Rakesh didn’t see the mini-truck hurtling towards them as they rounded the hairpin bend at Kasara Ghat, in the hilly section between Mumbai and Nashik. The particular bend in the mountain road, combining a steep climb with a sharp turn, was known to be deadly. In the car, a brand new Maruti 1000, was the whole happy family — Rakesh, his wife Reynoo, and children Gautam, Sonia and Arjun. Reynoo had just unfastened her seat belt and was sitting cross-legged as she unwrapped aloo parathas to feed her brood.
Rakesh had a split second to make a choice: veer left to try to avoid the truck or let the accident happen. A head-on collision would have meant certain death, so he swerved left, hoping to find a perch on the gravel verge.
But the back left wheel went off the road, skewing the balance. As in some dreadful slow-motion nightmare, the car left the road, tumbling into the deep ravine several hundred metres deep. The front passenger-side door fell open and Reynoo was flung out; a moment later, the car landed on her, crushing her. It rolled a few more times before coming to rest against an outcropping boulder.
Gautam and Sonia, miraculously, were unhurt. Arjun had three compression fractures and injuries on his face, head and leg which required 123 stitches. Rakesh cracked his L4 and L5 vertebrae. Villagers gathered quickly; ambulances were summoned; doctors and friends in Mumbai were informed; Breach Candy hospital was alerted about incoming patients.
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When he was better, Rakesh returned to Kasara to thank Dr Shrikant Sarvagod. He wanted to do something to enshrine Reynoo’s memory. A brutal, sudden death in a ravine could not be the last word on her life. He learnt that the doctor had an NGO waiting to come to life. There was an utterly impoverished village called Vihigaon not far away. Could something be done?
Rakesh and the doctor created a fund of about R5 lakh, with contributions from himself and others. Someone donated a few barren acres. Two years after the accident, the Reynoo Mathur Memorial Clinic came up in Vihigaon. And so it started.
Many pray to be the first to go, fearing the grief that the loss of their loved one will bring. But inevitably, one will go first, and the other must find a way to deal with the bereavement. Shah Jahan immortalised his beloved Mumtaz Mahal with one of the most breath-stopping monuments the world has ever seen. Few people know that he was inspired by another memorial, the tomb that the Empress Bega Begum commissioned in Delhi in loving memory of her husband, the Emperor Humayun.
But it’s never a question of riches. Creating an enduring memorial to a departed love requires time and attention more than money. Here are a few thoughtful suggestions:
1. Plant a living memory garden: Whether in your yard or windowsill, it would have your spouse’s favourite flowers, herbs or vegetables. It’ll bring fond remembrance every time you tend to the plants.
2. Memorial recipe collection: Was your spouse fond of food? Or perhaps loved cooking? Put together their favourite recipes as a book or digital collection, with anecdotes, photos and personal notes. Share it with friends and dear ones.
3. Memorial Bench: Buy an artful bench or refurbish an old chair from your home, and dedicate it to your loved one. Paint it their favourite colour and add meaningful artwork or inscriptions. Every time you sit on it, they will be with you.
Rakesh didn’t let Reynoo’s memory fade. For three decades, he has stayed in touch with the villagers of Kasara, donating and raising money regularly for the doctor’s causes. He has watched the doctor’s activities grow: his NGO now runs a bridge school for about 125 homeless streetchildren from Mumbai. They also manage a child sponsorship programme, a textbook repository and a home for orphans over 18. Rakesh is still a modest donor.
April 22 this year was the 30th anniversary of Reynoo’s passing. Rakesh went to Kasara and once more met Dr Sarvagod, who now lives in Mumbai but travels regularly to Vihigaon for his many projects.
The Reynoo Mathur Memorial Clinic was still there, still a couple of small rooms. With everything else he has going on, Dr Sarvagod cannot attend the clinic more than once every few weeks. Rakesh’s work too keeps him on the move, but memorials, especially 30-year-old ones, need attention and watering, like plants. The clinic, it was clear, needed a transfusion.
“What is your vision for the future?” Rakesh asked the doctor.
“We should have a full service hospital here,” said Dr Sarvagod.
Rakesh is no Shah Jahan, but he is clear about what he must do next in Reynoo’s memory: start a new seed fund, and raise money from people of means and goodwill to bring a hospital to life in Vihigaon.
If you’re one of those people, this is a good moment to reach out to Rakesh and ask him how you can help. His email is mathurhospitality@yahoo.co.in.
Or ping him on his WhatsApp number 98101 65065.
Reynoo, somewhere above and beyond, might smile a little smile.
You can reach C Y Gopinath at cygopi@gmail.com
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The views expressed in this column are the individual’s and don’t represent those of the paper