A man in the neighborhood died today afternoon. He was well today morning when I saw him buying newspaper and milk packets in the morning. Suddenly he fainted and on the way to the hospital he died. The cremation center need doctor’s certificate to continue the further last rights. That too they work till 6 PM only.
The male members of the family rushed to Government hospital to get a certificate as most of the doctors in the locality were not available. Since it is Sunday, the relatives who went to GH also didn’t return soon. The whole street knew that the old man had died and his body was brought in auto. But none of them went in to check.
There is something about this funeral houses. There will be heavy silence hanging above our head. We may want to talk a lot of things but we cannot. That is one place where emotions ride so high than the words. Since I work in night shift most of the people in the street don’t know me. I stepped into the house to see the old man laid in the hall with a lamp lit near his head. There was no one except his wife and daughter. There was no one even who came in to ask what happened.
I offered to help them in anyway I can. I don’t know what are the things to be done, who are the people to be called and all. But I felt like doing something. They said about the male members going to the GH. I stood there for few minutes, gave our landline and my mobile number and asked them to call me if they need any help.
It made me think of how I dont know anything about the things to be taken care of in a funeral house. Whenever there is a death in my native, they used to tie a palm leaf in nearby electric post or tree. People will be able to see that some one has expired there. Whether they know the family or not, the neighbors will start coming in. People will start cry with the family. Somebody would have taken the count of people in the house and would have started cooking for the entire group.
There was always these somebodies ready to help. But what happened now? I dont know whether it is a city phenomenon. But how can you enjoy a comedy channel when a neighbor expired next door? I cant understand it at all. After all, this is the time where we should be helping the neighbors and sharing their feelings.
Felt really bad. We did our bit to the old man who passed away for the better world. And as always this reminded me of taking the numbers of the essential services in such situations.
The man would have never thought, he will be lonely in this last journey too..
Comments
sad it is….irukarapo thunaikku ilaama irukarathu oru vitha kashtamna..porapo aala illam irukarathu kodumai
Very true
Yup, feeling bad.
Real sad state of affairs man
Wonderful post. Truly an eye opener. City life have changed everything. Somehow those village traditions should be incorporated in our city. Small drops maketh an ocean. Let we spread the word and make it happen. Also, the formalities once a person was dead needs to be made known to people. I will make a post one day about this.
Good if you can bring up a post on that Deepak. Whatever you write or say, people’s helping tendency is gone forever or it works according to the benefits they will get in return.
Yeap sure. Will post it by this weekend 🙂
well said Mr deepak.we have to make awareness to the community where we live
Thanks Krishnamoorthy sir. Yeah we should 🙂
Here is my post sir.
http://deepakgetinspired.blogspot.in/2013/06/formalities-when-someone-dies.html
I can totally relate to it. Coming from a rural town, a good Samaritan is what I miss the most in otherwise awesome cities.
Good Samaritans are still here in cities. But we need more of them
Silent state of a selfish world.
However, many a times people never give the needed ‘company’, they just add to the confusion and already prevailing aloofness !
Sorry if that was cynical!
It was not at all cynical boss! That is very true. I can see people fighting on why they haven’t been informed earlier, as if they would have made him come out of death or something.
Well, this sadly implies the universal truth.. You are born alone, you die alone..
Well written!
Yeah when we walk alone in the darkness, even the shadow leaves us. Its always a pleasure to have you here Trish. Drop by more often na!
Yes, I’ll try for sure 🙂
we have born but we dont know when is our last day on earth.on the last day we dont know that you born.
Atleast at the the last day, even if we dont know why we are here, we should have done something that others would remember what we did when walked on this land.
Sad that no one turned up and thought provoking !
Yeah! And we call them as neighbors. That is a real sad thing.
Feeling bad to hear this. It’s so true that no one cares that much about neighbours in the city when compared to the rural areas. It is an alarming issue that needs a lot of attention.
The attention can be only given by being aware of what is happening around. If we volunteer to help 100 people, I guess atleast 5 would be there for us when we need them. Rural scenario is also changing which is a very sad thing.
Made me sad 🙁
Very nice of you to have helped, BP. Role model-ish. I would usually think twice, but next time se I would offer help in such a situation.
Yeah made me sad too. That made me come out of the blog hibernation and write this. Role model and all too big a word for me.
Next time se? You went for a vacation without telling me.. So bad I say! 😛
Truly an eye opener one. The world has changed a lot and it is difficult at this moment to look back also. But, we can definitely give a try. We are definitely social animals, but it also true that I am alone…
Yeah, the world has changed a lot and we hardly live in the same place for our life unlike yesteryears. So to develop a rapport with neighbour takes some time and effort from both sides. Only at these situations, we realize the need of people who are near.
As you said, at the end of the day, we are alone. Atleast we can be surrounded by good and caring people at the last leg of our journey
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Very good Read ~ i agree we are still living with selfish ppl Some times we cannot change people, So generally i try to do what ever i can !
Deep within every action of every human being is prompted by question “What is in it for me?” Only a self satisfied human being will be able to help others with all of his heart.
Thanks for dropping by Aparna!