ADHIP..

I was seven years old when I started complaining for not having any sibling.. All my friends had somebody to play with in their home. I was all alone. The most depressing part of the year was rakhsha bandhan. I had no body to tie rakhi to.
It was 1995, I guess when gargi kakima told ma to send me to tie rakhi to ADHIP. I went there happily.. And it was THE BEGINNING.. Each year I would impatiently wait for this day. Even his rumu and many others small girls used to tie him rakhi..But I was special. I was the first person to start tying him. He would wait for me with high bouts of eagerness in his eyes. Though his right hand would get filled with rakhis but he always kept special space for mine. I would excitedly wait for my gift which had become a custom by then. Gargi Kakima was very good. One of the most learned person in our colony. A sensitive woman with a great personality. And Alokesh kaku was a CA. A very kind person with a perpetual smile. He used to work the most during our favorite KALI PUJA.
Over the years, my gifts transformed from dairy milk to parker pens. ADHIP was also growing up. But I don’t know why he was a bit different. He didn’t use to fight. He was obedient. And he had respect for elders.

It was sixth February 2005. It was my parents Anniversary. Baba was in kolkata for some work. It was morning 7 am. The phone rang. I ecstatically went to pick it up. It was baba. I wished him. I handed over the phone to ma. The facial expressions on her face changed within a fraction of second. She was as dumb as a rock. She kept the phone and said
Alokesh kaku is no more.
I broke off in tears. Envisaging not about the present scenario but being apprehensive about what the future years will show. ADHIP still was in class ninth.
It was my class 12th. My boards were approaching. I had to detach from the world.
I moved over to delhi for coaching after my boards. Even after my results I didn’t call up kakima. Delhi was screening some real anomalous circumstances. I was making successful efforts to adjust. That year I send ADHIP a letter along with the rakhi.
ADHIP was elated on receiving the letter. Ma later told me.
That was perhaps the last rakhi I sent him.
Last year kakima and ADHIP came down to our place quite unexpectedly. I was overjoyed. I presented lame excuses for not sending in my rakhi, trying to conceal my fault. Kakima was very upset. She said he was unable to adjust in the new ambience. It was KV salt lake. And that’s why he decided to drop his boards that year . he promised me that he would give his best efforts next year and prove himself. I under stood he requires support so I took his number and vowed to call him.

Yesterday majumdar ma’am called me up. She is our common friend. She said me gargi kakima is weeping profusely on the phone, ADHIP is no longer able to face the REALITY. Suffering from severe depression. Undergone many counseling sessions. But no help! He has again decided to drop. And he is still waiting for “shramana didi’s” one phone call….