Nanak
says ‘Once the call comes from the Almighty one gets up and departs.’
We
all know that death is an inevitable truth.
Yet
when someone passes away we mourn for him.
We
constantly remain in fear of death whether we are old or young or sick or
healthy.
Death
due to old age and sickness is painful but still acceptable. But when death strikes someone at a very
young age or due to any untoward incident like an accident or at the war front
or murder it becomes very painful and unacceptable.
Yesterday
I came across two such deaths which has disturbed the peace of my mind. One was that of a policeman (Mr. Mishra) at
Waidhan. He was only 35 years old. While
crossing the school of Excellence near Chunkumari Stadium he suffered a stroke
and when he was taken to the Govt. Hospital which is situated around 200 meters
from the spot he was declared dead by the Doctors.
Second
death news that disturbed me was that of an old sevadhar (volunteer) at one of
the most religious places of the world, i.e., ‘The Golden Temple’. Day before Bhai Charanjit Singh fell in to
the couldron in which ‘chasni’ (water mixed with sugar) was being boiled for
preparing ‘kheer’ (a sweet dish) for the free kitchen. He was rushed to the hospital with 80%burns
but ultimately he succumbed to death last evening.
I got
to see the pics. of both Mr. Mishra and S. Charanjeet Singh. Mr. Mishra was lying on the stretcher and his
face looked so peaceful as if he was having a little nap and will wake up
soon. There were no signs on his face of
severe stroke that took away his life so suddenly. His face neither reflected pain nor
fear. He was lying there as if he would
wake up at one call of his child or wife.
The
disturbing factor of S. Charanjeet Singh’s death is the fact that he met with
the fatal accident of falling into the cauldron of boiling water with sugar at
a place which is known for having blessed innumerable people both in the past
and present. It is a place which has miraculously cured people of their
ailments like blindness, cancer and lameness.
How trouble can befall on an and old person who had been working in the
place for so long ?
I
know such places can’t become foolproof from death but still being the mortal
that we are these doubts come to our minds.
May
the Lord bless the souls of both Mr. Mishra and S. Charanjeet Singh and provide
us with more understanding.
S.S.
Thaper
06/07/2017