THE END

I cannot sleep when I am travelling, especially when I am travelling by road. It started from the day when I met with that horrible accident a few years back. Both me and the hubby were travelling to Vrindavan with another friend of his. I was not feeling well, was down with a very bad bout of influenza and so was not too keen to travel, but both of them somehow made me agree. 

I took a pill at the first petrol pump where we stopped for fuel and closed my eyes. As I tried to sleep I heard both the friends, both spiritually inclined, talk about God, his various forms, the various places and events when they had felt the presence of 'The Divine' the most...etcetera etcetera as I slipped into deep sleep. 

I woke up when I felt a strange pain and found myself stuck between the seats. I saw the hubby walk out of the front door. I called out to his friend, but he did not respond. I thought he was no more. The car was in such a bad condition that I lost all my senses on seeing that. 

Soon I saw people breaking open the mangled parts of the roof and take out hubby's friend. So he was alive....So??? So I was the one who was no more!  No wonder he couldn't hear me. Was that an end to me?

So many thoughts flashed as I saw face after face passing. Suddenly a tall burly man said,"Arre bahanji ko nikalo!"( please take out sister) I was pulled out after the sides of the car were broken by the men who happened to be plainclothes policemen.

 "Shit" was the word that came out of the hubby's mouth when he saw me. The injuries on the face were fatal. Was in a pretty bad shape. We were taken to the nearest first aid centre and then rushed off to Metro Hospital, Faridabad.  Our friend had just received a few bruises but was in a state of shock. I was the one who was badly affected. Went through innumerable tests, MRIs, CT scans, eye checks and all. One of my tooth was also affected and it had been hanging with the gum. I must mention that the Dental Surgeon attending on me was very caring and all he did was put a big swab on my gum after putting the gum and tooth in place and said it will get fixed and trust me after five days it was fine. 

I was in the hospital for a few days and people actually thought that I wouldn't survive. But because of the attending doctors and care of the hubby I survived and came back home.

Later my driver, who had gone with the insurance people to the spot, told me that  after sometime, right on that same spot there was an accident . Two couples were travelling and of them three passed away on the spot and only one woman, who was newly married survived.  I shivered.

Soon after I was back home people started visiting us all narrating how they felt and the way I had been. Some claiming that I was blessed, some saying that my children were...leaving me confused; when one fine day somebody whom we just knew came home. Hearing about the details and the route taken, whatever he said really made me feel that I was indeed blessed.

He said that accident spot was called Mundkati and every second day there was a bad accident resulting in a death. At that spot people have felt the presence of some negative spirit and that is the reason why a police van is permanently posted there. So with the first aid centre.

I really did not know how to react as the hubby said that although everything with the car was fine, he couldn't control it. The brakes did not work and he felt the car turning by itself and it rammed into a stationary vehicle that was carrying sand( the brakes were found to be perfect later at the workshop). Both his friend and he were still talking about God and his mercies when the vehicle met with the accident. Probably that's why we survived...."And as that spot or the spirit  needed its share  of blood for the day so the accident and the deaths just some time later at the same spot, the same day Sir," said the guest.I did not know what to say.. I walked away to my room, sad. 

Since that day when that horrible accident happened, I am not scared of death anymore as I experienced it so closely that day. I realised that any moment can be "The End", but I also forgot to enjoy my sleep while travelling.

Am still in a state of dilemma- to believe or not to as I fold my hands and bow my head to Him in thankfulness. 

©®Madhumita