Great Gift of God

I left Siriska Palace resort (Near Alwar Town - Rajasthan) around two o'clock in the afternoon; I was thoroughly enjoying my drive. I pulled down the glasses of the front side windows of my car and also switched-off the music system. I wanted to feel the fresh air filled with pure oxygen blowing with speed as if competing with the car speed emanating from the surrounding greenery. I covered the distance of 35-KM (between Siriska and Alwar) within an hour.

After reaching Alwar bye-pass I got free road ahead, the 90-KM plus road between Alwar and Bhiwadi bye-pass was clear, smooth and wide. It was Saturday’s winter afternoon in January and the flow of vehicles was less on the road and so was the human crowd. I saw an old person fully dressed up in white clothes walking very slowly on the left side of the state high-way alone; which seemed strange to me because nobody would walk alone on the lonely highway. My curiosity forced me to stop the car near him. I came out of the car and stood in front of him with folded hands in order to greet him. He was not at all disturbed to see a stranger greeting him on the road. I asked him: “Baba ji, can I drop you somewhere, I am going towards Gurgaon?” He looked at me with a smile and answered: “I am going to a nearby place, please don’t bother”. And he slowly started walking towards his destination. I again requested him to sit in my car. He looked at me with surprise but slowly walked towards my car. I opened the front left door of the car and helped him to settle down comfortably.

Once he settled down, I came back to my seat and started the car. He must have been above 80 years in age, very tall, fair and well built; his face was covered with long white beard. He was wearing white cotton robe, full sleeve shirt, jacket, white turban which was not properly tied on head and black plastic shoes without socks. I was driving at a modest speed of 50 KM/hour. On the way, I offered him a bottle of water but he refused. Very hesitatingly I asked him about the purpose of his journey. He first kept quiet but after a long pause he answered “I stay in Alwar town; all the members of my family have already left for the condolence meeting being held at Choudhury sahib’s place which is only five miles away from our house. And I preferred taking a walk instead of travelling in bike or car".  After few minutes he asked me to take a left turn from the next crossing.  I obeyed his direction and three kilo-meters later we reached in front of a very big duplex Bungalow known as Choudhry Sahib’s Haveli.   

I parked the car at one corner near the Haveli where many expensive cars were already parked which included Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota and Volvo cars. First I came out of the car and later I helped Baba ji to step out. He slowly got down from the car and requested me to accompany him inside the house. I saw huge crowd of men and women dressed in white sitting on the floor covered with carpet. The young boys were serving tea to the people gathered there.

The moment they saw Baba ji walking in; everyone got up from their respective places and bowed their heads in respect. Baba ji was responding to each and everyone while slowly walking towards an old man who seemed to be Choudhury Sahib sitting at one corner of the house surrounded by his family members comprising of men, women and children.   

As soon as Choudhury sahib saw Baba ji, he came rushing towards him. He greeted him and thereafter took his right hand in his hands, first kissed it and later took the hand towards his eyes and touched both his eye-lids and started crying profusely. Baba ji first pulled him close and embraced him. Choudhury Sahib was crying like a child and Baba ji was still holding him in his hands patting slowly on his back with his right palm uttering words which seems to me in Arabic language. Actually he was reciting from the religious book and trying to console him. Baba ji also said: “its God Almighty’s decision and we will have to accept HIS verdict without any hitch or hesitation; be strong and obey Lord’s instructions; keep faith in him and he will never let you down”.   

I realized much later that Choudhury sahib was the richest farmer of his area. He lost his only son in a road accident a few days ago. He was blessed with one son and three daughters out of whom the son was the eldest and he was running the family business, he had left behind his widow and two grown-up children. Today all his relatives, friends and well wishers have come to attend the condolence meeting.

Lots of people were looking at me with curiosity and wondering what I was doing there. I was the only stranger among them but I could not leave the place without Baba ji’s consent, he has asked me to wait. As courtesy demanded, I thought to take his permission before leaving because I was also getting late. I was getting impatient sitting quietly at one corner of the house in very sad mood. After few minutes, one young girl came and told me: “Grandpa is calling you inside.” I was still sitting and wondering why I was being called? Little later one middle aged lady came to me and said: “Choudhury sahib has called you inside, please come with me” and she ushered me to a room which appeared to be the drawing room of Choudhury sahib.

Once I entered, I found a very large room, equipped with the entire latest gazettes of house-hold things comprising of designer sofa-set with centre table, 42” LED TV plugged on the side wall, multi-door fridge, very big chandelier hanging in the centre of the roof, at one corner, a big writing table along with sitting chairs and one wall fully equipped with wooden racks fitted with front glasses full of books. Nobody was present in the room, so I started looking at the books; there were Law books, English literature, Urdu literature and Hindi literature. On the writing table all the national daily newspapers and magazines in English, Hindi and Urdu languages were stacked properly.            

I was still standing in front of the table when I saw the side door being opened and Choudhury sahib and Baba ji entered the room, following them was a house maid, who was carrying a big tray filled with tea cups and biscuits. Choudhury sahib straight away came walking towards me and took my hands in his hands and said: “I am so grateful that you have brought Baba ji with you. Please sit down” And he very politely first allowed Baba ji to sit and after I took my chair he sat down. He enquired about me; I gave him brief introduction of myself and handed over my business card. He also pulled out his wallet and gave me his business card. He was Dr. Alaha Rakha Khan Choudhury; MA (History), LLB, PhD. (Mugal History), he had served as a Dean in State sponsored University; at present he is the chairman of many social and welfare organizations.    

His elder son Abdul Rehman Khan Choudhury was Commerce Graduate+MBA besides running his family business of construction, farming and wooden furniture; his wife was the TGT (Trained Graduate Teacher) of Social Studies of an English medium School at Alwar town which was managed by Chaudhury sahib’s family funded Trust. His grandson has celebrated fourteenth birthday on March-10. Last Friday night, his son was coming from Delhi after attending an exhibition of Building materials at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, when he met with an accident on National Highway No.-8 near Dharuhera town and by the time he was rushed to the nearby hospital, the doctors declared him: ‘Brought Dead’.  

I offered my condolences to Choudhury sahib and thereafter asked their permission to leave but Choudhury sahib told me to stay for some more time with them. He was looking very sad and his eyes were still filled with tears but I didn't realize how and when I also started crying and my eyes were wet with tears. Though I have no direct or indirect relationship with them but I don’t know why I also felt very deeply about the sad demise of Choudhury sahib’s only son.  Neither I met him before nor I ever saw him but yet I don’t know why I was feeling as if I have lost someone very close to my heart.

Meanwhile, I heard Baba ji was talking to Choudhury sahib: “Please stop crying, be brave and accept God Almighty’s verdict with open heart. I know it’s very difficult to bear this loss but never mind; he has taken away your son and he will bridge the gap by deputing a messiah in your life soon, because in his wisdom, nothing is impossible, you simply wait and watch”.

I was shocked and so was Choudhury sahib, I don’t know why Baba ji has made the above statement, maybe he wanted to console Choudhury Sahib because he seemed to be very upset with the sudden demise of his only son which has further pushed him into this void. The impact of his son’s death was so strong and severe that he could not accept the present situation and come to terms with it so easily.   

I was still in a dilemma and was not in a position to think further. I looked upon Baba ji but he seemed to be in a silence mode both his eyes closed but I could see his lips, which were continuously murmuring religious hymns.  After ten odd minutes, he opened his eyes and got up from his seat and sat down next to Choudhury sahib’s chair; simultaneously he pulled Choudhury sahib’s hands in his hands and started reciting the holy hymns again. He continued to do the same for another five minutes; finally he spoke to him with a broad smile: “Choudhury sahib, the God Almighty is very kind to you, he has given you everything, therefore, treat all persons at par as if they are part of your family and you will see the reflection of your son in every young man’s face, trust me, you will from this very moment”. 

Choudhury sahib was looking confused but he follows Baba ji’s instructions because he was not in a position to disobey or deny them, therefore, he came straight towards me and pulled me up from my seat, holding me from my arms and said: “I am sure, you will give me the honour and privilege of calling you my son” and simultaneously he embraced me and started uttering: “I am truly blessed to have you as my son, thank you”.

I stayed there for another hour; Choudhury sahib called all his family members in his room and introduced me with each and every member of his family. At the end, Choudhury Sahib’s three young daughters came and greeted me with so much compassion and love as if I was their real brother. Finally I saw one old lady coming towards us while sitting on the wheelchair, she seemed to me, Mrs. Choudhury; I slowly walked towards her and greeted her by saying: “Mrs. Choudhury” but she interrupted me in-between by saying: “No-no, call me mother, my son” and she embraced me in both her hands and started crying loudly. Mr. Choudhury came running towards her and said: “Mrs. Choudhury, please don’t cry, God is very kind to us, you see, he has returned our son in the form of this angel, now stop crying please.”   

While driving home I was thinking about today’s incident; I could not rationalize the whole episode and was wondering about the wisdom of my beloved Lord.  I am a very small creature in this earth full of sins without having any skill, standard and strength; I have repeatedly committed blunders and today, the Lord has given me the great gift of my life by introducing me to such a wonderful family which is highly blessed on this universe. May the Lord give strength to respected Choudhury Sahib and all his family members to bear the loss and peace to the departed soul, Amen!  

With Prayers

Gurcharan