To What Could Be Our Last Meal Together

Story By: Arushi Narchal
Images: Sahiba Chawdhary and Arushi Narchal
Written By: Kajol Tanaya Behera

With begging cups clasped in their tiny hands, Hitesh, 6-years-old, and Vinod, 4-years-old, step out in the sun. The residents of Nathara village, locked in their homes during the pandemic, would someday or the other hear the children knocking. Opening the door would bring them face to face with either of the tiny boys raising the begging bowl far above his head. Whatever food the neighbours generously pour into these two bowls makes its way to feeding three stomachs- those of the two boys and their father Bansilal Bhera Dhauli.

Their flaky skin and skinny stature convey an inability of just two roti in satiating the children’s nutritional needs every day. It has been a year since they had a sumptuous meal freshly cooked by their mother. As she lost her last breath grappling with the deadly coronavirus disease, Hitesh and Vinod were bereft of motherly love. Bansilal tried his best to provide the children with all the love they deserved and needed, bearing all parental roles alone. They had no relatives to turn to. Two decades ago, Bansilal had migrated from Daili village of Rajasthan to Nathara and never turned back again. He managed to earn a livelihood out of practising the traditional profession of the Dhauli community, which is to play dhols and cultural drums in the marriage ceremonies.

For the past few years, Bansilal had been sensing discomfort in speech and voice. However, he rarely paid attention to that. Life went through thick and thin but Bansilal in his family of four rowed through the dire straits with strength. When the family tested positive for COVID-19, they had hoped to recover out of it together. Alas, Bansilal’s wife could not make it out of fatality. Stepping out of the hospital, Bansilal’s heart was sinking in woes. Amidst his struggle with coronavirus, he had got his throat issue tested as well. The reports came out with something grievous rather than merely concerning. He was scared of disclosing to his two little sons that soon they would be orphans. Bansilal was diagnosed with Throat Cancer.

Soon his health started to fall behind. Bansilal lost his strength to cancer, rotting him from within. Health professionals admitted that the malice had entered into an incurable stage. Death with its crooked beak has been perching on the branches of destiny, awaiting to take Bansilal off to the world from where no one has ever returned. Hitesh and Vinod barely had an idea of what was happening. With COVID-19 lockdown closing off schools, they had the entire day to themselves. The two brothers have been looking after one another like parents do. To feed their ailing father, they venture out every day, asking for food from neighbours. Neither do they know what has happened to their father, nor do they understand what awaits them in the near future.

Bansilal would not make it far in this world. The two brothers would soon fall out of parental love. To ensure that the three of them cherish their remaining days together, CASA supported the family with INR 3000 of unconditional bank transfer and dry ration kit. Bansilal paid off some debt he owed to the neighbour and brought his children a new pair of clothes. The two brothers have a matching pair of orange in blue stripes t-shirt as a parting gift from their father. They have been eating home-cooked food oblivious of which one would be their last meal together.