Petu

Saryumousi passed away yesterday. After the last rites, "Petu" is nowhere to be seen. The relationship between Saryumousi and Petu is more than that of a mother-son. Their relationship was an example of affection and undiluted love. 

There was a small hamlet in the low lying areas of the coastal Odisha. Most of its inhabitants were fishermen who made their leaving by fishing in the sea. Mr. Shashidhar Dash, headmaster of the village school lived there with his wife Saryudevi. Though god hadn't blessed her with a child, but Sarymousi loved the kids in their locality as her own. The couple lived happily with the paltry resources the headmaster could make from his job in the school. A small thatched hut was at one end of the village, slightly at a higher from ground.

The story dates back to the time when the super cyclone struck the coast of Odisha. The sea like a demon gulped the nearby villages with mountains of water rushing in and washing away people with it. The headmaster's house was at a heighted place, so the couple were saved from getting washed away but spent days without food. One morning Saryumousi found a small kid of around 2-3yrs old who was stuck onto a twig below. The kid was unconscious but his heart was beating. With the help of her husband, Saryumousi took the kid in who had turned pale and was trembling with cold. Wrapping him with a blanket, she held to her chest and stayed like that for 2 days. Without food and water. The kid finally got back to his senses. As he couldn't speak properly, the couple couldn't find out his identity and whereabouts. So Saryumousi told her "from now on you are our son and this is your house". The kid started calling mousi as Maa and her husband as Paa. 

After water receded, the villagers came out to take stock of the damage. About 25-30 people were missing who were probably washed away by the floods. Slowly the village limped back to their normal life. Mousi introduced the kid to the villagers and explained everything. They looked like real mother and son duo. The kid was very fond of eating. Even though Mousi fed him at home, the kid didn't hesitate to eat at other villager's house. He just loved eating. People didn't mind because he was the headmaster's son. Because of his love for eating, the villagers fondly named him as "Petu" (which means a person fond of eating, in native Odia language)!

Saryumousi like mother Yashoda, took care of the kid. Whenever Petu fell sick, she went to almost all temples in the locality. They were unseparable. Slowly Petu grew up, went to the village school. Inspite of all out efforts from the headmaster, Petu couldn't go beyond 7th standard and left his studies. He then took to agriculture in a small plot of land which was the only property the headmaster inherited from his parents. Though the headmaster was upset with Petu not continuing with his studies, however he was happy that Petu decided to work hard and make a living out of agriculture.

Time never waits for anybody. The headmaster passed away comparatively at a very young age and it took toll on the health of Saryumousi. Her coughing deteriorated gradually. Petu worked hard in the fields and also took care of his mother. One night when mousi coughed relentlessly, Petu rushed to his mother and saw blood oozing out of her mouth. Petu started crying and embraced his mother. The neighbours came to see what happened and suggested Petu to take his mother to the hospital.

Petu hired a vehicle and started for the medical college hospital in Cuttack with his mother. Throughout the way, mousi was coughing and throwing out blood. She was repeatedly telling Petu "Son, no one is immortal in this world. If I die, you don't lose heart. Take care of yourself. Otherwise my and your father's soul will not rest in peace." Poor Petu started sobbing uncontrollably. 

When they reached the medical college hospital, it was till dark with a lot of time before daybreak. Petu fell at the feet of the doctor on duty and urged him to save his mother. The doctor after checking mousi told "your mother is suffering from T.B. There are very remote chances of her survival, however let's wait for the senior doctor come in the morning. He will have the final words." The doctor then went out for his rounds. 

Petu put the rugs on the floor and laid his mother there. After coughing and throwing up blood, mousi was looking pale. Petu started caressing her mother's head and a faint smile spread across her face. She was not coughing anymore but was breathing feebly and her body was getting cold. Petu held her mother with a tight embrace, sobbing started praying Lord Jagannath to save his mother. He held on to his mother for the rest of the night. 

Finally the day broke. There was movement of people around him, but Mousi didn't wake up. Petu was still sitting there holding on to his mother, quiet and completely motionless. The doctor consoled him and urged him to take his mother's body to his village. Slowly some of his villagers also arrived and took mousi back to village. Petu was not crying anymore. He stood near the pyre like a log, completely speechless. Probably he was cursing god for taking away his mother. Or may be he was thanking god for having  a person like Saryumousi as his mother. 

Suddenly realised few drops of tear down my eyes making a warm feeling. 

Link to original story in Odia: ପେଟୁ