Death and Drink keep us alive! My article in today's Hindustan Times

My article in today's Hindustan Times.

Death and Drink keep us alive!

Something that inspired me to see things in larger scheme! 

Late Mr. Khuswant Singh said it all in merely a one-liner...

Pour-in some feedback, Please!

Death and Drink keep us alive!

Weddings at home can bring our adrenalin rush up as nothing else can. Such euphoria that involves incomparable gaiety and festivity has the audacity to make us look at the world with rose-tinted glasses. Especially if it’s the wedding of your own only brother-in-law, it becomes all the way more special. The much-awaited wedlock was scheduled two months ahead of their engagement and being an arranged one, involved more preparations and arrangements. This sure was one that kept us tied to our toes, most of the time.

However taxing and tiring it was, in those two months, we left no stone unturned while making various arrangements ranging from Banquet selection, guest list, florists, caterers and blah-blah!. At the same time, it was quite mystical to see yourself being spoilt for choice and over indulge. All set for the jamboree, we, in company of our cousins and relatives were game for full-on entertainment, fun and masti! The ‘high’ brought with itself toe-tiring dance parties, binging, extravagance, and whole lot of fun & frolic. Oodles of love, fondness, good wishes, compliments and greetings that circulated during various functions not only overwhelmed us but also swept us off our feet for long time.

Happily, the merriment continued for many days after the marriage as we welcomed a new member in our family. The real spell casted off only when the relatives bade goodbyes and our day-to-day routine started setting in. Unlike others, for us, it faded as soon as we received tragic news of passing away of one of our distant relatives who used to stay in our locality only. With much inner resistance and hostility, we visited his family members to pay our condolences.

We couldn’t imagine the reason for him not turning up in marriage was a sharp u-turn that his health had taken in last few days, leaving him paralyzed. Diagnosed with a fatal disease that was too late to recover, he had left his Kith and kin in state of denial. For us, at first, to step into the house which was mourning someone’s death was sadly a heart rending task. With sudden and intermittent outbreaks of tears, whimpers and sighs, it was impossibly agonizing to sneak ourselves into an ignored corner of the room and remain unnoticed. A room filled with eyes hunting for answers, sorrowful memories and a deafening silence made me ponder over the question of ‘Existence’!

The tumult of emotions I experienced after coming back home made me wonder and left me baffled. I realized how nature and destiny has the fortitude to bring us upside-down from a state of contentment and pleasure to grief and then contemplation in just a single blow. As rightly said, it dawned upon me how ‘Nothing is permanent in this wicked world, not even our troubles’. This even reminded me of my favorite author’s words, in his novel (Delhi, by Khushwant Singh) which said, ‘In Delhi, death and drink make life worth living’. Couldn’t agree more with you, Son-of-Sardaar!