By Sandip Saha
Nobody is safe anywhere
Wild fire in Australia wild fire in California devastating uncontrollable days weeks months together it not only polluted air killed so many animals people left their home when came back they got only ruin. Winter comes these days freezing everything snow and snow everywhere nobody dares to go out power supply gets cut people shiver in cold. Europe America nobody is spared. Rain is flooding whole world India China Europe America cloud burst and flash flood turning all roads into hilly rivers cars bikes even human washed away nobody is safe anymore anywhere.
My oasis of life
In the desert of life, I find oasis in travelling countries lush green landscapes golden crops flooding fields hills with snow here and there adjoining crystal-clear lakes charming chilly weather so comfortable and enjoyable our airconditioned coach was running at a high speed from Bergen in Norway to Oslo in Sweden and then to Copenhagen in Denmark, a fabulous experience. The journey through the bridge over sea sixteen kilometer long out of which four kilometers tunnel was under the sea an artificial land joining the two was so splendid to tell the least. We also travelled hundreds of miles a day with fellow tourists from Los Angeles to Los Vegas to San Francisco or overnight staying at Fresno stopping on the way after every two hours at gas filling stations that were combined with restaurants where we used to take lunch or snacks as we liked. Those were the days laden with golden memories so different from torturous everyday life when one problem or the other always bothers me as though the creator is taking tax at every step to proclaim its supremacy just as dreaded goondas harass the inhabitants in a locality.
Rituals are of a little value
Followers of every religion practice rituals to be called as people of a particular faith. For almost all religions whatever used to be obeyed long ago are no longer feasible to do for practical difficulties. During the pandemic burial or cremation could not be meticulously done. Those who were supposed to be buried were burned due to the lack of space. In most of cases no puja was done before putting body on fire or child did not light funeral pyre of parents. The rituals have very limited value in religious life though priests and mullahs show extremism to prove that they are the real followers. The soul of every religion is in the spiritual part of it that uplifts a human to a better human or even makes them attain enlightenment.
Without medical treatment
It was a Bengali new year day I sent electronic cards to my siblings in reply I was appalled getting a phone call, my sister was crying she informed that our eldest brother was sick and a nurse was employed. He was unable to go to the toilet not talking much, needed feeding. I consoled her and decided to visit him but news came my younger brother staying in the same house got corona infection, to be hospitalized. The situation compelled me to cancel the visit to my ailing brother for the fear that the house was contaminated by the corona virus. The next day early morning my sister telephoned me and informed our eldest brother expired and accused me for letting him die without medical treatment. The body was lying for more than six hours and nobody was helping to arrange his cremation out of the fear of getting infected by the virus. I arranged to get the councilor’s number asked my sister-in-law to telephone him who did the needful by his own people. My younger brother’s wife was relieved from a great crisis since she was alone. Circumstances again pulled me down my sister ever angry with me wanted my son should do all post cremation ceremonies since my eldest brother did not marry. I vetoed saying my dead brother gifted his part of the property to my younger brother’s adopted daughter though my son was the real inheritor. In-fact I could not send my son for performing the job also for corona fear. So long all events were directed by the virus but my sister started shouting at me telling all derogatory words which I digested under the given perspective. But she did not stop and went on insulting me at last, I reacted cutting off all relations with her. The lady died within one and half month due to the heart attack in just fifteen minutes. Here also she expired without medical help.
Sandip Saha is from India. He has won award and became finalist in poetry contests in USA. He published three poetry collections including “Trial of God”, “Loving women” by Amazon, 2021, one poetry chapbook, “Toast for women”, Oxford, UK, 2021 and 91 poems in 31 journals in five countries including India, USA, UK.
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