Member-only story
In Search Of Shiva: The Disappearance Of My Father
Part 2/5
III
My Father disappeared 5 days ago- just a day after my 15th birthday. Perhaps a better way of putting it would be that he left us abruptly. One moment the three of us were standing on the paved steps watching the brilliant choreography at the Dashawamedh Ghat- entranced by the sonorous chanting, the high pitched gongs of the ritual bells, the resonant trumpet of conch shells, the blazing brass lamps and the smaze of incense; But by the next, as I turned around to look at my Father- he was no longer standing where he should have been-right behind me. I tugged at my Mothers pallu and asked her if she knew where Father was. And she looked at me perplexed, equally surprised at not seeing him behind us. She walleyed and raised her neck to try and look around for him. But Nothing. She, then tried to deduce that perhaps he went for a stroll- crowds bothered him and clearly, we were amidst a swarm. But her premise was iffy- and correct only to the extent that he liked to stroll. But where would find a space to do that here and at this hour?
When 30–40 calls to his mobile phone went unanswered, anguish set in. Mother and I began to frantically searched across the ghats, in all the familiar nooks and crannies, in the by lanes and the various eateries and cafe’s of the vicinity. Perhaps, he went back to…
