My first stint with the fatherhood...

“No, this is not how a professional document looks like”, I yelled while reviewing the project work with my team when my phone rang. “Haan mummy”, I said picking up the phone. “Can you pre-pone your reservation by a day?”, my mom asked me. I asked her, “what happened” with sheer distress and worry on my face. She said, “No, nothing to be worried about. It’s just that doctor has advised to operate on Prachi tomorrow morning instead of Thursday.” I wasn’t convinced, and wanted to know why this sudden change in the plan, and if everything was ok with Prachi and baby. My mom calmed me down and told that due to less movements doctor has decided to advance the operation by couple of days.

Within no time, I checked the seat availability in the afternoon train to Kanpur, and fortunately I could see some available seats there. I immediately rushed home and quickly packed a pair of Jeans and T-shirt…called the Cab and was off to Railway Station with butterflies in my tummy. Somehow I managed to buy the tickets despite the crowd and boarded the train. First thing I did after boarding the train was to call Prachi and speak to her. I wanted to hear from her and more than that feel from her voice that she was okay. Trust me, when she giggled in my ears, I was a relieved man and had my first sip of Frooti given by the attendant in the train. I was anxious and wanted to reach home in seconds.

After reaching home, I had my dinner hiding the anxiety to see Prachi from my mom & dad. Mom explained to me the entire situation and put me an ease; she told me that movement was fine in the evening after a drip was applied to Prachi. I was feeling a lot better and started smelling the fatherhood which was at the doorstep….lost in my imagination I was about to finish my meal when mom asked me to drop her to the hospital where Prachi was admitted and bring Shraddha back as she wanted to stay overnight with Prachi in hospital. I took her to the hospital and went to the room....and guess what? Prachi & Shraddha were having a blast watching some typical Saas-Bahu soap on the television. I looked into Prachi’s eyes as if I was whispering…here I am Biwoo (that’s the nick I gave her). She just smiled indicating…I always knew that you’d come running. Don’t worry, I am fine, and so is our baby.

We all got busy chatting when one of us said….hey! morning 9 AM is the operation scheduled, aren’t we getting late as it’s already midnight now? Both Shraddha and I were asked to go back home while Prachi was advised to take rest and sleep by mommy dear…that’s when Shraddha pulled a fast one on her by saying…Ok Mummy, we’re going but you take care of Bhabhi & my niece. Mom said, shut up, beta hoga. And we left the hospital laughing at mom’s reaction.

Next day morning, everyone of us assembled at the hospital…Prachi’s mom who was on her way to the destination wanted to meet her lil’ daughter who was about to become a mother. But heavy traffic in the city didn’t allow her….and Prachi was shifted to the OT. Everyone was requested to sit inside the room and not assemble outside the OT. My mom helped everyone in settling in the room. But she camouflaged all of us and sat outside the OT waiting to hear the kilkaari of her grand baby. I could figure that out…went up there and found that to-be Daadi was reciting some shloks & offering prayer to god for the well-being of both to-be-mother and baby.

I still remember that moment - At 9:25 AM on August 26, 2008, a ward boy came out of the OT carrying a green tray…I looked inside the tray and had first jhalak of my baby singh (that’s how I used to call the baby). Sweet lil’ baby singh was doing ooaan ooaan ooaan…I felt blessed; for a moment I thought of taking it into my arms, giving a warm hug, and saying “mela pyaala bachcha” – it was a blissful moment….a moment I was longing for. Mom jumped off the ground and asked the guy, what is it? Is it a boy or girl?....and his answer made my mom overjoyed…she was a proud Daadi now…what she had declared became the truth. It’s a baby boy….she went and told everyone waiting to hear the good news in the room. Mom immediately took some money out of her purse and gave to the guy who gave her this yearning news – she was happy to the core.

Baby Singh was shifted to NICU, and Prachi was fine as informed by the Doctors…”you’ll could visit her after half an hour but 2 persons at a time”, said the doctor. Those who had not seen the baby went and saw him through the glass window in the NICU ward; everyone met Prachi and blessed her. Now was my turn to meet my Biwoo ….she was partly unconscious because of anesthesia effect….I stood there for a while and when she turned her face towards me…my eyes were wet…she smiled…so did I. Neither of us had a need to exchange any word because she knew that all I was wanting to say is, Thank you and ask how she is feeling…and I understood that her beatific smile meant, I am fine…go, see your baby singh and let me know how it is doing. Such is the bond we share. Not many close to us know that I couldn’t have met the baby till I see Prachi. Although I never told this to Prachi but I know that she knew it – that’s how strongly she understands me. Though I wanted to talk to her, sit beside her and crease her hair but I did not have emotional strength to stand there for long because I didn’t want to show my wet eyes to her…I went and called her mom to come in and talk to her daughter. I came out with emotions and irrepressible feelings which were completely visible in my eyes and could be heard in my voice – I wiped off my eyes and drank some water to overcome it all.

Next thing I did was to go & see my baby and ask the doctor what they were planning to do for her dipped glucose level. I saw my baby lying on a machine…shouting and throwing his hands & legs. I was enjoying this moment to the core when my Dad entered and asked the doctor about baby’s glucose level. “Glucose will be given thru’ drip to bring it to a stable level and if need be, milk will also be fed….your baby will be all right and handed over to you in the evening”, informed the doctor. Both of us came out and told the same to everyone else.
My first day as a father was full of emotions and sentiments….my eyes, most of the time, were wet with the sheer joy & happiness…my throat was melting, preventing me from speaking freely to all the people who were either teasing me or congratulating me….it was by far the most memorable moment of my life.