I reached at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi around 12.30 p.m. in the afternoon to receive Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin who was coming by the Air India flight number: AI-188 from Toronto-Canada. The flight had already landed right on time at the airport but surprisingly the passengers had not yet started coming out from the arrival exit gate of the airport. I got great relief to know that I was not late. Therefore, I started waiting at the exit gate number six of T3 terminal of the new international airport. Approximately after half an hour the passengers started coming out; first the crowd of Dubai flight came out followed by London flight and at the end the passengers of Toronto flight started coming.
I have never seen my guest: “Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin” before but I don’t know why I was very sure about my instinct and was over confident that I shall be able to recognize her as soon as she comes in front of me. As expected, she was coming out along with a trolley loaded with two big suitcases and one large carry bag. And to my utmost surprise, she also recognized me without any problem and walked straight towards me. She was tall, fair, good looking, having bulky figure with very sharp features; she embraced me as if she knew me from ages. I don’t know when we both started laughing and suddenly became very emotional and sentimental; in between both of us have very successfully wiped our tears so that nobody can see us crying; thereafter, we moved towards the parking zone where my car was parked.
On our way home, she started asking questions about my wife and daughters. I requested her to have some patience and once we are at home, she can ask any number of questions to them directly and she will get all the answers from them.
My dear friend Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin was a non-resident-Indian, 50 years old, settled at Canada, working as an English teacher, married to Mr. Surinder Bhasin 55 years old, businessman with two grown up kids [the Son-Kunal Bhasin was 28 years old, B.TECH (Mechanical) working and in an automobile co. The daughter-Kavita Bhasin was 20 years old and first year MBBS student of Canada's reputed medical college].
Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin was a regular reader of my blogs and a very strong critic. She always used to be the first one to respond with an unbiased feedback. She continues to write about her honest and frank opinion/views on regular basis. I have never met her before in person and I have never thought of meeting her personally. Moreover, she was a loyal and dedicated reader of my blogs and that was more than sufficient for me.
I never expected anything more from this distant relationship. But yes, I was always looking forward for her comments very anxiously and eagerly. The curiosity to know more about her was very much there at the back of my mind but somehow, I could not muster enough courage, guts and strength to ask about her past directly. But she knew every thing about me by virtue of reading all my blogs which were based on my life’s true incidents.
I don’t know how, when and why she became a very good friend of mine and she gradually started telling me about her part of the story in installments. I sometimes used to feel very astonished, surprised even shocked, how come a person of her caliber and status could have so much faith in a stranger; it was unimaginable, unheard of and totally unwarranted to do so.
This very quality in her has impressed and inspired me a lot and I became more inclined towards her friendship and gradually she became very true friend of mine. Although, we don’t have any kind of personal or professional relationship between us but today I can say with confidence that my God Almighty is very kind to me that I got HIS blessings in the form of her friendship. And over the period, she has become very close, honest, real, true friend, philosopher and guide of mine.
First time such things have happened in my life, at this age of 50 plus, which was not under my control and I was sitting at the receiving end. She has never asked for any personal commitment, favour or promises from me and our relationship was purely based on an “Emotional-human-bondage” which was Holy, Honest and Pure, if I could say so. She never wanted me to give any verbal or written commitment and at the same time, she has never ever asked for any assistance, help and support from me. Our friendship was purely based on trust that too without any conditions and promises.
I don’t know whether the long distance relations can really work and for how long, but it remains a big surprise even today that how far we will be able to sustain and continue with this so called long distance relationship between us. Till date, I have not faced any problem whatsoever in this regard. I have never thought even in my dreams that I will actually meet her one day in person. And see, with the blessing of my Lord, she has already landed in India today and we are moving towards our home together.
I have told my wife and daughters only last night about Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin and her trip to India. I also told them that she will be staying with us for a couple of days before moving towards her parental house at Jalandhar. They did not say anything on my face but they must be having lot of questions about our relationship, which I may have to answer tomorrow, I am sure of that.
After formal introduction with my wife and daughters, she opened her big suitcase and took out lots of gifts for each and every member of our family. And in the evening, she called me and my wife together and requested us to sit in front of her. She told us in a very reluctant voice that she and her husband Mr. Surinder Bhasin wanted my second daughter for her son. I could not follow what she meant actually? I requested her to define her objective, motive and purpose in clear terms.
After seeing my curiosity and excitement she clarified: “We want your daughter to marry our son Kunal Bhasin, if it’s alright with you?” I was totally shocked and surprised to hear her proposal. I don’t know what to say and what not to say at this point in time, I was almost confused, I never thought even in my dreams that she would propose something like that.
Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin was very matured and sensible lady and understood our anxiety and dilemma without much difficulty and problem, she requested us not to worry at all. It’s her family’s unanimous decision and that’s why she came to meet with us and also talked about the marriage proposal of her son. As a matter of fact, Mr. Surinder Bhasin also wanted to come and meet us but due to an official urgency he had to cancel his trip.
She told us every thing about her family members in general and her son in particular. She also showed us her family photographs along with her son’s bio-data. She brought with her a family video showing her family members and her multi-storied mansion.
We both were in a shocking state of affair to hear about our daughter’s marriage proposal from an honourable guest. My wife was also puzzled and in entire state of confusion but she acted very maturely and told Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin with gratitude and great humbleness that: “Our daughter is doing her Post-graduation in Political Science, later she will do M.ED followed with PhD. Moreover, we never thought of sending our daughter abroad for marriage. Therefore, we need some more time to think on this proposal”.
I don’t know what to say to Mrs. Rajinder Bhasin. She kept her cool; heard everything patiently as a matured and sensible lady and accepted our point of view without any hitch or hesitation. At the end of our conversation, she told us not to worry about any thing; our daughter’s safety, security and well beings will be her first priority. She requested us to think on her proposal more logically, positively and rationally. We should also discuss it with our daughter and take her consent as well, after all it’s her life and her decision shall be final on this proposal. She was even ready to send her son to meet our daughter also, subject to our approval. She will fly back after a fortnight and she want us to covey our decision accordingly.
On the face of it she was behaving normally and patiently but she was trying very hard to control her emotions, I was also not in a position to say anything which could further escalate the situation and hurt her feelings.
Therefore I kept quiet for the time being; at the same time I was not very comfortable, happy and satisfied with the whole episode. I knew it for sure, either way; I am going to lose my best friend, who came into my life as an Angel.
With Prayers
Gurcharan
