Chapter 7:- September 2nd 1993

A Cold rainy night..

The unpredicted rain has increased the cold to a greater extent. The railway station is semi crowded, as the last train to Delhi is about to arrive in 15 minutes.

A fair looking gentleman of mid-twenties wearing a solid black causal coat, deep grey pant and white shirt is standing at platform 2 waiting for the train. Alongside side stood a beautiful lady, with a gentle smiling face, bright glowing eyes, thick long hairs perfectly braid, with red sindoor and bindi, draped in dark green saree and wearing a maroon pashmina shawl across her shoulders. The couple were Dr.Mahendra Shah and his wife Mrs.Kalpana Shah.

The Shah couple had come to Srinagar for their honeymoon. They had the best time every in Kashmir.

Suddenly Kalpana hears a child crying, she ignores it, but she gets concerned. The child is crying from past 10 minutes.

Kalapana: "Suniye ji (a way to address someone in Hindi with respect). Did you notice? A child is crying for 10 minutes. it concerns me, can we go have a look?"

Dr.Mahendra Shah: "Don't worry the child's mother will be there to look after. But if you are so concerned, come let's have a look."

Dr.Mahendra Shah and Kalpana are shocked by seeing a child lying alone near a pillar at the railway station. They rush towards the child, to find an innocent, chubby, male child of barely 9 months old, with a unique silver pendent in his neck and wrapped in dark blue Jaalidar embroidered pashmina shawl. The child is wet, mostly due to rain and is shivering with fever.

Dr.Mahendra Shah tries to search for the child's guardians in and around the station, but didn't find anyone. He gives a complaint to the station master and returns to Kalpana. Kalpana Shah is trying her level best to calm the child.

Kalpana: "Did you find the child's parents? How cruel could any parents be? How can someone leave such a sweet angle at the station?"

Dr.Mahandra Shah: "Kalpana, I tried my level best, I didn't find his parents for now. Let's take him to the hospital first, get him treated. Tomorrow ill search for his parents again. I'll do a trunk call and inform my hospital staff that I'll return to Delhi after few days."

Both of them rush the child to Jhelum Valley medical college, and get the child admitted. Dr.Mahendra Shah and the hospital doctors put in all their efforts to bring the child's vitals to normal. Sister Bareen who is the recently joined treating nurse of the hospital is helping the doctors and is also trying to calm anxious Kalpana Shah.

By next morning the child's vitals are stable. Dr.Mahendra Shah decides to go to police station to enquire about the child guardians. Kalpana Shah stays back at the hospital to look over the child.

Sister Bareen: "Madam you better take rest, you didn't sleep yesterday. All your prayers have paid off, the child is perfectly fine. You can feed the child, he is stable now. By the way, what is his name?"

Kalpana Shah: "Sister, I'm not the child's mother! We found his yesterday at the station. Kalpana narrates everything to Sister Bareen."

Sister Bareen: "Poor child! But, God showed his grace upon him by sending you people there in time. I should say madam you and your husband are truly great humans, you saved an unknown child."

Kalpana Shah: "We just did what we could do Sister. But I'm still confused, how can someone leave their sick child in railway station?"

Sister Bareen: "Poverty is a curse to humanity. It can make people do terrible things! But by the pashmina shawl in which he was draped, it doesn't look like he is from a poor family. Anyways who knows what problems his parents had. Now he will be handed over to an orphanage, he will miss his parents for the rest of his life."

Dr.Mahendra Shah returns back dishearten, as there is no updates regarding the child's guardians.

The couple wait for 3 more days, when they didn't find any positive hopes, they have a deep long discussion and decide to adopt the child. Dr.Mahendra Shah completes all the basic legal procedures of adoption. They name the child Arvik Shah.

Before they could leave Srinagar, they take Arvik's discharge papers. Kalpana meets Sister Bareen before taking leave, Kalpana hugs Sister Bareen and says

Kalpana: "Thank you for being there for me Sister. I promise, we will take good care of him."

The Couple departs to Delhi with their son Arvik.

Sister Bareen narrates this event to Dr.Arvik Shah and Dr.Gaurav. She asks about Dr.Mahendra Shah and Kalpana Shah and mourns at their death. She is very delighted to see Dr.Arvik after a long time.

Sister Bareen: "Sir, your parents had promised they would take good care of you. But I never expected they would raise you so well and make you an eligible Doctor. I'm very delighted to see you."

Dr.Arvik Shah gets emotional, he is unable to express his feelings. He holds sister Bareen's hands and says

Dr.Arvik Shah : "Sister, please don't call me Sir. I too am delighted to meet you. Thank you for sharing the information you knew."

Dr.Arvik Shah informs Dr.Gaurav that he would meet him for dinner and takes leave.