My Grandad...

My grandad wanted to see Swades. My mamu who lives in Boston for the past 12 years had told him that he should see it and that its truly worth a watch. On 5th August when the channel 'Star Gold' announced its premier show of Swades scheduled for 15th August at 1.45pm , my grandad was thrilled. He told me that we must watch it together. He had heard so much about it, he just was too eager to see it.He and i used to live alone in our very cosy one bhk flat. So well, we decided that 15th august, the afternoon would be spent watching the movie together and eating our favourite pizza for lunch. He loved it when i made pizzas, so promised him a treat that afternoon.

On 10th August he complained of being unwell, and by the evening had high fever running. The doctor was called immediately and he was put on anti-biotics.The next day, the 11th of August was my sisters engagement. He dint attend the ceremony due to ill health but blessed his eldest grandaughter and her to be husband and wished them good luck. He was so happy to see her get engaged...

His fever continued for 2 more days. My masi from poona, was also here for the engagement and decided to stay back to look after her father for a while. We used to take chances of sitting awake in the night, cause he used to get pretty uncomfortable due to the fever. On 13th night, he complained of chest pain. We called the ambulance immediately and whilst in the ambulance, he held my hand and said "Just take me soon. There's something wrong". We rushed him to the nearest hospital and admitted him into the ICU. It was 2 am by now. In a matter of 10minutes, the doctors told us he was critical. We decided against putting him on a ventilator and then the hope started. Hope that he will get out of this soon.

My grandfather was a philosopher. He had devoted his life to indian philosophy and its studies and was extremely passionate about it. He wrote a lot of books, was well known and had strength no 82 yr old man at his age would ever have. Till the time, we rushed him to the hospital, he drank water with his own hands out of the glass kept next to him.

I spent a lot of time with him on his hospital bed writing in capital letters on a piece of paper, how he should not lose courage and that he will be fine soon and that my mamu was on his way to see him. He asked for me on 14th afternoon. I was at home eating lunch when my mom called me and said, he had asked for a paper and pen and written saying "please call my grandaughter namrata"..so i had rushed to the hospital where he wrote further on that paper after seeing me asking me what was wrong with him.I told him, all was going to be fine and he should just rest and not worry.

My mamu left from Boston immediately to be able to be with his father and all relatives were informed about my grandad's critical condition. On the night of the 14th i decided to stay over at the hospital. Id lived with him for 6 yrs and knew him inside out and he knew me inside out too. We shared the best grandfather-grandaughter relationship. Whilst i lay on those thermal sheets in the ICU ward, i prayed and hoped he'd get well and come out of this.

The next morning was Independence Day.I awoke in the hospital listening to the national anthem in a nearby school. My sister came at 7am and we sat together till 11.45 together. Then my folks arrived and suggested we go catch a bite somewhere and come back. So my sister and i left. We were eating ice cream when dad called. He said grandad was critical and we should come back as soon as possible. We left the ice cream bars melting on our plates, payed the bill and rushed to the hospital with my masi and cousin who had arrived from poona that morning.

We reached at 12.30pm. The doctors had said they had done everything they could and he was sinking now. At 2.15 he gave up. Those pieces of paper with my name in his handwriting are the most precious things ive ever had. As i came down the hospital stairs, in the corridor of the hospital i heard the first song from Swades...the movie had started and my grandad was no more to see it...I so wish he had.

The walls of the house seem so strange without him, his bed still has memories of him sitting on it writing his book, the kitchen still smells of the wonderful tea he made for me everyday and the house just isnt the same without him anymore.

I sleep every night, thanking god for having let me spend 6 wonderful years with him. Without him life isnt the same. I miss him every second i walk into the empty house, miss him every morning when i wake up and can still feel his presence in this house where now the walls have only me to talk to...