DEATH : An Irrevocable Truth

Death is the one inevitable truth for which you can never come prepared.

Though it is a universal fact that man is a mortal being, yet this unwelcomed guest brings a wave of shock and sadness to every kith-n-kin left behind.. I was reading a newspaper that featured the victims of Pune's German Bakery Blast, and one article which instantly caught my attention was that of the Kolkatta siblings, Anindyee and Ankik Dhar. Young, vibrant and innocent as they were, they fell prey to some psycho’s idea of taking vengeance, and died without even comprehending who their murderer was or why they were killed??

What do we do then? We return back to our normal lifestyle just as easily…shrugging as we move on… “ It has become normal to see terror strikes now”.

This is how death brings shock to all and affects none except a few.

Another facet of death, as we all know is…natural death. Recently my maternal uncle passed away with a sudden unexpected heart attack. At the age of 78, he still wished for a ‘long healthy life’, a life meant to be filled with content and bliss. Inspite of his optimism, he was never ignorant to the prospect of death sure to engulf him someday. His wrinkled face was invariably adorned with a charming smile and I always felt that this man was indestructible.

And yet, who could postpone death when it stands at your doorstep…?

His demise, though anticipated, clearly shook the Earth from our feet.

And a strange thought struck me then…. This old man had little time left in his hands and yet hoped to complete plenty of unfinished tasks. While we, being so young, have millions of hours to spare but ironically nothing fruitful to do.

One lesson that I learned from this was, to live life in such a way that one does’nt feel any regrets while taking in his final breathes on his deathbed…

I end here with a beautiful quote: “ Life is like an ICE, enjoy it before it completely melts”

"The Lackadaisical Law"

The name Ruchika Girhotra has become the inevitable 'top-scoop' in media. The news is simple, " A Harayana based DGP molested a girl that forced her to commit suicide". But what makes it huge is the role of media and public participation. It is pointedly shameful for the justice system of our country to deliver a verdict years later, and to add fuel to the fire, the verdict punishes the offender for merely six months!

Is it red tapism or clean bribery or a greater fear of projecting the police as 'criminals' that affected the judge's decision? The girl is dead now, and such a verdict brings little peace to the family's years of torture. What makes it even more unsettling, is the fact that the alleged officer wears an invariable smirk on his face... May be he's sure his money will buy enough government employees to dispose off the case.

I'm sure, like all the other ones, this case will also be conveniently forgotten after a few months. Like for instance the "Aarushi twin murder case", the "Jessica Lal case" and so on.... It rings a bell somewhere is'nt it?

Years later, when the court will deliver it's verdict I'm sure even the lawyers would forget what they were fighting for! I know it sounds satiric, but that's the bitter truth. What verdict huh?.. A decade's worth time to bring justice to the dead!