Minakshi and Samiron have been living in Darjeeling for quite a long time – a kind of permanent residence for a retired life – an escape from the hustle and bustle of a big metropolis – an attempt to get relief from accumulated wounds and afflictions of life. But even the golden Kanchenjunga could not give them much relief. Perilous events of the past left indelible pains and sufferings.

At the beginning of her mountain life, Minakshi used to donate time in an orphanage. Prior to that, she had her education in social science completed in Kolkata. Samiron used to be associated with a Non-Government Organization (NGO) donating time for social work. Now they are both retired.

Their son Sourav completed high school in Darjeeling. He finished undergraduate college in Kolkata and graduate study up to the top of the ladder in the United States. They were settled in USA with daughter Suravi and son Sourav. After the children became adult, they were granted full freedom to draw the course of their life. Even though initially Samiron had some reservations, eventually Minakshi’s liberal argument prevailed.

In course of time, son Sourav grew up to the age for expressing his own opinion to draw the course of his future. Minakshis did not have a second thought about it as Sourav was able to take care of his life independently. Suravi was still a small girl. She was not mature enough to express her opinion.

Right from the days in college, Sourav had a broader outlook. He saw a dire situation in the third world. Life is miserable due to poverty, shortage of food and lack of adequate medical treatment. That dire scenario drove Sourav to study medicine. While in medical college, he set his sight on the development of poor countries especially in African countries. For many years in Africa especially in Ethiopia, severity of poverty and associated diseases were borderless. Indescribable scenarios of death, poverty, homelessness perturbed his mind. Without a second thought, he joined the agency named “Doctors Without Borders” and accepted an assignment in poor countries.

When it came to working in an underdeveloped country such as Ethiopia, his parents got concerned. They advised Sourav against accepting an assignment there.

The parents pleaded, “There are many countries in the world which are equally suffering from the same situation. Think about our own motherland. You owe it to yourself to pay attention to India.”

Sourav argued, “India’s situation is not as dire as in Ethiopia’s”. India is much better off.” Letting his parents know his intentions and ignoring their plea, he joined “Doctors Without Borders” and accepted an assignment in Ethiopia, located in the horns of West Africa. However, he used to maintain contact with his sister Suravi while he was away.

Several years after serving his desired country and its people, Sourav received a telegram from his sister: their aging mother got sick and was not feeling good.

He responded to his sister and wrote back,

“I will come home as soon as my boss grants me a time off.”

After about a week, as their mother’s condition was deteriorating fast, Suravi sent another telegram expressing concern about their mother’s health.

This time, Sourav paid serious attention. He stressed his mother’s condition to his boss and headed home.

He wrote back to Suravi, “I am on my way. I will be home in a couple of days”.

When he got home, his neighbor informed him, “Your mother has been transferred to the hospital.”

Sourav sensed a bad omen and rushed to the hospital.

Sourav could not fathom what he saw. A lady draped in white clothes all over her body, except face, was lying on a bed eyes turned towards the ceiling. Bedside there was a post identifying the lady “Minakshi Sen.”

Sourav, with tears rolling down his eyes, disappeared down the stairs to the street like a wing-fluttering, restless, disoriented, arrow-struck Shalik bird struck with an arrow.

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