The Final Call

To read the first part of the story kindly use this link    https://readerstrip.blogspot.com/2020/04/and-he-left-strongest-woman-behind-blog.html

                                                 "THE FINAL CALL"

Before, I take you to this journey, let me began with a question here. What do you think life is? I am sure each one of us must have a different definition about it, I am hopeful that you are aware every single breath you are taking is a blessing from the highest power of the Universe.  And I am optimistic too, that you must have discovered the purpose of your life. If yes, then welcome to the journey of self-realization.

Heena and her son were ready to cover the hardest journey of their life which they never thought it all come in front of them in this way. The route was well planned they were supposed to move from Bikaner to Palampur(H.P) via Chandigarh.  She was awake the whole night sitting at the corner of the window peeping at the moon, thinking about how the next morning would look like without Rajneesh. The whole life seems like a long journey the way he left us. Somewhere, she was convinced to believe this whole moment is a devastating nightmare which is not going to turn into a reality, to protect him she was ready to close her eyes forever.

Her aura of imagination broke when she heard the low voice from the door "Mam we must leave early in the morning to reach Chandigarh before 5 p.m" she looked at him calmly with puffy eyes and nodded her head in yes! broken and shaken she was experiencing endless pain which will never be going to end but this journey must begin.

Let me wake up Abhiraj, no let me pack first what to take? cloths, essentials ? for whom I am taking all these things every color seems faded she was looking rather dazed yet at the same time her mind was running continuously at the speed of 180km/hr. thoughts of past and present wouldn't agree to set her free so easily. Somehow she managed to arrange a bag also was preparing herself for upcoming things.

The morning was gusty the sun didn't show up the sky was full of dark clouds maybe it will rain today. She was lost in the weather. Suddenly, Abhiraj put the window down for a moment the cold breeze touched her face in a harsh way that she came back from nostalgia. The car straight away stopped on NH 5 nearby a Dhaba. Heena didn't feel like taking any break, therefore, Abhiraj needed fresh air as he was feeling frantic. The Officers keep contacting the other unit officers in Guwahati as they were supposed to take the martyred body to Chandigarh before sunset yet, the busty weather creating obstacles in their way.

It was 5'o clock in the evening Heena and Abhiraj reached  Chandigarh on time and for one last time they were waiting for  Lt. Col. Rajneesh Parmar to come. It started to rain may be the tears of joy from the sky as it the best man away from us. Each minute was passing like years "I can't see him like this, I really can't", Heena joined her shaking hands in prayer, her lips got sealed, the flood of tears hold down for a second by the bridge of boldness in her eyes. when she heard "Mam, Lt. Col. Parmar's body has arrived".

Slowly and steadily the higher command and Lt. Col. Parmar's unit officers started to gather at Chandigarh airbase to say the last goodbye to a brother who they'll never be going to see again, to a friend who will be missed in late-night parties, to say goodbye to a coursemate along with they used to perform armed exercises, to say goodbye an officer who served fearlessly. 

One of the officers showed her the way to the Reathling Ceremony area. Ladies and officers from 75 armed regiment accompanied her. It was deep down silence everywhere, only the rain had all the right to make thunder. She could see the coffin with blurry eyes there she got the chance to break down, her puffy eyes holding the tears form last one day it finally gets time to release. She wanted to scream "you won Raj!!! you won, now, please get up, your prank is over please get up my love" just for one last time call my name say 'Heena, I'll keep all my promises I am here and always stand by your side holding your hand' say it Raj for the last time, my love. She was holding the ocean in her heart with no shore it has to stop somewhere suddenly, she holds on for a second and looked at the sky, closed her eyes by saying "I'll make sure to come true all your desires and make you feel proud". 

They had to stay in Chandigarh for the night. The final journey begins tomorrow in the morning to Col. Parmar's native place. The airforce arranged a chopper to take him to the last journey along with Heena and Abhiraj. Around 10 o'clock in the morning, they reached the final destination Palampur, (Himachal Pradesh). Most of his unit officers were already there to say goodbye. Lt. Col. Rajneesh Parmar got the final Reathling Ceremony at Palampur airbase along with all his loved ones.

From there he began the last journey. However, for this time he was not alone before they got him to the final destination on every single path people pay their tribute to the bravest hero of their native place they were sprinkling flower on his way, more and more people gathered just to see the man who made them proud. 

And the time has come for Abhiraj to conduct the ceremony to set his father free from all the boundaries on the way to the universe. The officers did their final duty by folding the national flag the precious love of Col. Rajneesh Parmar and hand over to Heena. She took the flag with tremble hands. That day has changed their life forever. Remember that promise which Heena commit that 'she'll live the life of Col. Parmar and make him proud one day'.

Eventually, we start to think wisely when life is dull. Life is full of pain. And this is a chance for something special.

And life begins when we set into pain at that moment we began to think what is right for us and that moment changes our life forever, life begins when we decide to be the light in the darkness, life begins when we take full responsibility of it and have the courage to transform ourself, life begins when self-realization happens, life begins when we start to create our own story. 

From that day Heena took the responsibility of her life and decided to join the army but nothing comes easy so instantly, the first obstacle was her age, for war widows, the maximum age to join the army is 35. She approached the higher command to know about the process when the information came out. Unfortunately, she was a few months further from the set barrier but nothing could stand in front of a person who has fear in one hand and passion in another. With the help of 75 armed regiments CO, She wrote an application to the higher authorities for age relaxation. 

Some of us may be thinking it's easy for army families to get replaced jobs or they might have reserved seats for war widows. However, not everything comes with a silver spoon. Even the war widow has to prove herself on the scale of mental and physical fitness. Before that, she needed the approval to appear in SSB. The application moved to the head of the Indian Armed Forces, the senior-most uniformed military adviser to the Government of India. After waiting for a certain time period the application got sanctioned through CDS. She was only one step away, the final approval was yet to come. The things were very much uncertain she was getting a mixed opinion, some said it's hard to get through & some were optimistic. The time passed in anxiety, at last after waiting for 4 months the full and final approval came from MOD.

Now, she has a chance to appear in the SSB interview. And I am sure from all my heart, by the next year, we'd call her Lt. Heena Rajneesh Parmar.

Col. Parmar's first love and will always be her first love too.