The Tribute

Amol
Dated :4th September 2009

Some relations are not bonded by blood, but still they have an esteemed position in your life. These are the ones you cherish throughout your life. Because they are the ones that you choose, FRIENDSHIP is one of them and the other one is bonded by RAKHI. Yes I and Amol are strongly bonded by the rakhi that I had tied him last year.
I clearly remember the days when I was new in Zenith making new friends and acquaintances. I was working on the production line 7. All of them on line 7 were good, quite helpful and fun loving. Then after two days or so I happened to see two people coming on the line. They looked to be quite bossy, quite particular about the end products. After some inquiry I came to know that they were our seniors on the line and right now for that particular month was posted in the printing section of the line and would shortly join back the line. I remember on that day both of them had worn black casual outfits; indeed good looking but very intimidating. I was really scared of them and then I had decided that I would stay away from them. This two boys were Amol and Rohan.
After some days Rohan was absent and someone else was suppose to go as a substitute and our Line in charge Preeti told me to do so. “Oh My God that means I will have to work under Amol”. That was my first response to this development, I knew it was just the matter of one day but still I was not going to bear that stress for a full day. I was desperately trying to find my way out of this. Just then one of my friend Sahil came to me and told me that Amol has told him to come in printing section in place of me and also that he would talk to Preeti regarding the same. At first I was relieved, I felt so happy but then my happiness got converted into anger “How dare Amol says he would like to work with Sahil in place of me ” I was really furious, But after some time I cooled down.
The month ended and both of them Amol and Rohan were posted back to the line. Irsha and Shraddha were given the charge of printing for that particular month. And that day for the first half I was paired with the Great Rohan for the job allotted to us. Now this was inevitable so I started doing my work. I did not utter a single word. After some time Rohan started speaking to me, he asked me some basic questions I answered. Then we started speaking about more general topics. After some time I came to know that Rohan was as talkative as me. He was not at all intimidating but was quite cute and naughty fellow. After the discussion of some more topics, All of a sudden Rohan said to me that “You know what, You are quite talkative.” When he said that in the beginning my expression was that of a shock then I smiled and said “Same to you.”
After that myself and Rohan were good friends thanks to him I came to know a wonderful person Amol who was a sweet little brother to me. Both of them were cute little kids, shy of girls, they used to keep on pulling legs of others who used to do mistakes, this explained me the reasons behind why they were acting bossy on that first day that I had seen them and also behind why Amol had requested Sahil to act as a substitute for Rohan in place of me. Amol told me one day “When I came to know that Preeti is sending a girl, I was very uncomfortable so caught hold of Sahil” and I laughed. Through me they joined our group which was made up of equal number of girls and boys, slowly both of them started getting comfortable with girls around them. Every time I spoke to them, played pranks with them, One think was becoming clear to me that they were like my younger brothers. Yes they were younger to me by two years. Every time they made mistake I used to shout at them. Once I had even hit them badly for one of their pranks, And If anyone else use to say anything unjust against them, I used to fight for them, and they also did the same for me. The full line knew about our brothers and sister trio, all use to say “You people are beans of the same pod.” And we used to say proudly that brother and sisters are meant to be the same. Both of them were equally valuable to me, and I adored both of them. Both of them had done their diploma and the next year Amol had planned pursue his further education and apply for degree.
My uncle used to drop me to office and whenever he used to be out of station I used to call up either Amol or Rohan, mostly Amol and they used to come and pick me up and then later in the evening after work they used to drop me home, both of them were safe riders.
Days passed by Rohan got transferred to customer support team and after some days Amol was promoted to OS department. But all of us were always in contact and had lots of fun. Later on after some days Amol resigned the job as he had got a seat in R.I.T in computers stream.
Rohan used to come to our office only once a week, as for other days they were suppose to report to other office and as far as Amol was concerned either I used to call him or he used to call me up. Days went by and Raksha Bandhan came up...
I called up both of them as me and Irsha were supposed to tie Rakhi to them. Rohan promised me that he would come that day to office, I did not force Amol as he had to come from so far. He had told me that he will not be attending college on that day as he was suppose to go to his cousins place-- but still I did not force him.
Rohan fulfilled his promise and came to office. We had brought different type of sweets. We tied him Rakhi, he gave us our gift and then as he was getting late he ran away, so sweet of him to come. At the end of the day as we left the office premises Amol was there sitting on his bike and waiting for us with his million dollar smile on his face. As always he was looking handsome sitting on his yellow Glamour. All had gathered around him and were surprised to see him there as they asked him “How come after so many days he had time to come”. He said “A sister calls up and this brother doesn't come that was not possible.” His words had brought a tear to my eye. We tied him rakhi gave him sweets and he gave us the gifts, I opened up the gifts once I reached home Rohan had given me a vase where in you put different flowers to gather various fragrances in your house and Amol had given me a Ganapati – a divine idol of prosperity in our lives. I placed both the gifts in our showcase. Everyday when I look at them I remember my brothers, actually the gift was not necessary to remind me of them but still.
After few months one day Sweta one of our good friend and Rohan's Rakhi sister buzzed me and told me that Rohan had meet with a serious accident and was admitted in the hospital. I took a half day off and went to hospital. I couldn't think of any thing else. All the way to the hospital I was praying that he may be fine, when I saw him he was covered with all bruises. He had hurt his spinal cord badly and could not move. I was worried but then his father told me that after doing surgeries he would be fine after a couple of months. But until then he was suppose to be bed ridden this was what the doctor had said. I could not imagine a energetic person full of so much zeal to bed ridden for such a long time, but then this would be for only some couple of months, so I thanked God for his mercy as he had saved Rohan from further fatal injuries.
Days passed by and we used to always call up each other and after some days Amol stopped calling me up. I thought he was very busy to remember his sister & whenever I used to call his cell used to come as switched off. But then after some months he called me up and told me that the principle had confiscated his cell. “Not at my entire fault, it was my friends who were using it during class hours.” Was his hurried reply before I could shout at him, He told me that this was the reason why he could not call me up, I was happy to know that my brother remembered me till date. We continued our calling schedule,
As the Months passed Rohan also recovered, started going to work just like before fit and fine, I was very happy to know about his improving state, But as the days were passing due to our busy schedules the number of times we called up each others reduced quite a bit, but still we use to call up each other whenever time permitted. This Rakshabandan Amol had called up, but I could not receive his call, I wanted to call him up but could not, I wanted to tie both of them rakhi but could not.
But on 3rd of September 2009 everything changed, I had taken a day off as We had a family function, I had lot of fun, At 8:22 p.m I got a call from Sweta, I received the call, I felt as if She was tensed “Did anyone call you?” was her first question “No” was my reply. She did not reply at the beginning but then after some time she said “Amol met with an accident”. I was shocked “And what happened?” I could not frame any more words as I felt as if Sweta was trying to tell me some thing that I would not be able to cope up with. “What to tell you?” was her terse reply. I didn't want to hear this. I wanted her to say that he was fine but in the hospital. Something or anything that meant of he being there with us. If nothing else then that something like Rohan's accident had taken place. But she dint say anything like that “Tell me exactly what happened?” This was what I mummer ed at that point. I could feel my voice breaking up, tears filling my eyes, but I did not want to believe this.
“He was coming back home from his college when his bike skidded of and then when he was taken to the hospital he was declared dead on spot.”
These words were enough to prove me wrong; Amol was no more with us. He was taken away from us just like that by the cruel rain. Just like that without any warning without any word. Tears started rolling down my cheeks uncontrolled. I couldn't speak any more. I was feeling as if I was lost, still I did some more inquires and then disconnected the call. But could not stop thinking about that brother of mine Amol, about his million dollar smile, about the small pranks that he played. Nor will I be able to forget him for my lifetime.
I know that today I must go to see him for the last time, But I also know that I will not be able to see him in that state, You may call me a coward but somehow I cant prepare my heart to witness his last journey .This article of mine is a tribute to him. I can't do anything apart from saving his lovely memories in this write-up of mine. Amol you were the sweetest brother anyone can have and your memories shall always be cherished by me.