Still living the dream in good and bad times..

A Night of celebration, what a beautiful night ! It was. I was there with my maternal aunt heading towards the reception stage, holding her lehnga from behind. So heavy it was , I wonder how she could manage wearing that. Even though it was Hindu marriage but felt as if it happens in Christian’s wedding, where the bridesmaid holds the wedding gown of bride from the behind.
It was reception of my newly wedded maternal uncle and aunt. Both were looking very cute, as if living their dream. It was a love marriage as my uncle being a Bengali and aunt being a Punjabi. It all was going well, with my aunt’s cousin sisters and brothers dancing on the dj floor on bhangra beats, my uncle and aunt on the stage meeting with guests, their college friends , colleagues and family friends. I was sitting beside my grand mom, taking care of her, as she is quite old and is suffering from diabetes. So she need to be taken care of , and I love doing that ,she is such a darling , tells me old childhood stories of mom and uncles , teaches me to be patient, calm…not jump like a naughty restless fellow every time. I do shake a bit on the dance floor holding my heavy lehnga, a bit of latka and jhatka’s were all needed to silence my sister who was dragging me to dance floor.

Reception was in Delhi’s C.r.park , I must tell you Delhi is such a big place , you may get lost if you don’t know the directions and the same happen with my uncle’s father-in-law, who got lost in the way , and my uncle had to guide him all the way ,as the call was getting disconnected in between it took long time for them to reach there. This made my uncle a bit angry . When my aunt’s family reached with smile sand blessing , everybody was happy and gay. It was nice meeting of two rich cultures – Bengali and Punjabi , it was a lively night, and I too had lots of fun, running behind my small brother who is real prankster, telling him not to roam here and there .
Reception ended up at 1 a.m. and after meeting all guests. I , my aunt , my uncle and one of uncle’s close friend started up for sweet home in Vasant kunj. Previously I wasn’t going up with my aunt, but still she insisted that she need my company so I went by , I wonder now it was fairly good idea, she must have sensed the upcoming trouble , dickey was full of gifts and a bit of alcohol as there going to be huge celebration back my uncle’s home along with friends. Slowly we moved to that highway , it was serene night , calm ,tranquil as it used to be before storm breaks.
Suddenly my uncle’s cell ringed. He got a call form his father-in-law , they lost their way again , my uncle went to the rescue and dropped them back to the guest house , while coming back he was very angry on the driver as he forgot the routes and was driving fast on the roads. I always used to head down while travelling, my mom used to scold me for being so lazy , I guess this time she will be praising my habit. Highway was clear , hardly I could see any living being in my vicinity. My aunt was continuously telling my uncle to drive slowly as he was full in rage. I was lying my head down as ususual.
Suddenly I heard a loud bang , cry of my uncle and aunt , I got up banged my forehead with the front seat, I screamed ‘mummy’ eyes was closed for 5-6 seconds , when I opened my eyes , I was shocked to see a truck in front of the car so close , front glass of car was shattered into pieces, the truck was still stick to the car for 10-12 seconds ,and then went by. The seat was all wet as one of the alcohol bottle broke down ,everywhere it was stinking , [I wonder how can people have such a stinking drink]
I could hardly believe my eyes it was a major car accident at 3 a.m. in a silent highway, my aunt , uncle and uncle’s friend got seriously injured on face they were crying with pain, I was taken back to see blood everywhere. Few minutes’ later , people started gathering around me.

I have to do something ,have to call ambulance urgently, tried searching cell phones of my uncle and his friend in their coat pockets, it was nowhere. Then I tried opening the door of the car out ,it got stuck. My uncle in driver seat was screaming like anything ,he was badly injured in face. Somehow I managed to open the door , remove my heels as show time was off , I could see lots of strangers around me , everybody asking me out what happened ,I was asking for a phone to call up my dad. Somehow a young boy came forward and offered his cell ,I just dialed my dad number [ it was the only number I used to remember by the tip of my tongue and that helped a lot] call was connected , ring going on. By the time seeing so many strangers around ,tears were rolling down my cheeks. My dad picked the call, before he could utter hello, I just started speaking without any speed breaker , telling him about the accident and asking to rush the place as soon as possible as I needed him badly, since I wasn’t aware of the highway I gave the phone to the stranger and asked him to help my dad out in getting the place, from there. I rushed back to see the front of the car in bare foot holding my lehnga , it was badly damaged. I tried pulling the door out so that I can help my uncle to move out as he was stucked inside and even my uncle friend was unconscious

Two mighty guys came and helped in pulling the door , took out my uncle and his friend and lay them down at the corner of the highway. Everyone was shouting the truck hit the car and ran away. I rushed back to my aunt , she was repenting in pain , here mouth and leg was fractured , she could hardly speak but was conscious enough to tell by actions that she needs help. I knew it would be hard enough for her with such a heavy lehnga to move about, moreover wearing all those heavy jewellery on her reception night made her vulnerable also , she was sacred to see strangers near by. I told her to be calm and patient , I would help her out , then I rushed to my uncle and uncle friends who was sitting down unconsciously on the roads with blood falling down form the face , I searched the pockets of their trousers, I found 2 cell phones, I hardly knew anyone in Delhi , only some of uncle’s friend .I tried searching their names. but just in few seconds it got switched off due to low battery , I was crying very loudly , then I took my uncle’s friend cell in my hand ,in spite of wasting time in searching any number, I ringed back to my dad [ wasn’t sure that stranger gave proper information to my dad] , bell was ringing , meanwhile I went to my aunt’s , consoling her not to worry I am calling for help and everything would be fine, I was small enough to hold such big thing, as I never encountered such a tragic accident in my life , but I guess life teaches everything in its own way, timely. Call get connected ,I was crying on the phone , telling my dad to come soon ,he assured me he will be there in 10 minutes , told me to calm down and be there with aunt, uncle and take care of them.
I guess someone called the ambulance, but then a big dilemma came along with it , it could only occupy 2 persons, and they were 3 injured , can’t afford to leave anyone, I was stuck badly what to do ? But, I have to take an urgent decision. I rushed back to my uncle and his friend , told him not to worry, not to scream I am taking them hospital soon. I could see police jeep approaching the place , they told to sit in the jeep it would accommodate all the three people . Meanwhile my uncle’s friends came and they helped me to put them all in the jeep, and told me to reach nearest hospital , and all are coming there soon. I was sitting beside my aunt’s , holding her hand ,telling not to worry , her leg will be fine, then I was telling the driver uncle to be a bit fast, as I couldn’t see my uncle and aunt crying more out of pain, we reached safdarjung hospital in 20 minutes.
I have always seen trauma centre’s in discovery channels , never thought I would part of it in such way , the moment we reached , nurses and ward boy came with the stretcher , took all the injured ones inside. Dad came in 2 minutes , I went towards him, and hugged him,cryng loudly ,he consoled me not to worry , everything will be fine , I did a brave job till now. I went inside the hospital ,I saw the cardiographer running ,my heart skipped a beat , I always seen it on television serial , the reality had different feeling and definition . I was feeling the Goosebumps. Doctors were all crowded near my uncle ,who was injured badly and to large extent very much . Dad asked me out the whole incident , I told him patiently , but still tears were running down . I wanted everything to rewind, I wanted everyone to be happy , they are newly married couple , it was just beginning of their married life .I don’t want it to start with such a tragic accident , was feeling bad.
My aunt never been to hospital all her life, she was scared of injections. This time it was a tour of 6 months I guess, her left leg was suffering from multiple fractures and jaws as well. My aunt’s father , mother , sister rushed to hospital when they got the news. They were crying a lot. I told them not to worry as now they r safe in doctor hands. Whole night went by in the hospital waiting for doctor to tell the reports of all the scans , tell the status of the injury, uncle’s friend got a nose fracture and left ear was injured badly , uncle got serious facial injury , nerves around they eye were also injured , need an immediate operations. Safadrjung being a government hospital running short of facilities so my uncle’s friend shifted them to good private hospital famous for trauma centres. Police found the truck also after few hours and case was filed so. What happened that night is still a mystery for me , as I was lying my head down so I didn’t knew how it happen, as I fly back to Bangalore for my internal exams . I could never open that case again as it hurts more like a wound.

5 months down the line ,my uncle’s friend has recovered fast and is now fine, my aunt leg is healing a bit. She walk with a stick to give a bit of support, her jaw fracture is healed up . My uncle is badly injured in the nose and face, he is still recovering , recently done a surgery on the nose fixing the bone. When I still talk to them , they sound so happy and gay ,as if nothing happened , still living the dream of being with each other in all good times and bad times…