Ablaze in a Blizzard

The Farewell. On 26 Feb all went to the yesterday cremation ground to do the last ritual. The body had been burnt completely. However little bones here and there were collected and the last ritual was conducted. At that time Ganesan took one small piece of bone of his mother and some ashes and kept it in a cloth as he wanted to immerse it in River Ganga. Incidently readers may recollet that when he got his captain's pay with arrears in 1966 Dec, he had taken his parents to Rameswaram, Madurai and then to Palani. At that time he had promised his mother that he will take them to Kasi also subsquently. But that did not take place. so he wanted to immerse her ash in the Ganga. After his mothers death there was no female member at home as both sisters were already married. His father, and two younger brothers were there. So Ganesan suggested that his younger brother who was provisionally earmarked to look after ancestral properties be married as early as possible with out waiting for him. With that Ganesan bid Farewell to his home and the village.

While immersing his mother's ashes in Ganga he kept one piece to himself and returned to Shillong. As mentioned earlier he was to report to CME, Pune, for 3 years B.Tech course in May 1970. He had purchased 3.5 Bullet Motorcycle in March through canteen. Things went on without any problem and finally he bid farewell to Shillong and reached Pune in May 1970. Contd.....