It was a lovely evening in October 1994, and we were watching a Malkiat Singh ( of 'Tootak Tootak Tootiyan' fame) concert at the Oberoi Sheraton lawns here in Muscat.The singer was in his element, the music was fantastic and people in the audience were thoroughly enjoying themselves. Some more than others.
Then some people moved on to the makeshift dance floor in front and I saw a familiar lady, really, really grooving to the beat. She was the mother of one of Neha's friends with a very happy go lucky personality, which is what I'd been able to gauge on the few occassions that we had interacted.Looking at all of those people we enjoyed ourselves even more.
Nov 1994- Diwali- Some of friends had come over to celebrate, along with Neha's. Then at night, the parents of those kids came to pick them up.As did this lady, who came in with a box of Mithai and wished us a very Hapy Diwali, laughed and chatted for a while and then went back home with her daughter.
Time passed....
1995 July- To our terrible shock, we learnt that this lady was no more, having committed suicide while on holiday in India.Apparently, she had been suffering from some illness, which coupled with depression became too much for her to deal with.So one morning, she woke up and went to the first floor room and hung herself with her dupatta where her body was found by her son many hours later.
Forty three years old, a mother of three children, two lovely girls and a boy,a husband who cared.What propelled her to take his step?
Today, as I sit wrtiting this, I can still see her smiling, happy, bright face.
Which is the way that I will choose to remember her...Always
Again, nothing is what it seems like.Momentary madness of another kind? Mudita
ReplyDelete