AHMEDABAD: Dhruval Patel, a resident of Anand and paint contractor by vocation, is still to come out of the fact that Neha, his wife, is not with him anymore.
“It’s been one month – she left us on May 12 at 9.35am, gasping for breath.
We tried everything, but could not revive her.
We had a married life of 17 years – and we hardly stayed away from each other.
Thus, these 30 days have not been enough to prepare for the rest of my life,” says Patel.
He along with his son Purva, 15, have paid Neha a unique homage – while she died of low oxygen saturation after scurrying for bed in a few hospitals, the duo along with family members planted 450 trees and have pledged to nurture them to replenish oxygen in nature.
“The pledge had started at Siddhpur where I had been to perform Neha’s post-death rites.
The Brahmin there asked us to take a pledge to plant and sustain at least three trees.
Giving reason for the pledge, he told us that the wood used to cremate our bodies is not planted by us – it’s a gift of someone else.
Thus, we must pay it forward,” says Patel.
“His words touched me, and I decided not to stop at three.” During the second wave of Covid-19, four of the five members of the family had tested positive simultaneously.
“Along with Neha, my son, my father and myself were also down with infection.
Only my mother tested negative.
Neha’s condition deteriorated very fast, and she needed critical care on the third day of infection,” recounts Patel.
“I have seen her gasping for breath, and I pray to God that nobody should go through such ordeal.” It was a love-cum-arranged marriage for the couple.
“We met each other for the first time in 2000 and acquaintance took shape of friendship and eventually love.
As we belong to the same community, we could convince our families for the union.
We got married in 2004,” says Patel.
He gives Neha credit to give his life a spiritual bend.
“She loved to reach out to the needy.
Thus, I started volunteering with a local temple.
I regularly collect ashes from a local crematorium and take it to Haridwar for immersion.
This time, Neha’s ashes would also travel with me,” said Patel.