Adieu Kamal Maushi

Today is Ram Navmi. While going to Ram temple, I mentioned about the possibility of being named after Lord Rama if born on this day. The thought of those who pass away on this day did not occur. I considered you a fortunate to get prompt medical attention and cure on this auspicious day.

New England journal of medicine states that out of nearly 2 million and odd Angioplasty procedures carried out in the world, only 0.5% face mortality. I wonder why you have to in that small fraction.

During the prime of your youth, you dodged a certain death several times despite being riddled with shortage of resources and lack of proximal medical care. And now when you had an access to both, you let the death clasp you so quickly. If I were to ask this question now, your most predictable response reverberates in my mind " kai karnar ? Nashib Aaple! - What can one do? It’s our luck".

I have so many memories that span from my early childhood images till the last week's telephone interaction over chain snatching incident. I remember your buying wooden red bus in Belgaum for me at my age of 3 plus and getting shout from my mom. Spending out hours to drill in my head basic arithmetic principles of calculating total cost of postage stamps , envelopes etc, doing your best to shield me from my mother for my wrath provoking acts, creating a dancing girl from the plastic wrapper of ' Ravalgaon Toffee '. I was witness to your life's spectrum from your youth till your end as much you have been to my birth till mid age. Your image of two pony tailed slim woman studying for BEd to qualify as a teacher, my sharing of your special wedding couples ice cream (That was an era of milk shortage and one had to take police approval for serving ice cream at the public reception) , your setting up of marital home and everyone waddling through waist high rain water , visiting almost fortnightly and savoring 'solachi kadhi and bhaat' , seeing your children being raised under watchful eyes, observing your fortitude in taking the charge of family after prematurely losing the support of your beloved husband. In all these years, our association was always bordered on fun, frolic and banter filled with silly jokes. I couldn't stop making fun even at the chain snatching incident of last fortnight. But this was the first time; I could feel rattling of your confidence that always accompanied you in most adverse conditions. Now so many memories flash by as I am numbed of your sudden and tragic disappearance from my life. A Marathi proverb ' Mai Maro, Maushi Jago - loosely in English would be - let your aunt live longer than your mom'. Those who have chirpy and youthful aunts like yours would vouch for this proverb.

The memories are far too vivid to let your existence go away. My heart goes out to Juhee and Tanvi who spend their wonderful childhood in your company. I also rue that Akshta won't have an opportunity to imbibe your liveliness. For my mother, she lost her umbilical link of her 'right to ask someone with an authority'. My heart goes out to Viraj and Sameer who were overeager to give more comforts and international travel that you cherished since the days of History and Geography teaching. I can feel the helplessness of Sweta of not changing the clinical outcome after managing such situations many times. I can sense sincere and heartfelt loss for those who were in your contact in day to day life.

I would have hated to lose you anytime but helpless as we mortal human beings are, we have no say in such matters of the Almighty. I take some solace that if it were to be some day - nothing would have been better than ' Ram Navmi'. And I know your pet response would have been ‘see my luck!’

Kamal Maushi, I shall miss you and your presence all my life.

P.S. Charulata Salgaonkar nee Kamal Sakhalkar is my maternal aunt who passed away just few hours ago. The cause was internal bleeding after successfully undergoing angioplasty procedure after swift prognosis. Born in Belgaum, she was with us from Nasik, Sangamner, Andheri till she settled in Kurla and then Govandi.