Contributed By: Dr. Raghunath Boradkar
My son Prasad went
to US in 1991 after completing his Master degree in Industrial Design from
Industrial Design Centre, IIT Pawai, Mumbai. His further studies he completed
from Ohio State University and after that went to San Bernardino California. He
could not come to India even for a short visit as there was some technical
problem about his visa and we had to get it changed and the procedure took
nearly a year or may be more. I was very keen on seeing him as six long years
had passed and I had not met him. Ultimately I decided to go to San Bernardino
but I was very scared of air travel and also going there alone. Dr Boradkar had
a Job here in Pune and could not come as he had to wait for the summer vacation
and we were in a fix. But it so happened that my cousins wife Mrs Veena Vidwans
was going to San Jose to her son and I had company. She had travelled abroad
often and we decided to go together. My
cousin Avinash too was to go after a month, so Dr Boradkar could come with him.
We therefore made plans accordingly.
Our passports were
ready but we had no visa so we applied for a visa. Getting a visa was an
experience worth remembering as we waited from morning till evening in the US consulate.
After a long wait my turn came and I was
asked why I wanted to go to US and I plainly told the man that I want see my
son whom I have not seen for six years. Hearing this the interviewer told me
that it was a poor reason. For a moment I was taken aback but the next moment
he said I will give you a visa for six months and I was relieved. We had gone
to Mumbai in the early morning and returned to Pune late night but happy.
A very hectic time followed as I wanted to
carry whole of India with me! From Chaklis that he liked to ‘Pohe’ that he
loved. He was single so I had to carry some utensils also. My bags were full to
their capacity. And then the day came. Our flight was Mumbai-London and London-
San Francisco. So on April 22nd
1996 we boarded a plane for London. I was at ease as I just had to follow
Veena. We got in to the plane and were seated and as the plane readied for the take-off
I must have prayed to thousand Gods in the Indian pantheon and if I had known
any other Gods from any other faith I would have prayed to them too. I clutched
the seat handles with all my might and did not release the grip till the plane
was settled in a horizontal cruise. Then I gradually became aware of my
surroundings. When the Air Hostess later
approached us and asked us what we would like to have we both blurted out ‘A
hot cup of Tea’? The Air Hostess was amused and gave us a surprised look.
We reached San
Francisco some time at night and were duly picked up from the AirPort. Sachin [Veena’s
son] had come to the Airport. We reached his home in San Jose and I tried to
sleep but couldn’t. Prasad had given elaborate instructions to Sachin for my
flight next day to Ontario. Veena was used to all this but I was a bit dazed.
In the morning I got a call from Prasad and had a long talk with him. Later in
the evening I was to see him and I could feel the tension leave my head.
Time flew. We had
our lunch and I rested a little and then Sachin took me to the Airport again.
This was a short flight of an hour or so. I got my boarding pass and Sachin was
with me right up to the gate. He then left. I boarded the plane and felt the
tension coming back again as I was alone but I also felt a sense of relief as I
was to see Prasad in an hours’ time. I tried to relax. We landed at Ontario as scheduled.
Ontario was a small Airport and we had to walk to the Airport building. As I walked,
my eyes were searching for Prasad and as I reached the gate I saw him standing
and waving.
I now was
completely relaxed and happy. When I reached the gate he came forwards and
hugged me and said ‘Aai tu aalis’ (mother you came). Seeing him touching him
and feeling the nearness of him gave me the joy that only a mother can know.
It is said that a
moment comes but comes only once in life and for me this was that moment!
Sou. Nirmala
Vidwans-Boradkar
