Death is inevitable, but the death of any near and dear ones is always sad and shocking. The death of my younger brother Shrinand, which occurred in the morning of 22nd of August has shocked and benumbed me. He was nearly four years younger than me and was the youngest among all brothers. He died young at the age of only 58. He was a carefree person, particularly in his younger days. He remained almost untouched of the worldliness and that was the reason that he hardly got bothered by the damages and difficulties in the worldly life.
He did not possess high academic degrees but due to his self-studies, he developed a good understanding of literature, social values, political ups and downs, changing trends of the society and unfortunate rupturing of the family bonds and relations. He was a good connoisseur of the qualities of others and that was the reason he was loved and respected by young and old, uneducated and highly educated persons alike. He had no foes but only friends. Almost everyone, who came into his contact was greeted by him with his infectious and disarming smile.
When I was still a student in the Banaras Hindu University, he was an adolescent and had the wings of imaginations, which could take him high in the sky. He had ventured to write a novel but unfortunately, it met with a miscarriage and thereafter he dropped the idea of indulging into any creative writings, but one could have the feel of literary flavour while talking to him.
An avid reader of newspapers and watcher of the news on TV channels, he had his fingers right on the pulse of the events and could predict on the future shape of things. Never a greedy person, he only aspired to get respect from those, who came into his contact. He often used to tell me that he wanted that his son to have a good education from good institutions and he got it fulfilled. I often told him that expecting too much from anybody is entirely impractical and therefore, he must not nurse very high hopes from anybody. Such expectations are harmful to both sides; i. e. to the person who pins many hopes from the other and also to the person, who is put under stress and strain to achieve expectations.
He was very close to me and to my another brother Harinand , who is younger to me but is elder to Shrinand. Shrinand could defy anybody but never to Harinand, even if he disagreed with him. After family partition, it was Shrinand, who looked after my small agricultural land other immovable properties in my native village of Hansapur Khurd ( Ahraula) in Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh. Shrinand was respectful to me and to Harinand and never said ‘no’ to whatever we asked him to do. Thus, the irreparable loss that we have suffered is indescribable.
Shrinand during his childhood had gone to Jalandhar in Punjab and worked for some time with any medical practitioner but he was so sharp that he could correctly diagnose a patient and prescribe effective medicines to them. Many a time even highly trained Doctors were surprised by his understanding of the diseases and prescriptions. He was so selfless that he used to administer injections and provide medicines almost free. Anybody could approach him even in the dead of the night or in the wee hours for any emergency helps. Whatever little anybody gave him for his services was acceptable to him. ‘Service before self’- was his motto and that was the reason he was immensely popular in the cross-section of the society. Highly progressive in his thoughts and actions he was against superstitions.
He was indeed a rationalist. But to my shock and surprise, a person who used to give medicines to others was so callous towards his own health and wellbeing. For the last many years, he became diabetic but never observed the rigours of diet, which is so necessary for a person suffering from this silent killer disease. I am told that both his kidneys were badly damaged, and heart was fully clogged. He was unaware of it and by the time others knew about, it was too late. Firstly, he was taken to Azamgarh to a private doctor, who referred him to the PGI Lucknow. But before he could be admitted to the PGI of Lucknow, he breathed last on the very gate of the PGI. Medical services and facilities in Government hospitals are so poor and pathetic that one is compelled to go to a private doctor and in the name of facilities they loot the patients with gay abandon. Anyway, it is an altogether different matter. He has a journalist son Devesh and a happily married daughter Gudiya. He wanted his wife to step out of the four walls of the house, but she preferred to remain confined to the household works. Hopefully, she will now take up his responsibilities, which will be a fitting tribute to Shrinand.
On the day of his death, my wife Nirmala and I were in Shrishailam, a Jyotirlinga Peetha, 400 kilometres away from Hyderabad. We rushed to Hyderabad and made all efforts to join his funeral but could not because it was just not possible. I joined the family members, relatives, native villagers and friends on the ‘shudh ceremony’ on 31st of August and got my head tonsured and moustaches shaved along with other family members as a mark of respect and homage to my dearest Shrinand. My wife and I have returned to Delhi after Terahvin. My mind, however, is still not ready to accept that Shrinand is no more.
Your loss, Shrinand , is irreparable to all our family members. We can only pray to God Almighty to make you soul free from the cycle of birth and death. May your soul rest in heaven in eternal peace, my dear brother! We all pay our sincerest homage to you and we will never forget you.
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