He is no more...

 

He is No More… A Tribute to My Father

In everyone's life, people come and go like seasons—some stay for a while, some leave lasting impressions, and others fade like a passing breeze. Some appear great, some seem indifferent, and some truly understand us, standing by us through our ups and downs. But amidst all, there are two people who never leave our side—our parents. Whether we win or lose, they are always there, embracing us with unconditional love. To them, we are always children, no matter how much we grow.

But sometimes, even these pillars of our life must leave, called away by fate to a world beyond ours.

The Night That Changed Everything

March 4, 2025, felt like any other day. I was exhausted from work and had put my phone on flight mode to escape distractions. I had no idea that my world was about to shatter.

A sudden knock on my door. I ignored it. Another one. By the third time, I got up, annoyed, and opened the door. My friends stood there, holding out a phone.

“Jivan, talk to Raj,” one of them said, urgency in his voice.

Confused, I took the phone.

"Papa ki halat thik nahi hai... talk to your mom," Raj said.

My hands trembled as I rushed to turn off flight mode. Missed call notifications flooded my screen. My heart pounded as I dialed my mother’s number. Every ring felt like an eternity. When she picked up, her broken voice pierced through my soul.

“Jivan... Papa is no more…”

I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I wanted to cry, scream, break down—but I couldn’t. I asked my friends to leave the room, needing space to process the unbearable truth. I shut my eyes, and in those moments, memories of my father flashed before me—the laughter, the lessons, the love. I saw him standing by my side, cheering me on in every hardship, lifting me up after every fall.

The Man Who Never Gave Up

My father came from a humble background, where hard work was the only way forward. I grew up watching him burn the midnight oil, tirelessly working, never complaining.

“Bas thoda aur kaam, phir so jaunga,” he would say when Mom asked him to rest. That ‘thoda aur’ often stretched until sunrise.

When I performed poorly in my HSC exams, relatives called to taunt me:

“10th mein ache aaye the, ab kya ho gaya?”

I was devastated, struggling to focus on my JEE preparations. But my father? He never doubted me.

“Life ups and downs se bhari hai, beta. Kabhi bade, kabhi chhote. Agar ye sab na ho, toh life mein maza kya hai?” he had told me.

His words stayed with me. He taught me to embrace failure, to see challenges as stepping stones rather than obstacles.

A Journey I Couldn’t Complete

As I sat there, drowning in grief, a call from my relatives shook me out of my daze.

“Hurry up, beta. Papa’s body is swelling due to gases. We need to cremate him soon.”

Raj immediately booked my flight. I packed my bag, barely eating as my friends urged me to have some poha. Leaving my hostel at 3:15 PM, I reached Pune by 8:10 PM. My father’s body had already been taken to Nasarapur, our hometown. I rushed there, my heart heavy with an unbearable ache. But by the time I arrived… he was gone. The pyre had already been lit.

I couldn't see him one last time.

I wanted to scream at fate, to demand a chance to say goodbye. But fate is ruthless—it doesn’t wait.

A Black Day

That night, I didn’t sleep. My mind replayed every moment I had with him. Sometimes, I smiled at our old conversations. Sometimes, I wept. The house felt empty without him. The warmth of his presence was gone, replaced by an eerie silence.

The next few days were a blur. We performed the Dashkriya Vidhi and other rituals to pray for his soul’s peace. But in those moments, one thought kept echoing in my mind—his dream for me.

His Dream, My Promise

Every time I asked him, “Papa, main kya karu?”

His answer was always the same: “Beta, jo tumhe sahi lage karo.”

But deep down, I knew what he truly wanted—to see me become a great software engineer. And now, more than ever, I am determined to fulfill that dream.

Papa, I will make you proud. I will build the future you envisioned for me. Your hard work, your sacrifices, your love—they will not be in vain.

A Message for Everyone

If you’ve read this far, I want to leave you with something important.

We often take our parents for granted, dismissing their words, thinking, “What do they know about today’s world?” We listen to strangers' advice more than theirs. We get irritated, sometimes even disrespect them, without realizing that they are the only ones who truly want the best for us.

One day, they won’t be here. And when that day comes, no amount of regret will bring them back.

Don’t wait. Spend time with them. Respect them. Love them. Fulfill their dreams while they are still here to see it.

Because time does not wait. And once they are gone, all you are left with is memories and the pain of a final goodbye.