My husband didn’t deserve to die this way, says Asharam’s widow
“Every year after marriage, I have been observing fast on Karva Chauth and praying for my husband’s long life. And every time, Asharam used to bring sweets for the occasion. Little did I realise this would be the last time I would be seeing him,” she said.
Like the rest of the women in the neighbourhood, Sunita was eagerly looking forward for the moon to come up in the sky on Wednesday night. Dressed in a brightly-coloured salwar kurta and standing on the roadside, Sunita wanted the moon to come up as soon as possible. She was thirsty and hungry. A few hours earlier, Asharam had even bought sweets from a nearby shop.
“Every year after marriage, I have been observing fast on Karva Chauth and praying for my husband’s long life. And every time, Asharam used to bring sweets for the occasion. Little did I realise this would be the last time I would be seeing him,” she said.
As evening neared, Sunita began making delicacies at home. By around 7pm, she was done and started getting dressed for the occasion. By 8pm, she became impatient and kept asking neighbours to alert her once the moon comes up. Meanwhile, Asharam went to his office on the ground floor with son Dori Lal and daughter Laxmi. Her youngest daughter Uma (2) was on the first floor with her mother.
When 8.30 pm went by and there was still no sign of the moon in the sky, Sunita decided to stand outside on the road and wait. She told her husband that she would come back once she spotted the moon.
“I would never have thought that it was the last time I was seeing my husband. He was sitting on a chair and watching TV. When I told him I was going out, he just smiled and I went away. I have been replaying the scene in my mind ever since. What would have happened had I stayed back?” she said.
After the incident, Sunita refused to eat or drink anything for a few hours.
“Sunita was so shocked with Asharam’s death that she couldn’t eat anything that was placed in front of her. She didn’t break her fast until women in the neighbourhood forced her late in the night to drink water,” said Ram Bharose, Asharam’s brother.
Sunita did not eat anything untill Asharam’s body was cremated on Thursday afternoon.
“He was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like this,” said Sunita.