Pratish Vora: "My Daughter Is No More But Don't You Wear White Clothes. It's A Musical Tribute To Her, Not A Shoksabha"

I do not know what's happening with Pratish Vora and his wife in Rajkot but anybody with even a small sprinkle of feelings should get at least a lump in his/her throat with what happened in their life recently, when they lost their only child, 2-year-old Aadhya, who choked to death when she put a piece of toy in her throat. I spoke to Pratish again this afternoon and I have been feeling more uneasy than before.

Pratish told me that he and his wife have organised a musical sammelan at his house on May 25 and quickly added, "No white clothes if you attend. It's not a shoksabha but it's a musical tribute to my daughter who loved music. She wanted to hear songs at the drop of a hat. She often refused to eat until I played out a song," his voice choking with emotion.


Which songs, Pratish? "Only devotional songs. Not filmi. She loved the devotional songs in Gujarati. I never tried to get her busy in seeing cartoons or movies. We looked after her so much. We knew every parent encounters dangerous moments when the child is growing up--- kahin bistar se gir na jaye, kahin kuch ulta sulta kha na le and all that. Lekin bas woh ek ghadi thi jo hum taal na paaye. Believe me, my wife was looking at her only when she put that toy piece in her mouth, she leaped towards her- but in a jiffy the damage had been done. Hum kitna bhi sambhalen, honi ko taal nahin sakenge" his voice now almost choking fully.


The musical tribute to Pratish's departed daughter will be organised by a group of friends who are close to him and his wife.


I really don't know what to write further. My heart is so heavy and my eyes moist. I don't think even God can give anybody the strength to bear the loss of his/ her child.