Bombay Unplugged

The Midnight Stroke

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*Phone Vibrating At 2:30AM*

" Hello , yes ma'am is that Mrs. Shinde ? "

" Yes , who's that ? "

" Yes Ma'am , your number is registered as the emergency contact number for Rahul Javdhekar "

" Yes , he's my son , what happened ? "

" Ma'am I'm calling from Hinduja Hospital Mahim , your son has met with a horrific accident and is in the ICU , you should get here soon "

                         ..........

Dinner was generally served at quarter past 10 in the Shinde house , however after the long hearing from the Family Courthouse , BKC , the Shinde's decided to eat sooner at round about 9 . Subtle nags , jesting comments , mirth ; all these were the common traditions every night . That day , was as intense as could possibly be , thus the silence . The Shinde's had lost the custody of their grandchildren and Mrs.Javdhekar , rather Mrs. Shinde after the divorce would get no alimony whatsoever . The Shinde's spent all of their life's saving to gain justice for their daughter and to seek custody of their grandchildren , but the "family" court was blinded to emotions but long handed , solely for facts . 
3 long years , 118 trials and a million fights with her ex husband , only to care enough for her children and prove her affection to them , weren't enough . Money , bought emotions ; Money , bought justice . Wondering which one was more disgraceful , Mrs.Shinde , was disgusted , distraught and depressed . Letting go of her husband voluntarily , led her to let go of her children , financial security and parents faith , involuntarily . Her parents assumed loans by producing their life insurance as collaterals . Gold was sold , luxurious items were never present anyway . The retired still young hearted couple were perplexed to ascertain what they had done to deserve a curse , as severe as this . Who was to blame ? was the only question .
Her ex husband , was not a common man , he was the largest agricultural supplier of Mumbai . She married him and managed the Corporate Social Responsibility for his dynamic company , she was a dedicated social worker and an honest woman . The entire Dharavi chawl knew her due to her works of selfless kindness . On the other end , the entire Dadar Market knew him due to his works of supplying vegetables and fruits to all major agents . She had the blessings of an entire chawl , he , the power of changing entire market structures by mere actions . They gelled well , most of Mumbai saw them as an ideal couple , so did the Mumbai Mirror . They were the famous Javdhekars of Bombay Central !

As markets grew competitive and business became difficult for retailers , his company was in a position of advantage . He was a city brought up businessman , she a colloquial brought up social worker , perspectives were antonymous . As every economist or market analyst would predict , he took advantage and doubled his profit margin and was facing an all time high . She received more money for her CSR but also noticed that the chawls and temporary homes now had double the souls craving the taste of one meal a day .
The husband created the hunger , The wife fought to erase it . Opposites did attract but , How could a pair be so antonymous in wisdom ?
They generally ignored business talks and kept family matters aside but the kids were grown up now and could see the hostility rise . There came a day , the mother cried , the father got frustrated , the mother used her mouth , the father exercised his hands . That was it , however humble a background she belonged to , she was a woman of honour . His doings had caused a rage in the market , it almost caused the prices of raw products to rise by 70% and pushed another 15% of the population to a meal a day alternatives . Her motto , her mission , her crux was shattered by her own company ? By her own husbands decisions ? Marathi Mumbai aunties added fuel to the burning fire and finally , a petition for divorce was filed in the family court . This was the first time the bombay central javdhekars were spoken of in a dishonourable manner , surely , wasn't the last . She took her kids and left . The kids , how'd they choose between a father wanting good for them by earning more and a mother wanting good for the society and teaching them moral mandates ?
It was difficult , indeed . However , they picked the mother . The father , however rich , was selfish & cold . The mother , however short reached , was selfless & warm . The only difference was that if the mother and father both donated books to the same underprivileged children , one didn't get out of his car , made his driver supply the books and leave , whereas the other made every child understand every moral value or ethic highlighted in the book donated by her . The only difference was , that everything was different .
However , the male ego could not stand the loss of his children . He contacted every minister of the state , every member of the judiciary to make sure his children stayed with him , even if it was done forcefully . Look at the mother's generosity , she knew he had better means , she knew what was better for the children , she explained to them why " daddy will take better care of you " , she dropped them to his house . Imagine the pain of a mother , suffering though the pangs of separation from her own kids , and facilitating the process to an extent , only for their better .
The single mother did everything she could to support their needs and wants , but couldn't . If generosity was a jewel , she was a queen , but the society couldn't care less . The typical " Baap bachon ko sambhal lega " killed her . Anyway , she was a social worker you know , a woman of honour . 3 years of penance , without her kids , without the means to do any social or charitable acts but , once a social worker , always a social worker . 118 trials , midnight hearings , untimely submission of documents , nothing made her budge . She was harassed , blackmailed , but the spirit of a mother to win her child , really , was that ever going to take a back seat ?
Matters quickened after the third year though , a new judge had been appointed .
Finally , a decision was reached upon .
The father gained custody of his rightful children and was not to compensate for any of the losses incurred by the Shinde's , neither was he to pay his ex wife any alimony . The blessings of an entire community of the underprivileged and unfortunate went in vain , they legitimately mourned over the decision . Their life giver , their ray of hope , their very own " Shinde Tai " who never frowned , burst out in open court .
Turns out , the judge was a zamindar and needed some favours for the farmers of his village .
The moment the news was confirmed , Shinde Tai beamed with anger . There was no one more angry , more frustrated than her in that moment . She collected cases of over 100 single mothers of Mumbai who were wronged by such selfish men , and hit the media . She was everywhere , fighting for her tribe . Single mothers , of all sorts went to her for support and supported all of her doings . They worshipped her when she raised a voice against the male chauvinism which was so evidentially widespread . Poor women , with no financial support , who lost their life insurance covers , gold and what not to win their children were all marching against the family court at Bandra Kurla Complex . From Wadala to Nala Sopara , every such case was picked and brought to light by Shinde Tai .
Finally , the high court recognised her voice , her case and gave her a chance to present the cases as none of the women could afford a lawyer . She did it for free , social worker . The high court had to stick to facts however emotionally appropriate the mothers were . It was war between the mother and the father for the kids . He quarantined them from meeting her all this while , it had been 2 years since her eyes saw her kids . The high court came down to affection and emotional outreach to decide who got custody , including financial security . A period of one month was set covertly by the high court to observe who deserved and wanted the children , truly . The son , the elder child of the two , was in his adolescence now , got into an act of teenage frivolity and ended up on a hospital bed at Mahim . The father being the business tycoon sent an army of well equipped surgeons and world class medical advisors , to prove his affection . He was devoid of nutritious food , and wouldn't be able to digest any form of food . Well , nothing worked . The mother wasn't even allowed to enter the hospital . The son was on a death stroll , when she finally broke  the security trap and reached the sons room . After 2 whole years did she see her son , but in a state she'd never want to see him . Oh , the destiny . He didn't wake up after two extensive surgeries , the doctors had given up hope and were preparing an out patient report . The mother , with all of her optimism and enigma , caressed her son . Prayed for his revival , meditated for an entire hour . Finally , she saw his powerless fingers try and move , it gave her hope , it gave her life . She had brought with herself , his favourite fish curry . She knew he needed proteins . The doctors were so hopeless of the boys condition , they allowed it . They said they believed in a mother's miracles .  The woman who didn't have means to feed herself made fish curry in her neighbours house for her son who she was not even permitted to meet . It was love , in its most pure , elemental form . She took out a plastic spoon and fed him a the curry . The first sip that entered the blood of the boy , showed no response . He was as still as could be , but as she continued her relentless effort to save her boy from death , he shook his hand . It was a sign of the universe . As soon as he got some strength , he moved his hand straight to wrap it around his mothers and facilitated the process of him being fed the miraculous fish curry . He revived , he showed an abnormally normal pulse and his heart beat on its own . This was only the third time someone had recovered from a ventilator in the hospital . It wasn't the fish curry , they said . It was the warmth , the affection and the love she had . She cured him . A mother's miracle worked . He woke up , he cleared his throat and said " Mom , I choose you mom . I repent the past years mom ... you take aarvi and keep her safe mom ... " , those were the last words that were heard from him .  The father cried , seemed more like a stone melted , it seemed like he woke up only to win his mother the custody of his younger sister . The doctors narrated this to the judicial advisors as well , who got custody was obvious , but in addition , the father gave up his wealth and dedicated his life to social work . Distraught , disgusted & depressed , they boarded the 4:52 am Virar Churchgate filled with milkmen , and got down at Bandra , approached the court which took an immediate decision for the first time , before the sun rose . The power of motherly love , known by many but felt by very , very few .