I feel sick in my stomach , weak in my knees , and the choking in my throat as I write this . But someone told me that I have a gift for expression , so I want to pen down a part of my journey to make you and your loved ones aware of what terrible sufferings exist in this world . Not that you don 't know about cancer already . Not that I didn 't know about it already , but you don 't feel it unless you go through it or see someone close to you going through it . My dad , as I knew him before the dawn of 2017 , was a very different person . Handsome ; to say the least . Strong , bold , daring , ambitious , would be a few of his other personality traits . Just a few . He used to tell us that when he was in his late 20s , he was the most dashing man you 'd see around ( a little self - obsessed , I know ) , but after seeing his pictures , I didn 't doubt it for a moment ! He is someone who stood up for himself , and built his own empire . His daring stories and life lessons never ceased to amaze me . But he had a major flaw . Something you would accept because ' Everyone does it ' . But that something has ruined his life today . That something is : Alcohol . He started drinking when he was 25 . A true Punjabi , who would sit with friends and other male members of the family , and wouldn 't stop until it they 'd finish the bottle of whiskey , or until they were drunk ' enough ' . And let me tell you what , Punjabis don 't drink wine or beer . They want whiskey . Only Whiskey . The bottle that marks more than 40 % volume of alcohol . He loved drinking , almost every day when he was still young . And quite regularly even after he crossed 40 . He didn 't like to be told that he shouldn 't drink , and that it 's harmful for him . Nobody , not even his wife or his mother had the right to tell him that . He took his own decisions and knew what he was doing . When he was around 52 years old , he was diagnosed with Cirrhosis of the liver . The doctors said that if he drinks now , its poison for him . He was asked to take some medicines , and stop drinking . But he quit for a bit , and then started again . I moved away for work and studies abroad , and wasn 't always aware as to how much he 's drinking and whether he 's taking his medicines regularly or not . We could obviously see that he 's not the way he used to be . He had lost weight , and wasn 't very active anymore . When I came home last summer for two months , I was surprised to see that he still wanted to drink . I knew I couldn 't ask him to stop , because he would shoo me away . I had to see him do that to himself , completely helpless . Nobody said anything to him . People only advised him to stop , but he wouldn 't listen to anybody . I remember seeing some weird rashes on his legs before I left for Paris again last August . Red rashes , growing like fungus all over his legs . I asked him to see a doctor , but he never took me seriously . By November , he started having regular fever . After a blood test , the doctors were shocked to see the results . After an MRI and some other tests , he was finally diagnosed with final stage liver Cancer . Two large tumors in the liver , and many smaller ones spreading to other parts of the body . I was in Paris back then , miles away from him and my family , absolutely clueless as to how to take this news in . I had submissions coming up . For a few weak moments , I wanted to leave everything and go home . The tickets were really expensive , and my visa renewal was in the process . There wasn 't just one problem . I kept my calm through it , and booked tickets for February , hoping he would be alright . But every day he was growing weaker . Some days he would talk to me over a video call . I asked him how he spent his days . He told me he could walk for a bit in the balcony , watched TV for a bit , talk to the relatives who came to visit him , and otherwise slept for most part of the day . I felt terrible that I couldn 't be there to take him to the hospital for the tests , or help my mom through the day . Each day was difficult to pass . So I decided not to think about it , carrying on with my days . But some news or the other about his weakness would come from back home , and I would feel weak . Soon , it turned out that he had jaundice too . The doctors suggested chemotherapy . But it was a big risk . The liver wasn 't prepared enough to take it , and it could have caused liver failure , they said . There was no other option , so they went ahead with it . The chemotherapy left him extremely weak . But the worst was yet to come . I was happy that he was at least able to talk and walk normally , and I would get to spend some time with him in February . I was supposed to be there on the 10th of February . Meanwhile , back home , I was told that he was given some chemotherapy medicines . He had taken it for a few days , but before I reached , he stopped taking even that , because the jaundice had increased , and they couldn 't give him any medicines for that or for the cancer . He had strict instructions for food too . Less salt , no red chili , no oil / ghee or fried food . Only juices and boiled food . As the date to take the flight back home was nearing , I was just hoping that he was fit enough to talk and laugh with me the way he used to . We always used to have long discussions and arguments about life , and almost everything . He had a lot to say about everything . And I was just hoping that we could spend time doing that . But the day I reached home and saw him , I couldn 't believe my eyes . He was so weak . Just 55 years old , he looked no less than 75 . The man , who would proudly show us his muscles and chest , had now bones poking out . He looked really old . But he was still able to talk . Not the way he used to though . He didn 't have the energy to argue or debate , but he was listening to what I was saying . I told him about the research I was doing , and what I wanted to do in the future . He was listening to it , but he didn 't say much . Lying in bed , I could see from his face that he wanted to say a lot , but didn 't want to either . He just told me that I should come back home now , after finishing with masters . That I should just come home now , it had been long enough now . Even though I had so much to talk to him about , and I was already imagining it before I reached home , things really didn 't work out that way . There was obviously a difference in the way we used to talk . And realizing that the magic was gone , I retreated to my shell and didn 't want to express much , knowing that he wouldn 't say much in return . Meanwhile , we were trying everything possible . I and mom went to a homeopathic doctor to show his reports . This was the first time I was going to listen directly to what a doctor had to say about his case . He saw the reports and said - Whoever takes this case now , will be put to shame later , because nothing can be done . He said he can 't give him his medicines , because he has had the chemotherapy medicine , and his homeopathic medicines won 't work before 3 months . It might already be too late by then . As a last resort , he gave us the address of a baba in Alwar , Rajasthan , who gives natural medicines for Cancer , and is known to be miraculous . I don 't know if he or my family really believed in it or not , but in a desperate situation like this , we wanted to do anything . So we decided to go the following weekend . I had come home on Friday morning , and even before I could understand for myself how I should take this all in , and make my presence felt to him , without getting weak , he faced a terrible blow . On Wednesday night , he said he didn 't want to eat anything , and that he was feeling sick . After a while , he puked . Reddish - brown and black pieces . It looked like dry blood . Not knowing what exactly it was , we decided to take him to the hospital emergency . As soon as he reached the hospital , he started vomiting fresh blood . The cause was internal bleeding . Too much pressure on the nerves of the food pipe . The cancer was spreading everywhere . It had spread to the bile duct , which had caused the jaundice . The liver was becoming weaker and weaker , and so were the other organs . They put a pipe through his nose inside the body and a bag full of blood was taken out . The blood that was there due to the bursting of the nerves . So much blood lost . It left him without any energy . The condition in which he was lying there was even worse . The AIIMS emergency room . Suffocating , the smell of disease all around , chaos , tears , tensed faces , cockroaches and rats moving around . Even a normal healthy person would feel sick standing there . They said they would admit him , but he was discharged the next evening , because he was ' stable ' now , the doctors said . The reports suggest that the internal bleeding can happen again . The doctors say that he is at a stage where they don 't know what to do with him . Ever since he came back from the hospital on Thursday night , he has been at his weakest . The jaundice increased so much - his eyes and arms are pale . He cannot walk without support anymore . He doesn 't talk anymore . It seems like he has to gather so much energy to even say two words . He now looks like he is over 80 years old . A man of 55 years he is . He used to be so strong and healthy . I could never have imagined seeing him like this . So weak . So pale . The word father / Dad itself makes you imagine someone strong and bold . But my dad is so weak today . I have to leave for Paris again in 3 days , and I wanted to talk to him about so many things . I said to him , ' Dad , I 'm only here for a few more days . Please talk to me . ' He didn 't say anything . I had brought my books to study , but I have no energy to concentrate on that . I was supposed to spend good time with him . But he 's lying down next to me . He 's not sleeping , I know . But he doesn 't want to talk to me . Or anyone . He gets angry , and irritated , about everything . We don 't know what he feels from inside , because he doesn 't say . But his face says it all . It seems like he 's in pain . He whines and moans in discomfort . And I 'm listening to that as I write this . The person , who used to down glasses of whiskey , has no strength to lift up a bottle of water to his mouth anymore . He needs to be taken to the toilet , and is only surviving on liquids and light food . We got him the medicines from Alwar - powders and syrups , but he doesn 't even like taking them . They must really be bitter . But all our hopes lie in those powders now . If miracles do exist in this world , then it 's time we witness one now . If you 've read through this whole story , I request you to please be more aware of the consequences of alcohol abuse . I know it has become a part of our social life , and nobody is an exception to it . But everything must be done in moderation . As long as you maintain a healthy lifestyle , a little amount and occasional drinking might still be acceptable . But please , please , please do not think that it is okay to drink alcohol regularly . I too never took it seriously until now . We laugh and joke at advertisements before movies etc . that say ' Alcohol is injurious to health ' , but if you see it so closely ( which I hope you don 't ) , you 'll realize how important it is to spread awareness about this . There is nothing worse than seeing a normal healthy person dry down to this state , just because he gave in to addictions like these . There is no point in suffering later . It is wise to stop at the right time . And even though it is really difficult to see him like this , I 'm glad that I came home at the right time , because I wouldn 't have understood the deeper meaning behind those advertisements , if I hadn 't seen it for myself . Added later : He passed away 20 days after I wrote this blogpost . After a few more internal bleedings , blood vomitings , and coma on his last day . No medicines helped , no miracles happened . I had only seen the worst after I wrote the blogpost , But knowing that it would only get worse , we are atleast glad that he isn 't suffering anymore . Nothing can fill the void he left , but memories and lessons are all we have now . It was a bright sunny morning . " 8 : 00am " said the bedside clock of Mr . Sharma . His tiny eyes opened once again to the empty room in which he had spent 10 years now , since the demise of his beloved wife . She was 65 years old , when she had a terrible car accident and died on the spot . His world came shattering down like a card palace . What wasleft for him in life then ? The only person who had been faithful to him , who had loved him with all her heart since their youth , was gone . In a matter of moments . With great difficulty , he got out of bed and took hold of his glasses and walking stick . His usually heavy heart felt happy today . He could feel some lightness , like a heavy weight being slowly removed from his heart . He started walking towards the garden of his 200 sq yard broken home in Karol Bagh . It was more than a century old , built by his great grandfather , way before India 's Independence . Somewhere around 1890s . What a splendid house it was when it was newly constructed . A typical Indian house , with everything constructed according vastu shastra . The 2 floor building consisted of spacious rooms and narrow corridors which also served as balconies on each side . And the pride of the household were the gardens ! As one passed through the huge iron gate into the driveway of " Sharma Niwas " , one could see a huge stretch of green grass on both left and right . The garden always smelled lovely . The trees and plants were watered several times everyday , and so the wonderful fragrance of wet mud was like a refreshing therapy for the visitors and also the household members . During winters , most of the time of the inhabitants of the house was spent in the garden , with swings for the kids on the left and English style tea tables for the adults on the right , days never seemed to be boring . This house had witnessed so much . More than a century , with five generations . Earlier , around 4 families lived together in this house . Mr . Sharma 's great grandfather had four sons , and so they all lived together with their children . Disputes did take place from time to time , but never did any of them think of leaving . The same was true of the next generation . But soon after a dispute among the brothers of the next generation , the household fell apart . Mr . Sharma 's father was the only one who stayed . His two elder brothers moved out of the house with their share in the property . Sharma Niwas began losing it 's charm since that day in early 1935 . Though the household servants still continued to work and did not let the beautiful house be left uncared for . They too had been replaced by their next generation , who was equally hardworking . The gardens still were the pride of the few Sharmas left in Sharma Niwas . But now , on this August day in 2010 , everything had changed . The yellow paint of the house had turned into faint white . The plants had all died . The grass was not fresh green anymore and was covered every inch with pale yellow leaves . Every room except that of Mr . Sharma 's , was covered with spider webs and dust . Half the rooms were locked . And the outer walls of the building were stained with thin long black marks , which seemed like black tears rolling down the cheeks of Sharma Niwas . The old man walked up to the main gate and stood with support of the iron bars . His eyes were fixed in the direction of the bus stand just opposite his house . His face lit up with a smile as he watched a little school boy running around in circles aimlessly , and an older looking girl running behind him . How well he could see himself in that boy . How well he could picture himself back in 1940 , when he was a tiny little mischevious boy of 8 . His two elder sisters would always be on his left and right , each one holding his hands , in order to protect him from anything and everything . How carefree were those days when his family was always there to cater to his every need . Money was never an issue , for his grandfather was a highly reputed official in British India . Even after his retirement , the pension that he earned was more than enough for the happy survival of the few members that lived in Sharma Niwas then . Mr . Sharma 's father , Suraj had joined the 26th Indian Infantry Division in 1942 , when the world war II was at its peak . The British were recruiting men from their colonies all over the world to join the army . Casualities were high and so more and more people were required to fill in the space . Mr . Sharma 's grandfather had been seriously ill since almost an year now and everyone in the household knew that death could strike at any moment . In such a situation , Suraj did not want to take leave of his father , whom he so dearly loved . The young man 's father had often expressed his sorrow at the loss of his other two sons . How he tried all means to solve the family dispute between the two elder brothers , but their wives were adamant and firm at their decision . The two families left Sharma Niwas for good , paying visits only once or twice an year . Suraj 's heart ached at the thought of leaving his father on his death bed . He did not want the old man to die , being deprived of the love of his sons . He knew for a fact that his elder brothers would not turn up anytime soon . He wanted to tell his father how much he loved him , he wanted to tell him that he was not deprived of love . With tears in his eyes , he was ready to bid his son goodbye . Not being able to take his eyes off from youg man in uniform , he made a gesture , asking him to come closer . Suraj reached for the old man 's hand and brought his ears close to his face . 14 years old Mr . Sharma , was standing close to them , intently listening , as his grandfather spoke his last words . He knew what he meant . He knew that his last words were not just for his son , but also for his grandson . Mr . Sharma 's mother was an uneducated housewife and his sisters were both engaged to eligible bachelors . They were supposed to be getting married in a few months . All the family savings had to be used for the same . The mother 's heart shrank at the thought of the coming days . How were they to survive after the savings were used up in the weddings ceremonies ? She would cry all night long and grew weaker by the day . She appeared older than her age . Her face lost all the youthful charm and deep dark circles appeared below her eyes . Mr . Sharma was very worried about his mother . On one hand he had to think of some way to earn and on the other , he had to get back his mother from the depression and weakness she was going through . One day when he came back from school , he saw his mother sitting by the window pane , lost in thoughts with tears rolling down her eyes . She held a few 100 rupee notes in her hand , which were soaking all her tears . Mr . Sharma stood there , looking at her intently . He knew that now was the time to say something . " Ma , please do not cry . Your son is still alive . Look into my eyes . Don 't you see a reflection of papa in my face ? He has not gone away . He has asked me to take care of you and our house . Yes he did . In my dream last night . Do not worry ma . These are not the last few notes left for our survival . I shall earn for us . Do not worry . " His mother kissed his forehead and smiled at him . She could not apprehend the seriousness behind the words of her 14 years old son . She had considered them as mere childish thoughts . It was only the next morning when she heard the sound of the main gate opening at 5 am in the morning , that she realized how truthful had been the little boy 's words . The school bus came speeding up to the bus stand and stopped with a loud horn . Mr . Sharma was woken up from his thoughts . He bent down with a hand on his back , to pick up the newspaper . Every morning , the sight of the thick , folded , newspaper was a reminder of the days of hardship . And yet those days seemed to be " good and old " . For the pain that the loneliness of the present day caused , was nothing in comparison to the hardships of those long gone days . That day , 67 years ago , he had started working as a newspaper delivery boy . He would get up every morning at 4 . 30 am , deliver newspapers , went to school , worked at a local teashop in the evening , came back home and studied till late in the night . He began earning enough to provide 2 square meals a day for himself and the two other ladies in the house . His mother began doing household chores in a few neighbourhood houses . That provided for his school fees . All this hardwork was too much for a 14 years old boy . He wished to play , enjoy with classmates , and lead a carefree life . The only boy of the family who had been pampered so much , was now left on his own . Ever since the family had shrunk to 4 , he thought he would never have anything to look forward to that would make him happy . He thought he would have nothing to look forward to after getting up early every morning . But the strength he needed was provided to him on the very first day when he began work . At around 6 . 30 am he would deliver newspaper at the Singh 's . And at exactly that time every morning , the Kapoor 's youngest daughter Sonal would be standing in the Balcony , with her glass of milk , waiting impatiently for the newspaper . She was 13 years old then , and a keen reader . One could always find her sitting in the balcony early morning , reading the newspaper . In the evenings too , she was found reading a novel or her textbooks . When young Mr . Sharma saw her for the first time , he could not take his eyes off her face . She stood there waiting for him to throw the newspaper into the balcony . But the boy was dumbstruck . " Hey you ! Hurry up ! " , she said . The voice awakened his soul and he came back to his senses . Even after she had gone away , he kept staring at the spot where she had stood . He did not know what happened to him that day , but since then , he had a happy reason to look forward to after waking up early every morning . Though still , extent of his suffering cannot be explained merely by words . Each day was a struggle to survive . Each day was a struggle to breathe in the world . Days went by without any progress . Months went by , without any improvement in the financial status . He was far away from the knowledge of any luxuries now . All he could think of was what his grandfather had said to his father . He had to work hard to be able to keep up to his wishes . He had to bring Sharma Niwas back to life . Often while lying in bed , he would recall the stories that his grandfather told him about his life and family . From all of that , he had created a picture in his mind of the times when Sharma Niwas was as lively as a summer fair . He himself had never known of the joys of a joint family . But the stories he heard of his dead relatives , made him long for that life . Once while telling him about the many mischiefs of the kids in the household , his granfather said to him , " I have experienced sheer bliss in the joint family life . But alas , you my child could not enjoy the love of your uncles , aunts and cousins . My heart longed to play with my grandchildren . I imagined them to be atleast 5 in number . But look what fate had in store for me . I just have you now . My child , we cannot change the past , but I really wish that you and your father experience the abundant joys of children and grandchildren , of many family members , all living under one roof . " Mr . Sharma 's grandmother passed away when he was sixteen . Life had been sailing on an infinite river . The bank where his sufferings would end was completely out of sight . His mother had been growing weaker by the day and survived not more than two more years . On the day when his class 12 result came out , the boy came running back home to announce the news that he had topped with a 95 % . He knew in his heart that now the boat of their sufferings was nearing the shore . But the sight of his mother lying in the bed , left him agape . She was shivering all over and was breathing with difficulty . Days of physical work had her body weak to the core . She had fainted many time while working , but she never said anything to her son , in fear of increasing the pressure of survival on him . She knew that they could not afford a doctor or medical treatmeant . And so she decided to silently approach the day of her death . His happiness disappeared in a moment , and tears rolled down his cheeks . He bent down near his mother and that is when she spoke her last words , in a low voice . " Only you can bring an end to the suffering of Sharma Niwas . The bright future awaits you . Do not give up . We all will be watching you from above . Do not give up . Bring this house back to life . Do not give up , son . Do not give up . " After reading the newspaper , Mr . Sharma sat at a corner of the bed and began staring at the photograph on the wall . It seemed like just yesterday when he had fallen in love with the beautiful girl standing next to him , in her wedding attire . It seemed like just yesterday when he had put sindoor on her forehead . It seemed like just yesterday when he got up early morning , just wishing to catch a glance of her . After his mother 's death , the young boy was left alone in the huge house . He used just one room for himself and locked the rest . All his days were used up in working to earn his own living , and working harder to improve the prospects for a better life . He had his goal clear in his mind . Studies had never been an obstacle and he was ready to as much harwork as possible . But to live the family life that he had in mind , he had to get married . And he knew exactly who he wanted to marry . When they were children , Sonal and Mr . Sharma did not realize that with every passing day , they were falling in love . Everyday after throwing up the newapaper , he would stand for ten minutes at the same spot , looking at her reading the newspaper , sitting at the tea table in the balcony . Initially , she did not pay any attention to him and did not even spare him another glance . It was an everyday ritual now . But with each passing day , both were growing up , both were getting in touch with life , learning new things . But the realization of love did not come easily . Three years went by . Sonal was now 16 and Mr . Sharma was 17 . They had never had any conversation yet . Only a regular exchange of glances . It was July , and Mr . Sharma had fallen seriously ill . For fifteen days he could not go to work . For the meantime , someone else was employed in his place . On the first day when the substitute came , Sonal was shocked to see a different face . The man threw the newspaper into the balcony and cycled away . She kept standing there for another ten minutes , thinking about the boy who had been delivering newspaper since three years . It was then that she realized the fact that she had not been totally ignorant of his presence afterall . Somewhere , she too looked forward to seeing him every morning . And his absence made her accept that fact . She raised one hand and signalled him to wait . She went running inside the house , got a pen and paper and started writing something on it . Then she folded it and threw it at him . He took out a pen from his pocket and wrote at the other side of the paper , " I was ill . Could not turn up for work . I missed your beautiful face . " Mr . Sharma got up from the bed with some difficulty and walked up to the almirah . He took out a bundle of letters and placed them on the bed . With shivering old hands , he opened them one by one , reliving his youth as he read them . A tear fell on each sheet of paper . The words began soaking his tears of loneliness . The soul of his beloved had departed ten years ago . Since then , everyday he read those letters , hoping to find her in those words . Hoping to relive those memories . An exchange of letters and affectionate glances was regular now . Mr . Sharma was diving in a ocean of happiness . He did not have all the comforts of life , nor was he leading a comfortable life . Strong doses of hardwork were still required day and night . Sleep was to be given up for days . Final board exams were approaching and he knew his future depended on it . He could no way give up on the precious time he had . During all this , Sonal became his strength . Her letters , her words , her smile , inspired him to work even harder . Though the hardwork paid off when he topped with 95 % , but his world almost came to an end after his mother 's demise . He was left alone in the huge house and all he knew now was that he did not have to give up . He had to build his family and rebuild his life . And for that , he needed a life partner . And none other than Sonal could have been the perfect one for him . In those days , most of the females were married at an early age . And he knew that as soon as Sonal turned 18 , people would begin asking for her hand in marriage . Time was running out like sand gravels from the fist . He had to get a job and be presentable enough to ask her hand in marriage . Sonal 's father , Mr . Amit Singh was a Political Science lecturer at Delhi University 's Hindu College . He was man of high morals and believed that education is the essence of life . His daughters were never deprived of any facility and were free to choose what subjects they wanted to study and how much they wanted to study . Sonal was the brightest among her three sisters . She knew in her heart by now that she only wanted to marry Mr . Sharma . She had asked him all about his family during their few meetings and was glad to know that he was afterall not a lower caste fellow . Tragedies of life had stooped him to low jobs and he indeed belonged to a family with a rich cultural background . She knew that he needed time to settle down and get a job after completing his studies and for that she needed to delay her marriage by declaring that she did not want to marry anytime soon . She did this on the pretext of studying further . Her father had no objections and he encouraged her to get into a good college . Meanwhile , Mr . Sharma joined Hindu College , and was now Amit 's student . No doubt he was an excellent student and never failed to impress his teachers . He would always greet his teachers by touching their feet and respected them from all his heart . This was one thing that his grandfather had taught him . " A guru is God " , he said . " The one who imparts knowledge to you , should be worshipped by you . " Very soon , he was a favourite of Amit and he took keen interest in knowing what the boy had planned for his future . They would often sit together over tea in the canteen and would talk for hours . Amit was touched by the boy 's heart melting tragic story . He knew that he would do something big in life . And in order to help him , he suggested him to sit for the civil services exam , since he had a good command over humanities subjects . The boy could not deny his master 's suggestion and agreed to begin the preparation under his guidance . It was not the first time that he was visiting the Singhs . Amit had invited him for dinner a couple of times in order to introduce the young man to his family . But this visit was going to be much more formal and different in objective . When Mr . Sharma annouced the purpose of his visit , to his surprise , Amit 's face lit up with a smile . He said , " It would be my pleasure to give my daughter 's hand in marriage to you . Had I not known you any better , I would have thought twice . But since we are well aquainted , I have no doubt in the fact that a hardworking and passionate person like you will be the perfect match for my daughter . I was indeed thinking on the same lines yestersday . And it is my good fate that you turned up with the same proposal today . " The wedding took place some months later on an auspicious date announced by a priest . It was a family affair and not many people were invited since already there were supposed to be very few people from the groom 's side . Mr . Sharma 's sisters , brother in laws , and some far off aunts , uncles and cousins were invited for the wedding ceremonies . However , only 25 people turned up . It was 12th August 1950 . He knew that from this day on , everything was going to change . The loneliness of his life was going to come to an end . He wouldn 't have to live alone in the huge house any longer . He was ready to brighten up his own life and shower all his love and care over Sonal . Since the wedding morning , his heart beat was racing . He had been envisioning this day since so many years . To be precise , He has indeed been envisioning Sonal in her wedding attire . He could not correctly come to imagine how beautiful the girl would look as a bride . But the images that he had formed in his mind in all these years , appeared before his eyes as he sat on the horse . The Indian wedding traditions have a touch of royalty to it . Even a middle class groom feels like a prince as he mounts the horse . And the beautifully dressed bride feels like a princess , with the Solah Shringar ( 16 important elements for an Indian bride ) . fire . The wait for the bride to enter seemed never ending . Then finally , the breathtaking beautiful girl was escorted to the courtyard . Mr . Sharma 's eyes fell upon her and to his disappointment he realized that the wait was still longer . As the That night Sharma Niwas looked like a little palace . Colorful lights were twinking like stars all over the outer walls and trees . The interior of the house had been lit up with candles and the married couple 's room had been decorated with red and white roses . As Sonal walked in the corridors of her new house , toward her new room , she felt as if she had been transformed into a very different person . She recalled Mr . Sharma 's words . " I 'm glad I won 't have to live alone anymore . And with you , my love , I am certain that my dreams of reviving the beauty of this house won 't fail . " His dreams were her own now . She was a married woman now . This house was her own . This house was her dream . This house was her palace and she was heading towards her Prince . The long wait finally came to an end . Amidst the candles and roses , he unveiled her . And in her beautiful young face , he saw the face of the child he had fallen in love with 7 years ago . Mr . Sharma took his stick and began walking out of the room . He headed slowly towards the stairs at the end of the corridor . He took each step carefully and with a lot of effort , he managed to reach the first floor . He reached a room at the end of the corridor . The door had a dusty iron lock . The upper part of the door had two small glasses fitted into it , on left and right . They too were not transparent anymore . A thick layer of dust had been spread onto them . His tiny eyes peeped through the glass and he saw that everything was just the same . The furniture was still intact . The only difference was that the inhabitants of the room had been replaced by spiders , rats , insects and dust . But his eyes slowly turned away from the real scenario , and he began envisioning the past . The nurse , the old ladies of the neighbourhood , the painful cries of the mother and then of the child . And the young Mr . Sharma , wiping away tears of joy as he held his first baby boy in his arms . The first child of the family , Vijay was born in this room , four years after their wedding . The couple decided against having a child soon after marriage . They were themselves young and barely managed to earn their own living . Mr . Sharma had started working ws a school teacher and gave private tuitions to children in the evening . Sonal , however was still in her final year of graduation . After she graduated , she too started working as a school teacher and together , they were earning enough for themselves . But Mr . Sharma had bigger dreams . He was not satisfied being a mere school teacher . His aims were higher . He had not deviated from the path that Sonal 's father had shown him . Day and night he worked hard , preparing for the civil services exam . Leaving no stone unturned , he gave his first attempt when he was 23 . His dedication and hardwork led him to the happy ending of the difficult path he had chosen . His dream of serving as an IPS officer ( Indian Police Service ) came true . He was appointed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the west district of Delhi . He had a goverment job in his hand , a huge house in his name , and a wife whom he loved . He could finally call himself well settled and was ready to have a family . All the dreams he had dreamt for his future were coming true , one by one . His family was complete now . Sharma Niwas was springing back to life . With their handsome salaries and savings , the couple managed to get the house painted and renovated . A gardener and cook were hired for a full time service . Vijay , Akshay and Aman grew together in Sharma Niwas . Their parents , with dreams of seeing them as gentlemen someday , left no void in fulfilling their children 's needs . Mr . Sharma had indeed worked hard for the post of an officer , so that he could give a comfortable life to his children . The three children turned out to be complete spoilt brats . Inspite of all the efforts that the parents made , their grades were never upto the mark . Not that they were not intelligent . They just didn 't want to study . Till the time they were in lower classes , they scored average and managed to pass . But by the time they were in class 8 , their interests began to shift . They all knew what wrongs the other was doing . But none protested . They all supported each other . Mr . Sharma was under the illusion that he was bringing up his sons well . But what they were doing in school and after school was unknown to him . It was only when their results were out , that they were scolded by Mr . Sharma . But everytime they had the same excuse . " We promise to do well next time . " The father 's heart would melt and he never refused to give them another chance . Sonal would often tell him not to be too liberal with them . But Mr . Sharma would always look back and think about his own sufferings when he was fourteen years old . He had always wanted his sons to live a happy youth , and for the same reason , his heart would not allow him to be harsh with them . He would forgive every mistake , thinking that they were still children and would become sensible soon . But they went on drowning . The elder one was first to drop out of school . When he was class in 9 , Mr . Sharma found him smoking at a nearby paan shop while coming back from work . His heart sank at the sight , for he had never thought that his little son could start smoking at such a young age . On asking his neighbourhood friends , he got to know that Vijay was an addict to smoking . Later , packets of cigarettes were also found in his room . Mr . Sharma knew that he had gone way too ahead this time . Still , he decided to speak to him calmly . After dinner one night , he summoned him to the garden and began talking to him . Vijay seemed not interested and kept looking at his watch , for it was time for another smoke on the terrace . Not being able to make him confess about his habit of smoking , Mr . Sharma posed the question directly . " Son , do you smoke ? " Vijay . " Discuss ? What do we need to discuss ? It is my life . I don 't need to inform you as to what I 'm doing ! " He stood up and started walking back . Mr . Sharma had lost his temper by now . Vijay 's words had pierced his heart and he shouted , " alright then . If it 's your life , earn for your own living . I 'm not here to give you pocket money so that you can burn my hard earned money and your future into smoke . " That night Mr . Sharma could not sleep . Vijay 's words were still echoing in his head . He wondered where he had made a mistake in bringing him up . He had tears in his eyes after a long long time . It was then that he realized that life wasn 't going to be easy afterall . Bringing up his children wasn 't going to be easy . Even after having all the wealth that he dreamt of , he was not happy in his heart . It was hard for him to accept that this ignorant , rude and selfish young boy was his own son . His dreams of seeing him as a successful educated gentleman further brokedown when he failed in his class 10 exams and declared that he did not wish to study anymore . Sonal and Mr . Sharma tried their best to convince him and enlighten him about the importance of education in life . But no word could convince Vijay . He was firm in his decision and said that he was ready to do anything , but education was not his cup of tea . Vijay dropped out of school but did not stay at home . As soon as he would get up - and that would be quite late - he would walk straight out of the house and roam around with friends all day long . He got no pocket money now , but a few convincing words spoken to Sonal would melt her heart and she would give some money to him . The rest of his needs were fulfilled by friends , from whom he borrowed money . He spent his days playing cards , smoking , drinking and sleeping till late . Mr . Sharma saw very little of him now . By the time Vijay got up , he was off to work and when he returned home , Vijay was not there . Vijay had was not concerned as to what was happening back home . He was not in his senses most of the times . But his father was so deeply concerned for him that he spent all his time thinking about him and his future . He could not leave him all by himself . He wanted to do something for him . Anything . He began looking for alternatives . He wanted to engage him into some kind of work so that he didn 't spend his time drinking and smoking . After the setting up of the grocery shop , his routine did change , but his habits didn 't . He continued the drinking and card business in the shop itself . Customers who came were shocked to see the plight of the shop . Nothing was organized and the sales were not upto the mark . But Vijay was satisfied with whatever he earned . He was glad that he was able to earn a few rupees even without studying . But never did he acknowledge the fact that all that he was earning was because of his father who paid for the rent and stocks in the shop . Mr . Sharma would visit the shop from time to time to see how Vijay was doing . Tears welled up in his eyes every time he saw a cigarette and drink in his hands . Without uttering a word he would walk away and tried to speak about it to him at the dinner table . But just like he had answered back rudely an year ago , he did the same now . And whenever such an argument took place , Mr . Sharma would stroll in the gardens till late in the night . His own childhood flashed in front of his eyes . The long days of hard work and suffering flashed in front of his eyes . The sleepless nights spent studying for a better future , flashed in front of his eyes . Mr . Sharma began looking weak and older than his age . All his time was spent lost in these thoughts . Akshay and Aman were in class 8 and class 10 by now . The younger one , Akshay , was doing well in studies but Aman was on the verge of failing . Sonal spent all her free time teaching them , and kept a strict watch on their academic performance . But Aman showed no improvement . With great difficulty he managed to pass his class 10 exams . But his academic career too came to an end when he failed his class 11 exams and declared that he too did not wish to study further . When being scolded and beaten up , he argued that his elder brother too had taken this decision and now he could not be denied the same . Waves of tension and sadness passed through Sharma Niwas every moment of the day . Mr . Sharma had lost all hopes for Vijay and Aman . He would look at his youngest son Akshay and wonder what result he was going to throw back at him in future . He now spent all his time talking to Akshay and making him realize that what his elder brothers were doing with their lives was wrong . He made him understand how difficult life gets as we grow older and it shouldn 't be treated as trash . He told him that true happiness could be achieved only after suffering and hard work . He inspired him to study and work for an even prosperous and happy life . He promised that he would stand by him at every moment and told him that he only expected his children to be truthful to him . Even if he gets attracted to trying alcohol and drugs , he would help him stay away from them . Unlike his brothers , he expected him to be polite and atleast listen to what he had to say . Aman had been a spectator to all that had been happening in the house of late . He understood that only if his brothers had listened to their father , the situation could have been better . He had observed how rudely they had behaved with the aging man . On the other hand , Mr . Sharma had never given up on them . Many times he even tried to tell his sons about how much he had suffered in life to build up all that he had today . But whenever he started speaking about it at the dinner table , Vijay and Aman would pretend to be sleepy and rushed into their rooms . It was Akshay alone who would sit back even after finishing dinner and listened intently to what his father had to say . Aman too joined his elder brother in the grocery shop and they both engaged in drinking , smoking and playing cards all day . Mr . Sharma was growing weaker by the day and Sonal would weep while lying in bed till late . Akshay 's innocent face was their only comfort and hope now . Days , months and years passed by . Nothing changed . The residents of Sharma Niwas were constantly engaged in arguments and fights . Mr . Sharma knew that it was too late now and it was impossible to change certain things . Yet his heart won 't let him give up on his spoilt sons . He would try to talk to them about work and life , but they always seemed not interested . Sonal too tried to talk to them politely , but nothing changed their attitude towards their parents . Moreover , they started beating up Akshay when he didn 't obey them and they secretly tried to make him drink and smoke . But the youngest one never got trapped in their words . When Akshay was in his final year at school , Mr . Sharma and Sonal took extra care of him . As soon as Mr . Sharma returned from work , he sat down with Akshay and helped him with his studies . The father and son enjoyed this time together . Mr . Sharma would tell him about how he had studied and managed to score well when he was in class 12 . Akshay would get really inspired by his father , and resolved to score even better than his father did . By the end of the school year , as exams were approaching , he began locking himself up in his room , so that his drunken elder brothers wouldn 't bother him with their nonsense talks . The phase of hardwork ended soon , and after his exams , Mr . Sharma took a few days off from work and took him out of town for a short trip . The father and son spent great time together and discussed their future plans . Akshay had told him that he was expecting to score above 95 % and that he wished to pursue a degree in English literature . Mr . Sharma had tears of joy in his eyes , when he realized that his dream of seeing his son successful was going to come true . His hard work had not gone waste after all . He had atleast one son who was a reflection of his young self . His hope in the betterment of life had been restored completely and he looked forward to spending his time everyday with his youngest son . Akshay 's result was out soon and he scored a 96 % . " Now that 's like my son ! This score calls for a huge party " , announced Mr . Sharma . Ever since his sons had started going to school , he had been looking forward to the day when they would make him proud by scoring even better than him in class 12 board exams . This dream of his had been broken twice by Vijay and Aman when they dropped out of school . But Akshay did not disappoint him . Sharma Niwas was beautifully decorated like a bride that evening . It looked no less than a house where a grand wedding celebration was going to be held . Lights were put on , strings of flowers were put on , tables were arranged outside in the gardens and candles were lit up on each table . A buffet was set up and drinks were served . The whole neighbourhood turned up . Mr . Sharma 's colleagues , friends and relatives turned up . Sonal 's parents , relatives and cousins were invited too . And Akshay , the star of the evening , turned up dressed like a gentleman , in a white shirt and black trousers . Mr . Sharma couldn 't stop smiling when he looked at him and he asked , " How am I looking dad ? " . To which he replied , " You look like my son . " The two walked out into the gardens where Mr . Sharma called out to the guests to seek their attention . He then introduced Akshay and raised a toast , telling them about his achievment . Everyone clapped and cheered and came forward to congratulate him and wish him success for the future . While he was getting all the attention , Akshay had a tensed look on his face . His mind was wandering somewhere else . Mr . Sharma had been observing him for quite sometime now , and he noticed that the boy was looking here and there every second . Akshay . " No dad . I can 't enjoy without them . They must be present here on my big day . I must go and call them . I think I know where they could be . " And he hurried out of the house . Mr . Sharma shouted to his back , " Come back soon son . " " Don 't worry dad . I 'll just be back with my brothers . " , Akshay said as he turned around and waved at him . Mr . Sharma stood at the same place for a while , looking into space , even after he had gone . It was only when Sonal put her hand on his shoulder , that Mr . Sharma came back to his senses . " What are you looking at ? " , she said . " Nothing . Akshay has gone out to look for Vijay and Aman . He 'll be back soon . " , he said . Mr . Sharma ran up to them when he couldn 't spot Akshay standing with them . He looked at his two sons and saw tears streaming down their eyes . " Where is Akshay ? Where is my son ? " , he screamed . The crowd made way for Mr . Sharma , and as they parted , he saw Akshay 's body lying on the ground . His white shirt was stained with blood all over . His face was hardly recognizable . His eyes were shut . He was dead . Akshay was dead . Mr . Sharma broke down and hugged the blood stained body of his son . A chill ran through everyone gathered at Sharma Niwas . Rejoicing had turned into mourning within a minute . There were only screams and cries to be heard now . After Akshay had left the house half an hour back , he went running down the road to the grocery shop where his brothers worked . It was supposed to be a five minutes walk , but Akshay was in such a hurry that he chose not the walk , but to run . He reached the shop within no time , but found himself standing on the opposite side of the road . The road was busy that Sunday evening . In a hurry to cross the road , he started taking quick steps , and simultaneously called out to his brothers sitting in the shop . " Vijay bhaiya ! Aman bhaiya " , he shouted . Within seconds , a huge crowd gathered around the spot . Vijay and Aman ran to where the boy was lying . Vijay held the bleeding boy in his arms and put his head on his chest . He was still breathing . A doctor from a nearby hospital was called for . But before the doctor could reach the spot , Akshay started breathing heavily , trying to say something to Vijay . Walking on the first floor , the old man reached Akshay 's room . On the door was hanging a small cardboard , full of dust . Mr . Sharma rubbed the dust off , and the words " We miss you son " became visible . Tears started flowing down the wrinkled face of the old man . Memories haunted him again . These weren 't the sweet memories of the long gone days . These were the bitter ones . Memories of the days after his beloved son 's death . It seemed as if after Akshay 's death , Mr . Sharma never experienced happiness again . The short span of happiness that he worked hard for all his life had been take away from him in a snap . He wished for nothing more in life now . For more than a month after the demise of his son , Mr . Sharma locked himself up in his room , coming out only for meals . Infact , the few days that followed , he hadn 't even had water , let alone any meals . In the darkness of the room , he sat weeping , screaming , praying and cursing his destiny . His only hope had been taken away from him . He felt like there was nothing more to live for . Many times he thought of committing suicide . But then Sonal 's face would appear in front of his eyes , and he would be reminded that the first love of his life needed him more than anything else . After mourning for months , Mr . Sharma resumed his daily routine and started working again . A lot had changed in those days . No sounds could be heard from Sharma Niwas now . There were only painful waves of silence and silent weeping . None of the four members spoke to each other of anything else other than that of important issues . Another two years passed by . Vijay turned 24 and Aman turned 22 that year . Every day had been the same in Sharma Niwas . Though everything seemed to be the same from outside , strategies were being made by the two elder sons . And then one day , a storm struck the household and things were never the same again . Vijay and Aman had grown up now and the little income they had from the grocery shop wasn 't enough for them . They hardly managed to earn enough for the regular supply of drinks and smokes . They often lost a lot of money in card games and then had to borrow money from friends . So , almost always , the two were in debt to someone or the other . One day , one of their lenders spoke to them about something that seemed to the brothers a very fine idea . The lender told them that their house , Sharma Niwas , was now worth a huge sum of money and could be sold off at a very high rate . They could demand Mr . Sharma their share of the property by selling it off and buying a smaller plot of land at some other place in Delhi . And the amount that would be saved , could be used as an investment in starting up a joint business . Moreover , there were many companies looking for land in Karol Bagh to construct hotels . They could speak to a property dealer and ask him to arrange a deal . That way , they could have some share in the hotel business too , by investing the money there itself . Vijay . " That is indeed quite an amazing paln ! We should surely talk to the old man about this . The property is indeed ours now and we both can use it the way we want . " Aman . " Ofcourse . And anyways , the house is too old fashioned and we don 't even need such a huge house . It would be better if we sell it off and buy an apartment somewhere . " Aman . " Dad , we don 't have a steady income and our needs are increasing everyday . and then we 'll be getting married in a few years . So . . we need . . umm . . a better source of income than the grocery shop . " Mr . Sharma was shocked . The two spoilt brats were talking to him politely and interestedly . This must have happened after some 10 years ! Mr . Sharma could already smell something fishy . But what they were going to say , he had never imagined in his wildest dreams ! Aman . " Dad . We met a property dealer today . And he is offering a huge amount for the sale of our house . There 's a prominent businessman who has many hotels in India , and he has agreed to set up another branch here . We could earn a lot . We could invest in the hotel business , start up another business and buy a small apartment elsewhere . We anyways don 't need such a huge house . It 's a waste anyway . " Mr . Sharma 's heart stopped beating . His body went numb the moment he heard these words . A tear fell down from Sonal 's eyes . She looked at Mr . Sharma , who seemed to have lost his senses . Without a second thought , she got up from her chair and slapped Aman across his face . Vijay . " What is wrong in what he said mom ? This house is our property anyways . We well decide what has to be done with it . And if we both agree , what is your problem ? " " Open your eyes wide and look ! Look at him . My great grandfather . HE built this house . HE built Sharma Niwas . Look at his sons , here . . . My grandfather and his brothers . And their children . My father , his brothers , his cousins , . . here , look . My mother . My uncle and aunt . . My cousins . Look here , my sisters . . . Do you both even know the number of people who spent their lives in this house ? The number of people who breathed their last breath in this house ? The number of people who worked hard to keep this house alive ? Do you even know the amount of pain I went through to give a new life to this house ? The hard work I did , just so that this house could witness generations and generations of care takers like those that my ancestors had been ? Do you know what the last words of my grandfather were ? Do you know what he told my father when he left for the war ? Do you know what words my mother spoke to me when she was on her death bed ? Do you know of the dreams that I dreamt for our house ? For our future family ? Do you know that I spoke of all those dreams to your mother when we were not even married ? And She , yes , SHE , she told me that my grandfather 's and my mother 's last wish wouldn 't go unlived . She told me that she would stand by me as we give a new life to the house that had been inhabited by me alone for years . She told me that I would see our sons growing in this house , and that together , we 'll see our daughter - in - laws stepping into this house and that together , we 'll see our grandchildren growing in this house . . . Look at her . You see how she is crying ? And let me tell you , she is not just crying because of the words you just spoke . She is crying because in a matter of moments you crushed not just our dreams , but also proved us failures . Yes . Failures in bringing up our sons . Failures in being able to nurture our dream . And why just our dreams ? In a matter of moments you crushed the dreams and hopes of all these people who once lived in this house . You crushed the dreams and hopes of my grandfather , Mr . Sharma choked , coughed and fell down on the floor . Vijay and Aman left the room without saying a word . And the weeping Sonal , held Mr . Sharma in her arms and comforted him . He looked up , swinging his head from left to right , looking at the paintings and photographs of his ancestors , and said , " Forgive me . Forgive me . I seek forgiveness from all my heart . I have proved to be a failure in life . Forgive me for bringing up sons who have no respect for all you great men and women . Forgive me . " That night , Vijay and Aman went on the terrace to drink and smoke . None said a word for a long time . They sat with a glass and smoke in their hands , looking up to the starry sky , contemplating over what had just happened . After some 20 minutes , Vijay spoke up . Aman . " I don 't know . Maybe he is attached to it or something . But anyways , we are the heirs to this property . We can do whatever we wish to once they 're dead . " Aman . " Maybe . But then we 've got to think of something else . I can 't earn my living by running a damn grocery shop all my life ! " Vijay . " Same here . This isn 't the life I wish for . And you know dad has so much money saved . The safe is filled with jewellery and cash . But he wouldn 't give a damn thing to us . To his own sons ! " Vijay . " Worth a lot . Though that 's not all . He 's obviously not stupid enough to keep all the money in the house . A lot of it is in the bank too . But yes , all the jewellery that they own is in the safe . " Vijay . " Well , I was sleeping in his room the other day . Actually , I hadn 't fallen asleep . I was just lying down and then suddenly he entered the room , and I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep . . . And then you know how the cupboard is just next to the bed ? . . Luckily , my face was on that side and I didn 't have to move . I just slightly opened an eye and saw that he opened the cupboard , looked back to confirm that I was sleeping , and then quietly pulled out a wooden plank kind of a thing on the right side of the cupboard . You see , that 's a wooden cupboard . And the safe inside has no key to it . That 's the catch there . Once you pull out that little wooden plank , something shifts from underneath the safe , and then you can pull it out like a drawer . " Aman . " Yes , and the jewellery too . . Tonight . They 're not even in their room . I 'm sure he 's still lying on the temple room floor , crying like a baby . And mom obviously won 't leave his side . They 'll fall asleep in a few hours there itself . . . We won 't get a better chance . Come on ! " Vijay . " But what are we going to do ? He 'll obviously find out about it soon and then we 're so dead ! He 's a damn police officer ! We 're going straight in the lock - up then ! I know he won 't tolerate our behaviour any longer ! " Aman . " Like you care ? And well , he won 't put us in the lock - up ! We 're his sons . He wouldn 't want to be insulted in front of the whole police department . Besides , I have a plan . " Aman . " Any damn place ! We could go out of town ! With all that cash and jewellery , we could have the time of our life ! We could set up our own business , or invest the money somewhere . Who needs an educated head to be rich ? " When they passed the temple room , they found the couple peacefully sleeping in each other 's arms . They knew this was their chance . Without a second thought , they entered the couple 's room , swept clean the safe , leaving only the paper work . Without turning to take a look back at Sharma Niwas , they went away . They went away , leaving the aging couple on the floor of the temple room . They went away , leaving the house without an heir . They went away , without a look of regret on their faces . They went away . And they never came back . As soon as Mr . Sharma got up the next morning , he went straight to his room and found the safe in the room open and empty . A chill ran through his body . He could not have imagined that his own sons could have done such an act . The first thought that came to his mind was that he 'd forgotten to lock the front door at night . He assumed that thieves would have come have in . Mr . Sharma had a heart attack that day . He fell to the floor , crying in severe pain . For days he was admitted in the hospital . He did not speak a word for months after that event . Psychiatrists were called , who tried to make him speak up . Sonal sat in front of him , crying , hoping that her tears would make him come out of his depression and comfort her . But nothing . Nothing at all . The 50 years old man was lying in a hospital bed , with severe fever , weakness and a pale body . He was no less than a dead body . He could think of nothing except his sons and his long gone family . He could see his life moving in front of his eyes . He could see himself as a little child , playing in the gardens of Sharma Niwas . He could see himself as a lonely young boy , working hard to survive . He could see himself falling in love with the love of his life . He could see himself holding his sons in his arms . He could see himself in his uniform . He could see himself as a proud father of three little boys . And then he could see his life turning to ashes . Step by step . It was like a huge fire burning him up . Sometimes that fire would extinguish , when Akshay appeared before his eyes . And then it would blaze again , reminding him of all his pains . And yet , he found himself standing in the middle of a wild fire , calling out to all three of his sons . Feeling sheer love for them . Even for Vijay and Aman . Even after all the disappointments they had given him . He felt love for them . He called out to them , while his body was burning , while he was in immense pain . But none of them turned back . He felt himself turning to ashes . And then they were all gone . Meanwhile , Sonal had no clue as to what to do to get her husband back . With her sons gone , her only hope to live a happy life with , was her husband . But he was undergoing his own severe phase in life . Mr . Sharma had been discharged from the hospital after a month . Yet , he made no progress . He still spent all his time lying in bed , and was fed a liquid diet . Sonal spent all her time kneeling in front of God . She did not know how to make her husband come out of his depression . He hadn 't been to work , and his colleagues came to visit him often , but none could make him speak . It was afternoon when he had this dream , and when Sonal came back from work , she found Mr . Sharma , sitting up in bed , shouting " He 'll come back . He 'll come . Akshay will come back ! Yes , he will . " Mr . Sharma soon came back to his normal self , began speaking , eating properly and going to work . But nothing could lift the heavy weight from his heart . He wasn 't living anymore . He was just surviving now , doing the important things . Sharma Niwas looked more and more dull each day . The house which once looked like a summer fair , looked like a haunted house now . Mr . Sharma dismissed the two servants , saying that he wished to see nobody around the house , except his wife . The couple came back from work every evening , tired , and with nothing but sadness on their faces . After all , what was there to be happy about ? Everything they had was lost . The children they hoped to live and die with , were gone . And though they knew in their hearts that they would never come back , still , they both sat in the gardens for tea every evening , looking at the huge iron gate , hoping that they would hear the sound of it opening , and will see the faces of their sons again . But each day , their hope shrank . Each evening the sky seemed darker . And each night , the sky seemed less starry . . . Days , months and years passed by . Nothing changed in that house . And nothing changed in the lives of its residents . Soon , the year of Mr . Sharma 's retirement approached . It was 1987 , and Mr . Sharma turned 58 . On his last day at work , his colleagues gave him a farewell party . The senior officers joined them too . It was a small formal affair , and everyone showed their love for Mr . Sharma , by giving speeches about the kind of person he was , and by giving him gifts that he could preserve and keep as memories of his work life . As it was the custom , the retiring person 's family members come to take the aging person back to home . He had seen his seniors ' retirement parties , and how their young sons had come to the take them home . He had often observed the expression of satisfaction on the faces of the fathers and sons . They reflected the hopes for the future that they both had from each other . But Mr . Sharma wasn 't lucky enough to see that expression on the faces of his own sons . And that was the moment when his heart wept and pained , in memories of his sons , who would have come to take him back home . At the end of that day , Mr . Sharma invited his close friends from work over dinner , and they all enjoyed a warm get together at Sharma Niwas . That evening was spent under a full moon and a starry sky , and the air seemed fresh , as each one of them shared stories from different phases of their lives . After a long time , a peaceful smile came over Mr . Sharma 's face and he sat without saying a word , just looking at the happy faces of his friends , and thinking that these people with whom he had spent so many memorable days of his life with , would be going away from him too . The days of his work life had come to an end too . And that marked the beginning of his old age . After one eventful day , the lives of the couple came back to the point where it was . Sonal had retired too , and now all their time was spent at home and they were living on the savings and pension that they got . Once in a blue moon , they went out to visit their friends and Sonal 's parents . Their lives seemed to have come to a standstill , with no source of joy , and all the reasons for feeling pain and sadness . But Mr . Sharma was always thankful to see Sonal 's face the first thing in the morning . That renewed his hope in love and faith in life . Years might have gone by , but the love they had for each other had not lessened even a bit . It had only grown . And it was growing more each day , even in their old age . But the tests of life never come to an end . There is no limit to a person 's sufferings in life . It is like a storm that destroys everything when it passes by . And this storm never calms down . It passes by again , and again , as soon as things begin to settle again . That Thursday morning , Sonal received a call from her father , asking her to join them for a short family trip . She agreed at once and went straight to tell Mr . Sharma about it . But she found him lying in bed , feeling weak . She wished that he could join them too and said that she would not go without him . But Mr . Sharma did not want her to give up on the little joys that were left in life now , and so he asked her to go without him . And by the time it was evening , he regretted his decision and wished that he hadn 't let her go . The news of Sonal 's death in a car accident was received late in the afternoon . And that , was the end of all joys in Mr . Sharma 's life . There comes a point in life when a person is deprived of all joys . There seems to be no way out , when the thunder storm passes by . It leaves a person drenched with sadness , tears , and drain all his hopes and strength . Mr . Sharma 's life had reached that point . When the 66 years old man , who lost his beloved , returned home after her cremation ceremony , he found himself standing at the point where he began the real journey of his life . Standing at the front gate , he looked at the house , and then looked at his hands . The silence that had taken over Sharma Niwas , reminded him of the days when he was an 18 years old boy , who lived all alone in that house . Even 48 years later , everything seemed exactly the same . It was as if he had been transported back in time . But how he wished he could go back in time now ! How he wished he could live those hopeful days again ! But the 66 years old wrinkled hands reminded him of all the times he had been through , and of how long he had come from those days of his lonely living at this very house . And now , it was time again for him to live that life again . But the difference now was that he had many more reasons to shed tears now and a much greater extent of pain in his heart . His body was becoming weak everyday , and he had nobody to depend on now . He spent his days in one single room , sitting all day long , contemplating about life , and only getting up for his morning and evening strolls and meals that he had to cook for his own self now . Most of the times he ate only bread and sugar with milk . At other times he cooked rice and pulses . All the strength he was left with was used up in doing his daily tasks . The depression he was undergoing had separated him from the outside world and he did not wish to see anybody at all . His savings and pensions would have allowed him to employ more than one servants , but he did not wish to see anybody around his house now . If not his family members , he did not wish to see the trace of any human being in Sharma Niwas . Days , months and years passed by . His body turned weaker , and his heart grew heavier . Old memories haunted him . Every little corner of the house had it 's own stories to reveal . Every little thing in the house had it 's own set of memories to revive . Sitting on the terrace at night , Mr . Sharma would look at the dark black sky and the little silver dots that we call stars . He wondered what nature had to say through this wonder . " Little lights in darkness " . The stars were like little lights of hope in darkness . He wondered whether that was the message they were trying to give to the world . In his lonely life , the days seemed less bright and the nights had lots to say to him . The stars were like his companions . Every night he would go on the terrace to stroll after dinner , and he spoke to each one of them , and vented out his feelings and hopeless desires . In the stars , he saw the faces of his people who had departed from the Earth , long time ago . Among the million stars , he looked for the very special and the brightest ones . Like a little child looking for his lost parents in a crowd , he would look up to the sky and point out to some of the stars , and waved at them . And the moon , for him was his beloved . Shining the brightest , and the biggest source of light in the night sky . Lost in memories of his childhood and youth , tears would fall down from his cheeks and the cool breezes would dry them up . The aging man might have appeared like a weak creature from outside , but he was a tough and strong man even after all the days of his hardships . He had never given up on life . Even after losing his precious ones , and watching his life turn to ashes , he never gave up . Even after losing all his hopes , he did not lose his faith in God . And for that reason , he was rewarded with little hopes of light . 12 years after Sonal 's death , the 78 years old Mr . Sharma , was woken up from sleep early morning by the sounds of trucks outside his house . By now , all his strength had been drained . He was hardly able to get up and barely managed to walk with the help of his walking stick . It was a winter morning in December 2007 . The old man rubbed his eyes as he walked out to the front gate to look what was happening . A little boy jumped out of a car and his mother ran after him to catch hold of his tiny hands . A family was shifting into the house next to Sharma Niwas . The couple was young and their child was a four years old naughty boy , named Aryan . As soon as he caught a glimpse of Mr . Sharma standing at the gate , he ran upto him and hugged his right leg . Mr . Sharma caressed the little boy 's head with his hand , and a smile lit up his old barren face . With the smile intact on his face , Mr . Sharma blessed both the mother and the child . She then told him that her name was Priya and she was shifting into the the house next to his , with her husband , whose name was Dhruv and her little boy . They were new in Delhi and she was looking forward to the company of her neighbours . Mr . Sharma invited them over tea in the evening and she readily agreed . The small family came to Sharma Niwas that evening . Priya and Dhruv wondered why the house seemed uninhabited . Even five minutes after they knocked on the front door , nobody turned up . In a very weak voice he said , " Sorry for keeping you waiting . My walking stick had fallen under the bed , and it took me time to find it . . . Please come in . " Priya was shocked to see the plight of the house . The corridors were dark and there was just one light in Mr . Sharma 's room , where he invited them to sit . The couple exchanged suspicious glances . It was no less than sitting in a haunted house , in that dark December evening . Everything was still and quiet . No trace of any other human being in the house . Mr . Sharma looked at her for a while , and unable to say a word , he began crying like a little baby . Aryan had already climbed the bed and was now sitting on Mr . Sharma 's lap . As soon he noticed that he was crying , he hugged the old man , and asked in his gibberish baby voice , " What happened daadu ? " " Oh , I 'm sorry uncle . Aryan lost his grandfather last year . He was very attached to him . I think he 's assuming that you 're him . " , Dhruv said . By the time he ended , Priya and Dhruv had tears in their eyes . Dhruv got up from his chair and hugged the shivering old body of Mr . Sharma . " Don 't worry uncle . We are there now . We are your family now . We 'll take care of you . " , he said . Mr . Sharma wiped off his tears , and held Dhruv 's hands in his and kissed them . Mr . Sharma who had grown very weak in the last two years , now had someone to take care of him . His weary old body would not have to make efforts to cook for himself and clean his room . Priya visited him every morning and evening , bringing him his meals , dusting and cleaning his room from time to time . Aryan would come along with her everytime and was always reluctant to leave . In just a few days , the little boy and the old man had developed a very deep bond and the expression of satisfaction on their faces when they were together , was worth noticing ! The next three years passed quickly . A spark of light had entered his life , like the stars shining in the dark sky . Though that did not change the fact that his life was in darkness . The emptiness in his heart at the loss of his wife and sons was still intact . He still sat in the garden every evening , looking at the gate , hoping that his sons would come back . But every day his hope vanished . Every day his heart cried . In this darkness of his life , the neighbouring family was like rays of hopes that gave him the strength to live on and on . And now , on this August day in 2010 , as Mr . Sharma came down to the ground floor with much difficulty , he felt as if a heavy weight was being lifted from his heart . All the memories from every corner of the house , came flashing in front of his eyes , and as he reached the stairs that led to the garden , he fell down suddenly . The sun was shining bright , and the old man was feeling terribly weak . A little pain rose up in his heart and he grabbed his chest with his hand , writhing in pain . His eyes closed slowly from the intense brightness of the sun over his head . A blank sheet of white light appeared in front of his closed eyes . And on that white sheet , he saw glimpses of the life that he had lived in Sharma Niwas . 81 years of life dedicated to a single cause . A life dedicated to fulfilling the dreams of his grandather , his father and his mother . Of all the hopes of reviving the beauty of Sharma Niwas . Of the hopes of his ancestors to see Sharma Niwas springing with life forever . And the his own wishes to revive the joint family life in that house which was known as Sharma Niwas . At 10 am , the huge iron gate opened , and Aryan came running in with his mother , only to find the dead body of the old man lying on the stairs . And with the end of that day , the soul of a beautiful man had departed to heaven , where he reunited with the people he had loved so dearly . Except one . And that was Akshay . But how could he have found him in heaven ? Akshay was kneeling down in front of Mr . Sharma 's dead body , in Sharma Niwas . And Priya was shocked to see the 7 years old boy hugging the dead body , and shedding tears at the death of the old man . With tears in her eyes , she thought to herself , " A little child who does not even know the meaning of death , is crying as if his own life is coming to an end . I guess , that 's what happens when one loses his soulmate . " An year later , the face of Sharma Niwas had changed completely . Three more floors were built in the house and everything had been designed according to the 21st century style , except the original ground floor and first floor . It did seem like a summer fair once again ! Many years before his death , Mr . Sharma 's lawyer had visited him to talk about his will . Without disclosing a word about his sons , he told the lawyer that he wanted to sign his will in the name of an NGO that would set up an old - age home cum orphanage in Sharma Niwas . The concerned authorities then visited the old man and everything was discussed , in front of the lawyer and the will was signed . PS . This story is a tribute to the countless number of old people like Mr . Sharma who spend their lives working hard for their families , and for fulfilling certain dreams of their ancestors . They do not ask for too much . They only seek a little love and care . But the countless number of heartless people like Vijay and Aman , leave their aging parents for their own selfish motives and do not acknowledge what their parents did for them all through their lives . Should human beings be so heartless ? Should we leave our parents without any love in their old age ? Should we not provide them with the same amount of love that they showered on us through our growing years ? Can we not provide them with shelter in our homes ? Can we not show them a little love and care ? Look around yourself , you will find many people like Mr . Sharma . Don 't let them be on their own . Provide a shoulder for them to lean on in their old age . Talk to them about their life . About their dreams . About their hopes . You 'll find a spark of light in their eyes as they speak . You 'll find a spark of happiness in their voice . And then you 'll know exactly what I mean and what I wish to convey through this story . Thank you for reading . God Bless you ! 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