Mohan kept thinking about the argument with his wife while rowing the boat. The passengers were chatting among themselves, but that didn’t bother Mohan. He was immersed in his thoughts. He wanted to send his son to the town for better education, but his wife argued that he was too young to send away. It’s not that he was not attached to his son but wanted a better future for him. He is already 12 years old and there is no good school in the village. A voice broke his chain of thoughts.
One of the passengers spoke, “When do you cross the river in the morning? I need to go to the town early morning.”
Mohan replied, “How early do you want?”
The passenger spoke again, “At dawn.”
Mohan replied,” I will be here by sunrise.”
The boat had reached the shore of the river. Mohan hinged the boat to the riverside and the passengers climbed down. They paid Mohan and walked away. It was getting dark now. Mohan carefully hinged the boat and tied it to a stone pillar. He was taking out his stuff when a stranger came close to him.
The stranger called upon him, “Brother! Take me to the Rajghat.”
Mohan turned around and looked at the stranger. He was an old man with an overgrown grey beard. He was lean and tall. Mohan had not seen him before.
Mohan spoke, “ I have never seen you before. Are you from a different village?”
The old man spoke with a sad voice, “ Yes. I am from a distant village. I have walked all day to reach here. I need to cross the river.”
Mohan replied in a humble tone, “ Kaka! You are late. It’s dark and misty. I can’t row the boat at this hour. I need to go home. My family must be waiting.”
At this point, the old man looked tired and distressed. Tears rolled down his cheek while he spoke, “Oh boatman! Please understand my situation. I got a letter today morning. My son is dead. I need to go to Rajghat. I need to see him and collect his body. I need to complete the rituals. He was my only son and I don’t have anyone other than him. You can’t understand my loss.”
The old man broke into tears as he struggled to speak further,” Take everything I have. Just let me see my son one last time. I will never forget your debt oh boatman!”
Mohan shivered with pain when he saw that old man crying. He went forward and held him tightly. He gently tapped his arms and said,” Kaka! Don’t worry. I will take you.”
Mohan took the old man on his boat and went back to the river. He rowed his boat in that dark misty night. He looked at the old man who was sitting still, looking at the wave created by the moving boat. He was feeling bad for the poor stranger. He gained all the courage and asked the old man, “How old was your son?”
The old man replied in a low voice, “He was 21 years old.”
Mohan asked again,” He works in the town?”
The old man was still looking at the ripple created in the river. He didn’t look away but took a deep breath and replied,” He wanted to earn a lot of money. We sent him with his uncle to the town. He joined a goldsmith there and started assisting with his work. He was doing well. In the beginning, things were good and he used to visit us every month.”
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He paused and looked towards Mohan, “ The distance is large. So I understand it would have been difficult for him to travel every week. But we were happy. But later he got busier than before. He couldn’t find the time. His mother passed away last week… and..”
The old man again broke into tears and he looked away. Mohan didn’t ask any further.
It was deep dark now. Mohan lit the lamp on the boat. He spoke, “Kaka! We are close. We will be there in another few minutes.”
The old man didn’t heed at first. Then he looked at Mohan and took out a box from his luggage and said, “ I was going to give this box to my son..but…now..”. His voice trembled and he stopped speaking. Mohan realized that they were at the edge. So he started preparing to hinge the boat. He climbed down the boat and tied it with a rope. He could hear the old man stepping down as well. But when he looked back he was shocked. There was no one near the boat. He went around to see. No one was around. He thought to himself, “Did the old man just run away? Why? Maybe he didn’t have money?..Why would he act like a thief?”
Mohan was a bit disappointed but then he realised the situation of the old man and calmed himself down. He went back into his boat to return back home. But when he entered the boat he saw a box lying on the sitting area of the boat.
He opened the box. There were two earthen pots with a cloth covering the mouth of the pots. He knew those were the ashes of two dead people. His fear was turning into reality as he opened the letter kept in the box.
Son! You never cared to return to us in these two years but we can’t give up on you. After your mother’s death, I felt lonely and I knew I wouldn’t survive for long. I don’t expect much from you but we will be released from this world of Maya if you complete the last rituals meant to be completed by a son. If you find our ashes and this letter we will find our place in heaven.
The letter had an address on the backside and was addressed to a person named Raghav. Mohan still in shock decided to deliver the letter and the ashes to the given address.
When he reached the given house and knocked, a lady opened the door. Mohan showed his face in the light of the lamp and spoke, “ Does Raghav lives here?”
The old lady looked surprised. “Why do you ask?”, she spoke.
Mohan said, “I have a message from his parents.”
The lady still in surprise spoke again with a hint of irritation in her voice, “ How come his parents ask his whereabouts now? No one came to ask in the last two years. His ashes were lying abandoned in his old room for so long. Do you know the amount of trouble…”
Mohan got numb. All the words were vanishing in thin air as if the whole world had gotten silent. He could only speak in a faint voice, “Where are his ashes?” The lady went inside shouting and came back with a pot.
Mohan himself completed the rituals early morning and prayed for the soul of the entire family. Then he returned home where his wife was waiting for him eagerly. She kept asking questing while he sat on the floor.
He finally spoke, “Our kid will stay with us.” Both looked at each other in comforting silence.
By Khushboo Singh
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