A Tribute To My Grandfather

Departure is always painful. No matter how hard you try, you cannot get away with this cruel law of nature. Hopelessness descends upon us when we find ourselves to be mere spectators of the happenings around. All we can do is to stand still and watch the Angel of Death take away the soul from the body of a dying man. Tears become undesirable yet unstoppable companions of ours. The flashback of the good times keeps running in front of your eyes and makes us realize the fact that life is nothing but a camouflage.

My grandpa - Putri Dada, as we used to call him, is no more. He breathed his last after a prolonged ailment. Both his kidneys were not functioning and he was on dialysis - a tiring job, like he used to say. He was certainly not in a good condition. His voice had become unclear. His strength had faded away, leaving him crippled. His legs had been worn out and he needed some kind of support to walk on.The anger which used to be associated with him most of the time in the past, was nowhere. The physical strength may have deceived him but emotionally, he was still the same old Putri - Dada. The love - which used to be hidden somewhere deep down, was still there.  And now that he is gone, I terribly miss him. I feel like going back to those times when I used to fight with him for one thing or the other; I want to undo those things. I want him back, knowing it pretty well that it is so damn impossible! Silly me!

Losing him was hard for all of us who knew him very well. The last time I saw him was in Sopore only. He kissed my hand twice and I could feel a sharp pain deep inside my heart. Had I known that it was the very last time I was seeing him, I would have never left that place. I remember going back to his room again and again for bidding adieu - forever. It is hard to forget the way he caressed me every time I sat with him. He loved me a lot - a lot more than I thought.

Life is inexplicable indeed. Sometimes it shows you the brighter side only and sometimes the darker aspects seem to be dominant over the brighter ones. The complexities of life can never be understood clearly. Nevertheless, it is important that we realize the fact that life moves on, no matter what. No mighty force of this universe can bring my Dadu back to life but all I can do is to pray for his success in the endeavors of that World.

Rest in Peace, Dadu!

© Aiman