Lingering Fragrance

The sky blended from blue to violet. The silhouette of the majestic trees stood in sharp contrast to the backdrop of heaven’s vault of glimmering diamonds. I have been witness to this breathtaking change for years yet every time the canvas of nature looks freshly painted.

I have stood tall proudly within the perimeters of the encapsulated naval base. I have witnessed ecstasy, hope, pain, prayers fuse into an organic whole. Within my walls, I have nurtured dreams, pitter-patter of newborns and their innocent laughter, witnessed the symphony of newlyweds and their rosy dreams.

 I am ‘Vyasa’, one of the residential buildings of men and women in blue serving our country. Today, I will share the story of Lt. Samir and Lt. Uma.

It was a misty morning in Naval Training Academy, Ezhimala. The cadets were rushing towards the practice area at break-neck speed to avoid being caught late for their morning routine. Cadet Samir unmindful of the surroundings was racing against time to reach the training ground. One moment, he could feel the air rushing past and the very next moment he had tumbled on the ground after colliding headlong with a human obstruction. Samir muttered and cursed under his breath; rolling back he realized he was staring at a pair of furious hazel eyes. The fall had knocked off his breath, whatever little was left passed off with a whoosh when he looked up.

‘Where are your eyes placed GC? Are you blind even with a pair of owlish eyes’? The words were tumbling out of a bow of perfect pink lips. Samir was left speechless. A nubile hand roughly nudged him, he got up with a start and suddenly remembered he was a gentleman cadet (GC), he offered to help the maiden sprawled on the ground who was also a cadet in the academy judging from her attire.

‘I am capable of getting up on my own, I am a cadet and have come here to train, not act coy like a damsel in distress’, spouted a very irritated Cadet Uma. She lithely got up on her foot and jogged ahead without looking back. Samir not used to such display of grit from the fairer sex admired the shapely back slowly fading from his vision. With a jolt, he realized he too needed to hurry and with renewed zeal he sprinted ahead to reach the training area before fall-in and also to get to know this mysterious cadet that he had bumped into.

Fortunately, for both of them they missed being punished for being late by a whisker. The training went ahead with no further mishaps. The mischievous Cupid had a ploy of his own, Samir and Uma were part of the same contingent during the passing-out-parade drills. Samir, admired Uma’s determination to excel and give her best always in the rigorous training exercises, the night patrols in uncharted jungles, the team-building exercises, never vying for any special favour. Samir had never met anyone like her, his future seemed incomplete without her presence in his life. Samir slogged equally hard in all exercises and thanked his stars when Uma finally noticed his earthly presence.

The training years went by in a rush, Samir chose to be in the submarine arm while Uma opted to be a navigator. Their paths diverged after the training was over in the academy. Samir, however was determined, he bided time and the moment he earned his Lieutenant stripes, he reached Visakhapatnam without any prior notice to meet Lt. Uma who was posted in the airbase INS Dega.

One day, Uma had just returned from a sortie and her heart missed a beat when she saw a familiar silhouette standing at the edge of the hangar. She trudged ahead and was elated to see Samir standing there. ‘Hey, buddy, what brings you to Visakhapatnam? You are on a temporary duty? Or did they transfer you here from Mumbai getting fed up with your bullish ways’? Uma chortled with a gleam in her eyes. Samir, stood spellbound watching Uma, she looked so sure of herself, her every step so dignified, every fibre of her being silently earned respect of onlookers. He simply said, ‘ I have come here to be at your permanent duty Uma’, I have waited for this moment since the time I bumped into you, I knew from that moment I would be blessed if I can spend my life with you ‘. Samir took out the ring from the hidden folds of his pocket, held it in his hands standing in front of Uma asked, ‘May I,  Lt .Uma have the honour of sharing my life with you’? Uma, was delighted beyond words, she had guessed Samir’s feelings during the training period, the way he looked at her, the way he manipulated to always be in the same team in the many exercises they had to participate in the academy. However, it was beyond her wildest dreams, that he would propose so soon, in a daze still in her flying overalls she inched her ring finger forward wordlessly and Samir delightedly, slipped on the sparkler. The officers and sailors lounging around the area clapped in approval. That was the beginning of Samir and Uma’s journey of togetherness. They had to wait for a full year for Samir to get transferred to Visakhapatnam. It was the toughest times of their lives; they yearned to be together, once back from their office routine and mess visit for essential food for sustenance, they survived the separation through night long phone calls, sharing dreams, planning their future nest together.

With consent from parents, they married after a year and shifted within the cocoon of flat 12 in Vyasa building in Naval Officer’s Residential Area. I, Vyasa, have been witness to the dreams of Lt. Samir and Lt. Uma. They returned every evening within my folds and spun gossamer webs of love and hope. I have been a willing participant in their efforts to add more colour and frills to my empty walls, I have silently encouraged Uma in her efforts to churn up disastrous meals to gourmet ones in her constant endeavour to shower Samir with all her unbounded love. I have enjoyed watching their love nurture and nourish their hearts for two glorious years of their marital voyage.

It was a regular morning, Samir and Uma completed their designated household chores, donned their uniforms and together happily they left for their designated work stations with Samir promising to return home early. Uma, was scheduled for a day long routine sortie and with a spring in her steps she joined the pilot of the helicopter at the cockpit, discussing the flight path. Samir, hurriedly reached the docks, it was an important day, they were testing the floating capacity of the indigenous submarine that had been built recently. Samir along with a senior officer, reached the dry dock and did the routine checks, they climbed down the stairs and checked the sluice gates that were meant to control the drying and flooding of the dock area with sea water in a controlled manner in order to test the floating capability of the submarine.

They both were checking the under body of the docked submarine and passed instructions to slowly raise the sluice gate and gently let the sea water in within the designated area. They were slowly climbing up the stairs discussing their observations.  Fate, seemed to have some other plans, due to a mechanical failure the sluice gates malfunctioned and sea water gushed forth bursting from the seams. Lt. Samir and the senior officer did not get even a second to react and the volley of water hit them full force, their helpless bodies sank without a trace. The dockyard workers and all officers in the working area raised an alarm, and after an hour’s struggle could control the torrent. They called in divers, sought aerial rescue help too. The whole day, skilled naval divers, naval choppers tried unsuccessfully to locate the missing officers but to no avail. They could inform the family of the senior officer and after much effort could inform Uma about the incident once she returned from the sortie.

Uma rushed towards the dry dock and helplessly stared at the stillness now permeating the area. The waiting officers came forward and gave her hope asking her to wait for Samir’s return as they were continuing their search operations. No words could comfort Uma, she forlornly drove back home. Once within the soothing arms of her home she stared blankly at the walls now adorned with precious snippets of their love. The times right from their academy days till the morning of that fateful day streamed like a montage in her mind’s eyes. The other residents dreaded the eventual possibility and trooped in silently, offering comfort of their presence in her present stupor and left to give her that much needed space.

I, too simply wished that Uma is gifted with Samir’s presence again from the Almighty. It was quite late, when Uma’s reverie was broken by a faint knock on the door. Uma, too tired to face the world anymore dragged herself till the door and hesitantly opened the door expecting another concerned neighbour. Her breath stopped when she saw Samir standing at the doorway, she could not react, and she simply moved into his waiting arms and sobbed her heart out. They moved inside their home and that night was the most magical of their lives. Samir held her close, murmuring, ‘Uma, you are the reason of my will to live, I had promised in the morning that I would be back in the evening and I had to fulfill my promise’, you always need to be as strong as you always have been Uma, I will always be around you to give you strength, to be the wind behind your wings’. I will leave early tomorrow Uma, so sleep now and rest’.

Uma, after a harrowing day, drifted off to sleep peacefully in Samir’s arms breathing in his lingering bodily essence. It was early morning when the doorbell rang solemnly. Uma, woke up with start, she stared at the pillow by her side, Samir’s sleeping form wasn’t there, only a slight dent on the pillow and his fragrance reminded her of his presence the night before, she remembered he had already told he would have to leave early. Uma languidly moved towards the door and was shocked to see two uniformed officers at her door. ‘Lt. Uma, you have been called to the docks for an urgent matter, we will escort you’. Uma, clueless at the purpose of this sudden call, asked the officers to wait inside the drawing room, which they politely declined. Uma, rushed inside and donned her uniform, her mind dreading the reason behind such a call. The trio got in to the waiting official car and sped towards the dock. The air that day seemed to be dead, nothing stirred. Uma, got down and walked towards the waiting Commanding Officer. ‘Lt. Uma, please come with me’. They walked ahead together wordlessly and then Uma stopped in her tracks, her feet refused to support her anymore. There were two bodies lying in stretcher covered in white from head to toe. ‘Lt. Uma, please be strong’ the Commanding officer gently urged. Uma like an automaton moved ahead and standing motionless near the bodies, she broke in a heart-wrenching sob when her beloved Samir’s lifeless visage was revealed to her. Uma, only helplessly watched as the day progressed in a rush, her mind still in a quandary when she was told that Samir’s lifeless body was fished out from the sea only early in the morning. Her logical mind faltered for the first time, her heart said what her mind could not – beyond the realms of logical reasoning, there is a boundless ocean of love that defies logic, physical boundaries. Samir, had come to meet his Uma for one last time even after his life force left his soul. Uma, at the final moment of bidding Samir farewell blew her last kiss and vowed to love him and a part of him growing in her womb forever.

I, Vyasa, have been witness to this bond between Uma and Samir that defied all boundaries of life, time or space. I truly believe that ‘Those who love us, never truly leave us. Neither death, nor physical constraints can kill what can never die’.