are there for you. We will wait outside,” said Deepika.
Veena was speechless. She was just sobbing.
The trio came out of the ICU.
“Thank God. All’s well that ends well. I just hope papa gets well soon,” exclaimed Rajesh.
“Yes, everything will be fine soon,” said Deepika.
“Deeps, you take mummy home with you. You both take rest. I’ll manage here, as it is there’s no place to stay here,” said Rajesh.
“Yes, we’ll go. I’ll send you dinner through Sonu. Just call us if there’s any emergency,” saying this Deepika left for home with her mother-in-law.
6
It was 9 o’ clock at night when Deepika and Veena reached home. The coldness of the winter had crept in and the night was dark, cold and gloomy.
“Mummyji, come let’s have some food,” Deepika called Veena, setting the dinner table ready. Veena came from her room with a heavy heart and a sad face.
“Don’t feel like eating,” her voice was coarse as if she was sobbing a while ago.
“Eat little bit. I’ve sent food for Rajesh also. Papaji will be fine. Don’t worry,” said Deepika trying to console Veena.
“I….I was wondering….,” said Veena as she sat for dinner “Is your God angry with me?”
“I mean I made fun of your Ram. Did He do all this to teach me a lesson?” cried Veena with a heavy voice.
“No mummyji,” replied Deepika with empathy in her eyes, “God never takes revenge. Please don’t think like this. Everything will be fine. You’re…. you’re just stressed.” Deepika went to Venna and hugged her tightly. She too had tears in her eyes.
“People do remember God when hardship arises,” she thought.
After dinner they went to sleep.
Veena was lying on her bed, thinking, contemplating, unable to sleep.
“I shouldn’t have made a fun of someone’s faith. It’s my fault. It’s my entire fault. It’s my entire fault. It’s my entire fault. It’s my……,” and she started sobbing.
The night didn’t seem to end. It was chilly, harsh and unpleasant. It appeared as if the gloom inside the heart was pouring itself out in the environment. The microcosm and the macrocosm seemed so much in harmony with each other. Disease and sickness brought with them an uncertainty. Though everyone knows that death must arrive one day, yet they feel that the truth is not meant for them.
Veena’s mind was also clouded. She was unable to realize what bothered her more. Was it her husband’s sickness or her mockery for Deepika. Her thoughts were galloping like a race horse at the end of finish line.
“Veena……,” she heard a male voice calling her.
She turned around and saw a beautiful face, dark complexioned, serene and calm. He wore the most beautiful red embellished attire that she had ever seen. Oddly though he wore a huge gold crown adorned with various jewels, diamonds and lapis lazuli.
“Rrrrrr….Ram… Are you Lord Ram….,”muttered Veena.
The figure just laughed. At first the laughter was a faint giggle which then turned into a bubbly laugh. Then it became a strong guffaw and suddenly there was a deafening loud monstrous laugh all around.
The figure had suddenly changed. He was no more a beautiful prince, but a huge dark monster, dressed in black attire. He had long moustache and two dark curvy horns emerging from his head. A huge mace in one hand, he held the ropes of his bull in his other hand.
“Veena…,” he growled in his heavy voice.
Veena was screaming, but it appeared as if voice didn’t come out from her vocal cords.
Startled, Veena jumped from her bed. Awake, afraid and shocked, she found herself sitting on her bed.
It was morning and Deepika was doing her daily chores.
Ting-tong. Ting-tong. The door bell rang twice. Veena searched for Deepika, but when she did not find her, she went to answer the door bell.
She found a young man standing at the door. For once she thought that she saw him in her dream.
“Who are you?” asked Veena.
“Ram…,” he replied.
Veena just burst out screaming and ran inside the house.
Hearing her scream, Deepika rushed out.
“What happened mummyji….,”she asked.
“Ghost…ghost…,” Veena screamed frantically and went to her room.
“Who are you?” asked Deepika to the stranger.
“I’m Mr. Sharma’s driver, Ram. Rajeshji asked me to drop you to the hospital. The car is waiting for you.”
“Oh, OK. I’ll come in 10-15minutes. Please wait,” replied Deepika.
7
It was 10:00 am when Deepika reached the hospital.
“Oh, you came!” said Rajesh as he saw her. “The cardiologist came on round. He said everything is fine. By tomorrow they’ll shift him in private ward and then discharge after two days.”
“Yes, I’ll look after here. You go home and rest. Food is there in kitchen.”
“OK,” replied Rajesh.
“Rajesh, I feel mummyji is not feeling well. She looked scared in the morning. Take care of her. She needs you,” Deepika spoke her concern to Rajesh.
“Yes, I will. Don’t worry,” said Rajesh and left for home.
Once Rajesh left Deepika sat in front of the Lord Ram idol in the hospital, contemplating.
“Lord Ram! What a day it was yesterday! Where were you? I was waiting for you and see what all happened,” thought Deepika.
She closed her eyes and sat there thinking about Lord Ram. Sometimes, the fear of losing a life makes you realize the importance of life, of relations, of all the values taught in childhood and of a super power governing all life.
‘There is always an ongoing debate in the mind about the existence of God, but when things are out of human mind to interpret, the birth of a supreme power takes place. What is it? Is it God, or supernatural being, or self consciousness or just a myth? The answer lies within the depths of one’s mind. Only a leap of faith is needed.’
Immersed in her thoughts, Deepika heard a voice approaching her ears.
“I came, Deepika. Your kheer and laddus were delicious.”
Deepika got startled. She rubbed her eyes to see if she was dreaming again. Looked at the idol again, which was still casting His soothing smile over her.
“Did you just speak?” gazed Deepika at the idol.
“Listen to your inner voice Deepika, don’t get startled. You will find your answers,” the voice appeared again as if from nowhere.
Deepika just sat staring at the idol and closed her eyes.
“I came to you Deepika many times in the day.
Just gaze back at your day and remember. Every time you gave me your scrumptious kheer and laddus.
I was there in your brother Ashwin, who makes you smile every day.
I was there in your neighbour’s son, Sonu, who consoled your family in times of need.
I was there in the ambulance driver who carried your father-in-law and you safely to the hospital.
I was there in the cardiologist who saved your father-in-law.
Above all I was there in your mother-in-law who provoked you to make such delicious kheer and laddu. How else would have got this chance to eat such delicious food?
I was there and I’m still there around you. I will always be there around you. You just have to see. Open your inner eyes, Deepika! You will find me everywhere.
Do you need someone to challenge you to see and prove me? No, my dear, I’m always there and you don’t need to prove it.
As you said, a leap of faith is needed.
Leap my dear child, you’ll find me.”
Deepika was smiling with eyes closed. She had a tranquil smile, calm and unperturbed; a smile which seemed to wash off the entire inner agony, and pervaded through the spirit its soothing effect.
“Yes, My Ram came! Yes, He came to me!
Jai Shri Ram.”
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