‘Heaven’ The Vrinda
My love may not be red as the red rose, but it is vibrantly colored with the inseparable love I nurture for my wife and child, it is definitely deeper than the red, red rose – JP.
‘Heaven’ The Vrinda
“One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret, Never to be told. Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss, Ten for a bird, you must not miss. Wherever and Whenever I would travel, I wish, I could see at least Two Magpies/Myna bird, according to an old fallacy, the number of magpies one sees concludes if one will have bad luck or bring charming good luck”.
It was a beautiful September morning, she was welcoming the tender rays of sun, her wet hair were ready for a cozy hug with the towel she carried, she approached the terrace, wearing a dark blue jeans and short kurtis (“a collarless shirt”) white in color and sky blue check stoles. She was trying to dry her hair at the same time her eyes were looking out for those lucky mynas as she was travelling the same noon to Kerala. And she saw ‘Four for a boy’ which left a frowny smile on her face. Surabhi was dazzling, she was not only beautiful from outside but also was a fantastic human being, always geared up to help others whether friends or unfamiliar person.
Surabhi planned a short trip to Kerala to perform death anniversary rituals of her father, the family decided to perform the same on a particular date. She preferred travelling by train, her tickets were confirmed, Second AC Netravathi Express. Her husband Naren was unhappy with the train journey as she falls asleep soon with the cool breeze, but somehow she convinced Naren as this was an AC bogie. Naren was guiding her with many do’s and don’ts. He dropped her to the railway station and found her seat too. For five minutes Naren must have played the role of typical mother in law with the list of things to be followed during the journey. He waved her bye with half smile on his face, he was sad to leave her alone.
Mathew’s alias Vikram Kuruvilla, from Avanthi Degree College, Hyderabad. A tall, fair handsome man, was a co-passenger, travelled same train, same bogie with Surabhi, this made her little apprehensive. Surabhi got a cloud of thoughts popped up ‘Four for a boy’ and she was so unhappy to see a man in her bogie, she was blaming the innocent magpies too. After settling down with their luggage and stuff Surabhi took a book in her hand to avoid him and his questions if any. “The Mother” by Pearl S. Buck, kept her busy. He suddenly said, “Can we talk?" She heard him and remained quiet. The Train was reaching Panvel station, and this time he again came up with different question, “Are you from Kerala?". Out of fear Surabhi immediately told him, she may approach the TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) and the police if he ask one more question. Vikram was stunned and tried to pacify her by showing all his ID cards and stuff and requested her not to assemble crowd. Surabhi found him honest just for a while. Slowly Vikram and Surabhi became good co-passengers. As the train left Panvel station they began to chat little more freely about each other’s family. She was very curious to know about him. He was little loath to open up, he took time and said, It’s been six years that he was into a relationship with Vrinda Reddy, a science graduate from St. Ann’s Women’s College, Hyderabad. They met at the common function; “Thread Ceremony”/”Odugu”, “Upanayanam” of a little boy. Her father was a rich businessman, with a very orthodox and conservative family background.
Vikram was on the way to Udupi to meet her parents to convince them for their marriage as per the couple’s plan. They already tried twice to convince Vrinda’s parents for the marriage, but somehow they got emotionally black mailed. From the initiate days till date they knew it would be complicated for them to get this relationship to a cheerful finale of an eternal marriage as they two belong to different cast, he a Christian and she Hindu. Despite of house arrests and several physical assaults on Vrinda, the love they shared never made them give up. Vikram and Vrinda planned to elope. Somehow Surabhi didn’t find any logic in doing that, whole night she was trying to brainwash Vikram. She advised him to marry Vrinda with family consent only. Elope and attempt of a court marriage will not give them any happiness or mental peace in future, when at a point when their family grows they would really need parent’s help. She found Vikram sincere and he was listening to Surabhi so patiently as if he really wants someone to guide him on a right path. Surabhi assured him that her parents will agree to their marriage whole heartedly. Since he was holding a good job at Telco with a handsome salary and with an accommodation, convincing Vrinda's parents would have been more easy. He agreed to her completely and shared many blissful moments of togetherness with Vrinda.
Listening to the story Surabhi slept sound like a shrimp as the cooling of AC was too high. Vikram got off at Udupi station at 4:20 am and left a note under her pillow. When she woke up she didn’t see this man anywhere in her bogie, she was so scared, she was checking her luggage and her camera bag. Now, Naren’s Don’ts list popped up like a cloud in Surabhi’s mind, ‘Not to sleep deep when you travel’ his words were ringing like a Church bell above her head, her wild speculations ruled out when she saw all her belongings around her, the letter which Vikram wrote for her, it says : How deep you sleep when you travel with a stranger, stay alert. I will meet you soon with Vrinda. He left his mobile number at the end. Vikram sounded much matured in his writing.
Days passed, Surabhi was a regular visitor of Bajaj Hospital helping the patients as a part of her social work. She was tired with the hectic day and thought of taking a stroll at the nearby park watching the beautiful sunset. She saw a man who looked like Vikram sitting on the bench, he was very sad. Just to re-confirm whether it was him, she asked, “Are you Vikram Kuruvilla?” he frowned and nodded yes. Vikram took some time to recognize Surabhi, he was looking much tensed. He told Surabhi that Vrinda is four months pregnant, and after her second miscarriage her health and body not ready for a baby so soon, still she decided to accept the challenge to make a complete family. Her platelet count were too less; she had a rare blood group AB–. Surabhi was happy to see them together; but sad to know about the problems they were facing at young age all alone. Her parents boycotted her from the family forever. Vrinda was very beautiful and confident that she could cross this difficult days easily. For anything and everything Vrinda approached Surabhi, soon they moved to the same colony where Surabhi lived. “Just imagine, a newly married couple parading hospital with no relatives, friends around them for moral support even. Nobody should suffer like this”.
One of those days Vikram was away for a business deal, he requested Surabhi to be with Vrinda as her due date were approaching. Everything was well arranged by Vikram to avoid last minute panic during his absence. Usually she never does but that night Surabhi kept her phone in mute mode. She was tired with the long day stress. It was 4 am and her phone was vibrating. She woke at 6 am and checked her phone for Naren’s calls and text messages, as he was on official tour past many days. She missed nine calls from Vrinda and saw two text messages, it says : ‘Surabhi, need your help, I am in bad pain’. Surabhi thought it must be a false pain as it was just a beginning of her eight month, she dressed up fast and visited her house, her neighbour aunt told her Vrinda was taken to the hospital early morning at 4:30 am and heard she is little serious too. She rushed to the hospital and got to know Vrinda delivered a sweet chubby baby girl with lot of complications left behind during the C Section.
Vrinda just saw a glimpse of her baby’s face and smiled with tears. For two days she was not getting proper treatment, she needed a surgery to stop her internal bleeding, nurse took her thumb impression on the declaration paper as if she will be responsible for her own demise during the surgery. Surabhi was so annoyed by the entire stupid behavior, she took a stern decision to shift Vrinda to a better hospital for good treatment, and there doctors said, her platelet count was too less. Nine platelet bags were arranged for Vrinda. She stayed in the hospital for about a day and a half, she could barely utter two words in her unconscious state, “Baby” and “Vik”. Surabhi assured her, her baby is fine and Vikram on the way to see her, she didn’t smile, Vrinda's tears rolled down from the corner of her right eye, perhaps she was calculating the time, thought, she could meet no one before she die. Surabhi was holding her hand, in ten minutes she began to feel a pressure in her head and pain in her lower abdomen, the pain bowed to be so worse that she was shifted to the ICCU and she was comatose for two days; she died on the fourth day morning without any message for her husband and for the little angel, everything just coiled so quickly, Surabhi couldn’t figure out what was happening. "Oh God! Such situations can hit anyone to zero level and leave us blank".
Vikram was supposed to reach home in three days after his client meet, he preferred taking his Royal Enfield if he visits Pune. Naren arrived from his official tour and the entire chaos made him busy. He tried calling Vikram on his mobile phone but it was not reachable. We were praying hard and waiting for Vikram. Naren and Kumar (Vikram's business partner) decided to goahead with Vrinda’s funeral and rituals. Surabhi was totally lost when the unbearable moment came the next horrible morning, Vikram met with an accident on the Pune Expressway, his bullet skid on the oily road and collided with a Volvo bus. We got the message from a Local Police station. He hands over all his belongings to Naren and Kumar. Vikram was taken to Bombay Hospital with multiple head injuries, fracture on his ribs and left leg. Surabhi arranged her maid Lata to look after the little angel with complete attention and love, Surabhi named the little angel as ‘Heaven’ for the time being. Soon she recalls about her neighbour Aarti who delivered a baby boy just eight months back and she came forward to feed the little ‘Heaven’. Surabhi was really happy and relaxed. God was so kind for the little one at least.
Vikram was in Coma state since the day he got admitted in the hospital. Kumar helped a lot with raising funds for the treatment, a physiotherapist was appointed for his recovery throughout the day. In six months he faced three major surgeries. Surabhi could meet him for just twenty minutes in a whole day, she use to narrate many epic stories and some poems to Vikram, she could sense, his insensible mind could feel her words, as his eyes were open and paying attention with a fixed point, she kept his baby’s photo frame on the wall where his eyes were staring throughout the day. Days passed, Vikram woke up from a long sleep after ‘ten months’ of coma, he looked at Surabhi with gloomy eyes, he stammered a lot initially, joined the broken letters and very slowly he said, “Su-ra-bhi, am hap-py to see you near me, and nar-ra-ting beauty-ful tal-es, and never gave up on me.
“I believe that some divine spirit had sent Surabhi in Vikram and Vrinda’s life to give them strength and power to live in comatose period”.
He asked Surabhi since when he was sleeping; she said ‘Ten months’ now. In joy she was crying endlessly, on the other hand she was scared about his next question, about Vrinda and quickly he asked her about his wife and his child. She looked at the photo frame and said she is your baby ‘Heaven’ and she is ten months old. He gave a smile in hope, he asked about Vrinda –––– there was a pin drop silence in the room; he saw Surabhi in tears and with no words left... His partner Kumar explained him what happened. Vikram, softly called Surabhi near him and touched her two fingers with his two fingers and said, ‘God, des-tined us to live to-gether only this much, and my wife was very lovable that’s why God invited her in his life”.
After some days of treatment, Vikram said he would like to meet his daughter; he was happy and fine with her name ‘Heaven’. Surabhi got the little bundle of joy to the hospital, she too faced her part of challenges with the rare blood group, but survived luckily for her Father Vikram; the entire hospital welcomed the angel. Vikram was so happy to take her in his arms, the feel was as if ‘Heaven came down and glory filled his soul’.
‘Heaven’ The Vrinda
“One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret, Never to be told. Eight for a wish, Nine for a kiss, Ten for a bird, you must not miss. Wherever and Whenever I would travel, I wish, I could see at least Two Magpies/Myna bird, according to an old fallacy, the number of magpies one sees concludes if one will have bad luck or bring charming good luck”.
It was a beautiful September morning, she was welcoming the tender rays of sun, her wet hair were ready for a cozy hug with the towel she carried, she approached the terrace, wearing a dark blue jeans and short kurtis (“a collarless shirt”) white in color and sky blue check stoles. She was trying to dry her hair at the same time her eyes were looking out for those lucky mynas as she was travelling the same noon to Kerala. And she saw ‘Four for a boy’ which left a frowny smile on her face. Surabhi was dazzling, she was not only beautiful from outside but also was a fantastic human being, always geared up to help others whether friends or unfamiliar person.
Surabhi planned a short trip to Kerala to perform death anniversary rituals of her father, the family decided to perform the same on a particular date. She preferred travelling by train, her tickets were confirmed, Second AC Netravathi Express. Her husband Naren was unhappy with the train journey as she falls asleep soon with the cool breeze, but somehow she convinced Naren as this was an AC bogie. Naren was guiding her with many do’s and don’ts. He dropped her to the railway station and found her seat too. For five minutes Naren must have played the role of typical mother in law with the list of things to be followed during the journey. He waved her bye with half smile on his face, he was sad to leave her alone.
Mathew’s alias Vikram Kuruvilla, from Avanthi Degree College, Hyderabad. A tall, fair handsome man, was a co-passenger, travelled same train, same bogie with Surabhi, this made her little apprehensive. Surabhi got a cloud of thoughts popped up ‘Four for a boy’ and she was so unhappy to see a man in her bogie, she was blaming the innocent magpies too. After settling down with their luggage and stuff Surabhi took a book in her hand to avoid him and his questions if any. “The Mother” by Pearl S. Buck, kept her busy. He suddenly said, “Can we talk?" She heard him and remained quiet. The Train was reaching Panvel station, and this time he again came up with different question, “Are you from Kerala?". Out of fear Surabhi immediately told him, she may approach the TTE (Travelling Ticket Examiner) and the police if he ask one more question. Vikram was stunned and tried to pacify her by showing all his ID cards and stuff and requested her not to assemble crowd. Surabhi found him honest just for a while. Slowly Vikram and Surabhi became good co-passengers. As the train left Panvel station they began to chat little more freely about each other’s family. She was very curious to know about him. He was little loath to open up, he took time and said, It’s been six years that he was into a relationship with Vrinda Reddy, a science graduate from St. Ann’s Women’s College, Hyderabad. They met at the common function; “Thread Ceremony”/”Odugu”, “Upanayanam” of a little boy. Her father was a rich businessman, with a very orthodox and conservative family background.
Vikram was on the way to Udupi to meet her parents to convince them for their marriage as per the couple’s plan. They already tried twice to convince Vrinda’s parents for the marriage, but somehow they got emotionally black mailed. From the initiate days till date they knew it would be complicated for them to get this relationship to a cheerful finale of an eternal marriage as they two belong to different cast, he a Christian and she Hindu. Despite of house arrests and several physical assaults on Vrinda, the love they shared never made them give up. Vikram and Vrinda planned to elope. Somehow Surabhi didn’t find any logic in doing that, whole night she was trying to brainwash Vikram. She advised him to marry Vrinda with family consent only. Elope and attempt of a court marriage will not give them any happiness or mental peace in future, when at a point when their family grows they would really need parent’s help. She found Vikram sincere and he was listening to Surabhi so patiently as if he really wants someone to guide him on a right path. Surabhi assured him that her parents will agree to their marriage whole heartedly. Since he was holding a good job at Telco with a handsome salary and with an accommodation, convincing Vrinda's parents would have been more easy. He agreed to her completely and shared many blissful moments of togetherness with Vrinda.
Listening to the story Surabhi slept sound like a shrimp as the cooling of AC was too high. Vikram got off at Udupi station at 4:20 am and left a note under her pillow. When she woke up she didn’t see this man anywhere in her bogie, she was so scared, she was checking her luggage and her camera bag. Now, Naren’s Don’ts list popped up like a cloud in Surabhi’s mind, ‘Not to sleep deep when you travel’ his words were ringing like a Church bell above her head, her wild speculations ruled out when she saw all her belongings around her, the letter which Vikram wrote for her, it says : How deep you sleep when you travel with a stranger, stay alert. I will meet you soon with Vrinda. He left his mobile number at the end. Vikram sounded much matured in his writing.
Days passed, Surabhi was a regular visitor of Bajaj Hospital helping the patients as a part of her social work. She was tired with the hectic day and thought of taking a stroll at the nearby park watching the beautiful sunset. She saw a man who looked like Vikram sitting on the bench, he was very sad. Just to re-confirm whether it was him, she asked, “Are you Vikram Kuruvilla?” he frowned and nodded yes. Vikram took some time to recognize Surabhi, he was looking much tensed. He told Surabhi that Vrinda is four months pregnant, and after her second miscarriage her health and body not ready for a baby so soon, still she decided to accept the challenge to make a complete family. Her platelet count were too less; she had a rare blood group AB–. Surabhi was happy to see them together; but sad to know about the problems they were facing at young age all alone. Her parents boycotted her from the family forever. Vrinda was very beautiful and confident that she could cross this difficult days easily. For anything and everything Vrinda approached Surabhi, soon they moved to the same colony where Surabhi lived. “Just imagine, a newly married couple parading hospital with no relatives, friends around them for moral support even. Nobody should suffer like this”.
One of those days Vikram was away for a business deal, he requested Surabhi to be with Vrinda as her due date were approaching. Everything was well arranged by Vikram to avoid last minute panic during his absence. Usually she never does but that night Surabhi kept her phone in mute mode. She was tired with the long day stress. It was 4 am and her phone was vibrating. She woke at 6 am and checked her phone for Naren’s calls and text messages, as he was on official tour past many days. She missed nine calls from Vrinda and saw two text messages, it says : ‘Surabhi, need your help, I am in bad pain’. Surabhi thought it must be a false pain as it was just a beginning of her eight month, she dressed up fast and visited her house, her neighbour aunt told her Vrinda was taken to the hospital early morning at 4:30 am and heard she is little serious too. She rushed to the hospital and got to know Vrinda delivered a sweet chubby baby girl with lot of complications left behind during the C Section.
Vrinda just saw a glimpse of her baby’s face and smiled with tears. For two days she was not getting proper treatment, she needed a surgery to stop her internal bleeding, nurse took her thumb impression on the declaration paper as if she will be responsible for her own demise during the surgery. Surabhi was so annoyed by the entire stupid behavior, she took a stern decision to shift Vrinda to a better hospital for good treatment, and there doctors said, her platelet count was too less. Nine platelet bags were arranged for Vrinda. She stayed in the hospital for about a day and a half, she could barely utter two words in her unconscious state, “Baby” and “Vik”. Surabhi assured her, her baby is fine and Vikram on the way to see her, she didn’t smile, Vrinda's tears rolled down from the corner of her right eye, perhaps she was calculating the time, thought, she could meet no one before she die. Surabhi was holding her hand, in ten minutes she began to feel a pressure in her head and pain in her lower abdomen, the pain bowed to be so worse that she was shifted to the ICCU and she was comatose for two days; she died on the fourth day morning without any message for her husband and for the little angel, everything just coiled so quickly, Surabhi couldn’t figure out what was happening. "Oh God! Such situations can hit anyone to zero level and leave us blank".
Vikram was supposed to reach home in three days after his client meet, he preferred taking his Royal Enfield if he visits Pune. Naren arrived from his official tour and the entire chaos made him busy. He tried calling Vikram on his mobile phone but it was not reachable. We were praying hard and waiting for Vikram. Naren and Kumar (Vikram's business partner) decided to goahead with Vrinda’s funeral and rituals. Surabhi was totally lost when the unbearable moment came the next horrible morning, Vikram met with an accident on the Pune Expressway, his bullet skid on the oily road and collided with a Volvo bus. We got the message from a Local Police station. He hands over all his belongings to Naren and Kumar. Vikram was taken to Bombay Hospital with multiple head injuries, fracture on his ribs and left leg. Surabhi arranged her maid Lata to look after the little angel with complete attention and love, Surabhi named the little angel as ‘Heaven’ for the time being. Soon she recalls about her neighbour Aarti who delivered a baby boy just eight months back and she came forward to feed the little ‘Heaven’. Surabhi was really happy and relaxed. God was so kind for the little one at least.
Vikram was in Coma state since the day he got admitted in the hospital. Kumar helped a lot with raising funds for the treatment, a physiotherapist was appointed for his recovery throughout the day. In six months he faced three major surgeries. Surabhi could meet him for just twenty minutes in a whole day, she use to narrate many epic stories and some poems to Vikram, she could sense, his insensible mind could feel her words, as his eyes were open and paying attention with a fixed point, she kept his baby’s photo frame on the wall where his eyes were staring throughout the day. Days passed, Vikram woke up from a long sleep after ‘ten months’ of coma, he looked at Surabhi with gloomy eyes, he stammered a lot initially, joined the broken letters and very slowly he said, “Su-ra-bhi, am hap-py to see you near me, and nar-ra-ting beauty-ful tal-es, and never gave up on me.
“I believe that some divine spirit had sent Surabhi in Vikram and Vrinda’s life to give them strength and power to live in comatose period”.
He asked Surabhi since when he was sleeping; she said ‘Ten months’ now. In joy she was crying endlessly, on the other hand she was scared about his next question, about Vrinda and quickly he asked her about his wife and his child. She looked at the photo frame and said she is your baby ‘Heaven’ and she is ten months old. He gave a smile in hope, he asked about Vrinda –––– there was a pin drop silence in the room; he saw Surabhi in tears and with no words left... His partner Kumar explained him what happened. Vikram, softly called Surabhi near him and touched her two fingers with his two fingers and said, ‘God, des-tined us to live to-gether only this much, and my wife was very lovable that’s why God invited her in his life”.
After some days of treatment, Vikram said he would like to meet his daughter; he was happy and fine with her name ‘Heaven’. Surabhi got the little bundle of joy to the hospital, she too faced her part of challenges with the rare blood group, but survived luckily for her Father Vikram; the entire hospital welcomed the angel. Vikram was so happy to take her in his arms, the feel was as if ‘Heaven came down and glory filled his soul’.
Vikram after his recovery left Mumbai forever. He and his Heaven moved to Ooty with Vrinda’s sweet memories. Vrinda's soul walked with them, hand in hand.
“Sometimes mobile phone becomes a big headache for us and sometimes a messenger from God, it save someone’s life. So, let it chime, like a wind, when you go to sleep”.
As a reader, what do you think? Should Vikram go for a second marriage or live a single father’s life forever?
Can he gift a loving mother to his little "Heaven" who is willing wholeheartedly to accept her. Kindly post your views sincerly, Vikram and Heaven may read this message some day…
A post dedicated to the little angel ‘Heaven’ The Vrinda.
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