The day I went to IISc for registration, 1st Aug 1992, I met Rishikesh Basu in the main building, registration hall. On that day I was a bit overwhelmed with meeting people from so many other states. But the moment we reached our hostel rooms and I heard him singing in his, since famous Kishore Kumar voice, we bonded over music.
It was not until '96 after we graduated that I met his parents. By that time, the two of us were thick as thieves and remain best friends to this day.
At some point uncle retired - as an Army doctor and then from Coal India - and they came to Bangalore permanently.
When I returned from the US, I stayed with them for 4 months May to Sep 2003 until I found my rental place. There is no count of how many of aunty's meals I have had and how much of her love I have experienced.
In July 2004, when he found a flat he wanted to buy, aunty told him to get me into the scheme too.
We bought our respective flats on opposite ends of the 6th floor in the same building. We have lived here together for 21 years, our daughters have grown up with each other, and aunty too has been an integral part of our lives ever since.
She always called me her middle son. When I got married, Sukanya and aunty immediately became best friends and have remained that way.
Even until a few months ago, when Sukanya travelled, aunty would send me her chole and paneer at least for one mealtime.
"humko pata hai tum achcha khana banata hai. tum Aaradhya ke liye banao lekin tumare liye hum banayega", she would tell me. Not that I needed a second invitation.
At the beginning of this year, aunty had to go to North Bengal for a few months. She was never the same since she came back.
In May she had a stroke and has been bedridden ever since. She finally passed away last night.
It is a relief to her, but it is still an extreme sadness to her two sons, 3 grandchildren and us whom she always considered family. The entire community mourns.
Last night I sat up informing everyone who knows them and then went off to sleep by 12.30. As usual Bangalore air is very dry. I keep a cup of plain water in the room as a humidifier, but our zealous maid had cleaned it up.
I get weird dreams when the atmosphere is too dry, where I am usually trying to get somewhere but not able to reach the place, waiting for a bus which is not coming, or something like that.
Last night I was in a conference with colleagues and then left the hall to go somewhere.
I was with my school friend Prakash KS and then he suddenly left. I was searching for him and as I was crossing the road I saw school classmates Prakash Sadagopan and Vivek standing there - Vivek passed away in 1995 in a cricketing accident!
They were trying to find a company where Vivek had an interview for a CEO position.
Then as usual we kept going in loops without finding the company before I woke up fully dehydrated. Mind works weirdly sometimes.
In parallel, Sukanya had a peaceful but profoundly sad dream where an elephant came to a wedding, blessed all at the wedding and then passed away saddening everyone present.
I am going for aunty's cremation at 3pm.
