HUMAN

13th July, Mumbai 10.00pm

There was a lot of activity happening across the corridor of the J.J hospital with people moving their feet more than their speed limit dashing each other. Face straight and eyes looked for someone close, they wanted to cry, but held their tears by the hope that their friends or family members are in a safe hands. Few chanted their own God’s name and mantras with the hope that he will save them for sure. An old lady was sitting on the side bench outside the door of the ICU keeping her creasy wrinkled loose skinned hands over her white haired head. She kept her head down to avoid the crowd staring at her. She was waiting for the news from the doctors about her grandson who was going through operation.

The environment inside the Hospital had become more like a fish market with people speckled here and there and like fish there were bodies of people suffused with blood. Soon after, everyone inside the corridor get to hear a loud crying noise of that old lady who got the news from the doctor that they could not save her grandson. The premise was silent for few seconds. Everyone’s eyes were on that old lady. She could not stop her tears and broke out crying and banged her head with her hand. She fell down on her knees on the floor with no power to stand the news of the death of her grandson. She covered her face with choli of her dirty blood spitted sari and dabbed her eyes, but even her choli got wet and did not provide the dryness to help wipe her face. Few came near to console her and gave her a glass of water to drink but she refused to have it and kept crying. She removed one photo of her grandson from her blouse and showed it to the people and cried
“mera baba… mera baba hay ye” (this is my son).
Soon later people came to hear another women crying from the other side. She was crying for her husband’s death. With every other minute people got to hear such news inside the hospital as if it has become the trend. Patients were many, doctors were few making the doctors to rush, and difficult to give their hundred percent. The sudden entries of all the patients into the hospital started from 8.00pm which made the doctors restless. The reason was the bomb blast that took place near Zaveri Bazaar, Opera house and in Khao Gali. The big TV screen in the hospital was viewed by hundreds of people all sticking their eyes onto the TV screen about the news of the blast.

After a while the news came into the ears of the people by which the people reacted in such a way as if they already knew about it. The news reporter reported that the blast was made by the terrorist. People debated and conversations started with each other about it. They were angry and the blood was red hot inside them. They started shooting harsh words from their mouth about the blast and on terrorist. One of the men among the crowd who was very much in his anger started throwing abusing words on the Muslim community. His pitched his voice high and everybody around stare at him and agreed to what he said.
“Saale ye sab Musalman logo ko sabak shikana chahiye.”(These entire Muslim people should be taught a lesson). Expressing his full anger over the Muslim community, people got a very good subject to chat over.

About half an hour later there was a hush in the hospital, a young man in his 26 years age was brought to the hospital. The man was going through a critical situation, blood surged from his head and the right hand fractured with no hope of life. The heart pumped blood faster, tightening the chest and stomach. The nurses rushed towards the operation room and the doctor excused the people in front of him and parked the stretcher inside the operation room and closed the door. 

A man wearing a Topi (a cap often wore by a Muslim man during the prayer) was observing this silently and was chanting praying in his mouth for those who died
“inna lil-lahi wa inna ilaihi raji-un.”
He was wearing a white kurta with full sleeves and sat at one corner of the hospital room, tensed and anxious. His eyes were red and helpless. He scratched his skin under his long bushy beard over his chin. He seemed not much older than age of 30years. He looked at the watch on the wall, it was 11.25pm and then turned toward the door of the operation room, waiting for the doctor to come out and speak to him. He removed his topi and headed toward the washroom.

One of the doctors came out in hesitation and announced
“one of the patients need blood of blood group AB urgently, please if anybody is of the same group do help, we can save that person from dying , he is in a very critical situation. Please help.”
The doctor requested everybody to do the needful as humanity. One man came forward to check if his blood group matches with that person with an intension to help him, to give him life, to give him the chance to see the world again. People started to discuss about that person and prayed for him. The doctors happened to get that patient’s id from his pocket and they got to know his name, address, and home phone number. The nurse tried the number to call out Raj’s family to inform them about their son. The phone kept ringing and ringing. After an efforts of 3 to 4 times someone answered the call, it happened to be his mother on phone. The Mother cried on phone and asked about his son. The nurse did not said much so as to not to make her panic, she just consoled her and told to come soon.

It was not more than half an hour; her mother arrived in the hospital with two big boys and one girl who happened to be her neighbors. Everyone stared at them as they arrived with a force and hesitation. They headed towards the operation room. The doctors told her that Raj is running out of blood and they require a donor of the same blood group to proceed with the operation. She got panic and could not understand whom to approach. She requested doctor to take her blood. Unfortunately, her hemoglobin count was too low to take her blood. She cried and begged in front of the crowd to provide blood to his son if anyone has a match of AB group. The boys took her and made her sit on the bench trying to console her. The crowd was helpless as no one had a match of his son’s blood group. The old lady who lost his grandson few hours ago came and sat beside her and talked about his son and they both consoled each other.

It was 12.35 in the midnight and the hospital saw new patients coming in. Raj was kept in a general room with tubes and needles attached to him and to monitor to keep a check on his heartbeats. They are still waiting for someone to provide him the blood.

7 hours before, 13th July, Mumbai 6.10pm

Light rain showered the Mumbai city and the hawkers in the Zaveri Bazaar road were screaming about their Product they were selling. The reddish blue sky was filled with flights of pigeons who were heading towards their nest as the sun sets down. Cool dusty winds blew along with dew rains. The Bhutta cart was crowded with people who wanted to enjoy the rain with the bite of roast corn.

Raj was with his wife who was newly married and took her out to buy her some jewelry and show her the colors of Mumbai city. She was wearing a pink silk sari with the richness of the handwork at the border in which she looked beautiful. She didn’t wear much jewelry but just one thin necklace glowing on her white fair skin. They walked under one umbrella with Raj covering her with his other hand on her shoulder. Suddenly it started to rain heavily and people ran to seek shelter, some adjusted themselves in the congested bus stop, few in front of the store under the header, some even got inside the shops to get shelter and pretending to buy something so that the shopkeeper doesn’t throw them out. Young couples did not care of getting wet and walked over the road holding each other’s hand.

Between all this, the spiritual people did not forget their prayers. Leaving all this pleasure the Muslim people were offering their prayers at the nearby Masjid. The Magrib Namaz (evening Namaz just after the sunset) was going on in nearby Masjid. The loudspeaker gave the sign of Azan (the start of the Namaz). The Ruku (bowing) was over speaking the verse “Subhana rab-biyal” and when the Sijdah was to perform they heard a huge bang as if the earth had cracked opened and all are now going to dump inside. They left their Namaz incomplete and ran outside and what they saw was the horrifying scene which they never expected. Dead bodies were floating all over the road, there was fire and smoke all around and people running to save them. Shops were damaged, buses were on fire, gust of black smoke were clouded all over No one knew what had happened. Raj and his wife, who were waiting for the bus at the bus stop, were thrown away with the intensity of the blast. Unfortunately Raj lost his wife and he fell unconscious without knowing what had happened. It was all in sudden just like a blink of an eye and all over.

Raj opened his eyes, all fade and unclear. He saw something was rotating up, a kind of fan. He side his face and looked at the people standing beside him, unable to see them clearly, he blinked his eyes to make them moist and clear, he tried to see again but the tube light above him was focusing which made him blink. He heard one voice calling his name “raj…raj…!” he recognized it was his mother who was calling out his name. He tried to open his eyes again to see her. The vision was getting clearer and he looked at his mom and other three friends of him giving him a smile. Mother held his hand and cried. Raj recollected that his wife was no more with him. He turned his head to other side and had tears in his eyes and heart full of regret. He looked at the watch over the wall it showed 5.15am.

Raj saw his mother thanking one person outside the room; the door was half opened but he could not see the person whom her mother was talking to. He could hear people clapping outside. The doctor who treated him came to his room with a smile on his face. He greeted the doctor for saving his life.

“It was only possible because of that person who gave his blood to you, you were in very critical situation and we had almost lost our hope to save your life but all thanks to that person who helped you.”

Raj was curious to meet that person who had given him the second chance to live. He requested the doctor to call that person so that he can thank him. The doctor went outside to look out for that person.

After a while mother came into the room and called out Raj who was taking nap. He opened his eyes and saw her mother smiling at him.

“Raj I want you to meet someone who came as a helper to you who gave your heart a kick start again”

Mother side away and exposed that man in front of Raj. Raj looked at that man, wearing one white kurta with the topi over his head and with long bushy beard. Raj smiled to that person and asked him

“Who are you my friend?”

“I am just like you Raj………………. I am a Human”

“Thank you for saving me” Raj joined hands.

He was waiting for his brother’s operation to get successful but unfortunately the doctors could not save his brother’s life. He told Raj,

“I lost my brother in this blast but I am happy that I could save my fellow brother with my blood.”

Raj was sad to hear about his brother. He saw some roses on the side table by his bed he took one of the rose from the flask and gave it to him. The man left the room with good wishes to Raj.

He walked away from the hospital wearing his topi and headed towards his home. The sun was to rise soon and he was to perform his morning Namaz and make Dua for his brothers and sisters who lost their lives in this blast. He needs to inform his old father who was waiting for him at home for the news of his younger son. He is a true Human.

The end

Sujit Devnath