When I was watching Baagvaan movie last year, I was worried by the pathetic condition of the retired old couple (role played by Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini) and I wished such a situation should not befall on any retiring couples. How can the four eligible and well-off sons can do such injustice to their parents!!! In the movie, mom and dad were separated by their sons in order to avoid a cumulated burden of both of them to any of the sons. While deciding to keep mom or dad alone turn by turn, the sons did not think the magnitude of the pain of separation in their parents. Amitabh stays for six months with one of his sons while Hema stays with the other son, with lot of grief and loneliness….

This same situation appeared in my case recently. I had been to my home city from Delhi for the treatment of my dad who was critically ill. I regret my inability to bring my mom from village to hospital bed when he was fighting for his life. My dad used to shed tears whenever discussion about my mom popped up; I would think he is worried about his life partner than about his own life.  He used to say his life partner would be in trouble if he would die…. I was overwhelmed with the depth of love he has which never decreased even after his 81^st years of life.

My mom arrived from village home to my newly built up home in the city wherein my dad was residing after his discharge from hospital. Dad’s facial ex-pression said it all that how much happy he was to have his life partner by his bedside; but on the day mom was supposed to leave for village for short duration, he didn’t talk to anybody letting my mom to rethink her departure plan for that day.

Differences were felt between the opinion of my family members and myself regarding their settlement. I did not want the “Baagvaan movie-like-situation "in my parents life.

So, I decided to keep them together in my newly built up home in the city, without caring for anything, even if I am away from my home to earn a livelihood for my family.  I think god will praise me for keeping this “couple together” during their last years of life even if I could not make it true for my own life…… May be my kids too will repeat it to me in my old age…..and which may mend the wound of my painful separation with my wife since last twelve years ……

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