Grandpaa

During the pandemic Dadaji was not doing good. Every night while laying down on the bed, there always remained a fear 

“Raat ko agar nind aagye or unko kch cheye hua toh, pata kase chlega.” 

But after few days he is fine. Every evening we sat together and ate snacks. We fought over little things every day. I giggle with him a lot or spray water on him. I always kept him busy with little cute mischief . He called me Mithu. In our entire family we both use to sleep late, when everyone slept in the entire family, we would be awake cooking and enjoying the food i made for both of us. 

It was the time of my Roka. He was very happy, and I was grateful to god coz my entire family was with me. I came to the venue in the same car as Dadaji. He always wanted to see his Mithu getting married. During those days he was not doing well., but we all were together. He enjoyed lots of lemon pickle on that day. Later he went to Jind with Dadi but after 2 days he came back with us coz Dadi was not well he had heart attack, so Papa bought them back to us. 

He was losing his memory he started calling me Rockey (youngest daughter of Dadaji). He started sleeping during day and at night he talked to himself. He became very lazy. One day we was not ready to bath but dadi convinced him, but in the bathroom he slipped down and i could hear them fighting.

So, I ran to check what happened. We made him sit on the stool and bath. That day I dressed him up. Since that day, I use to make him bath gave him medicines he was comfortable with. He kept calling me Mithu and sometimes Rockey 

“pani Dede” kch khan dan dede”. 

My marriage date is fixed. I told him he said

 “menu vi nave kapde lene pane ne” 

My bua’s got new kurta pajama which he tried and new slippers too. He was excited for the marriage, he went to Jind for few days. I was in office and that days I didn't feel good, I didn’t  want to go to office that day but I went anyway.

I received a call from my brother, but I was unable to pick up as I was in the meeting room. So, I called him back and as he said those words “Dadaji is no more” my heart crumbled. It felt like

 “kya bol rha hai 2 din phle toh woh gye hai” 

I was not able to accept it I was helpless i was overwhelmed, it felt as if 

"sab khatm hogya hai" family ends. I called my fiancé and told him everything. I was not ready for this I didn’t want to let him go. I called my brother, he came to my office and then we booked a cab to Jind. we reached and my eyes couldn’t process what i was seeing. There he was, laying lifeless in a glass box covered with quilt. Till a day before he was fine and now all of a sudden he is no more.

Everyone came, said good bye but I still couldn’t accept it 

“Abhi toh merko unke sath bhaut sare masti krni thi bhaut kuch humne sath mai khana tha” or “ meri shadi uska kya” “ woh new dresses jo ap laye the woh uska kya. Dadaji ase mat jao please Dadaji.”

 

He is the head of our family and now how can he move on from us how. How can he leave us like this. Why God Why.” Everyone around was crying my Dadi is losing herself. Our home will not be the same anymore, the home i grew up in, will be shut. I didn’t want to leave this place. 

We all sat the whole night around him. Next morning Bhaiji came from Gurudwara he had done some Ardas. All male members gave a final bath and then we all headed to cremation ground to bid a final goodbye to Dadaji. This good bye is very hard to say… and even till today I can’t look at the home, his pictures the same. I miss you Dadaji.. Hope you are in happy family now…