Today is indeed a very sad day. None of us can come to terms with the fact that SPB is no more. The whole country is in mourning, and rightfully so. He was no ordinary person. With over 40,000 songs to his name, in 16 different languages, he was a Guinness World Record holder, an icon and a huge part of all our lives. He was a legend in every sense of the word, and I am so glad to have lived during his time. Not a day goes by that you do not listen to his voice. Whether you are listening to the radio, music on your favorite device, channel surfing on the television, or browsing the web, you are sure to catch a glimpse of SPB or his voice, any given day. If you are someone living in India, then chances are you will wake up to his soothing voice, singing some religious song either in your house or a nearby temple. There are a few people in this world who do not have to be a part of your family for you to feel like you grew up around them, SPB is one such person in most of our lives.
I still remember the conversation I had with my husband when SPB was touring US. He really wanted to go see him perform live, but I had other commitments that I could not get out of, so I told him we can go next time. I still remember my husband saying, what if there is no next time, and me replying that he is SPB. He was there when we were born and he will be there singing just the way he has always been doing for at least ten more years. Little did I know then that this beast of a disease Covid-19 would come and mess everything that was dear to us.
To all those morons who say, that Covid-19 is not dangerous, and that people are dying because of their pre-existing conditions and not the virus, well guess what, even with his pre-existing conditions SPB was totally fine, living a very active life, entertaining us just the way he had been doing for so many decades. Had he not be contracted by the virus, I am sure he would have lived for at least a decade, if not more, doing what he did best, singing and entertaining us. What killed him was not his pre-existing conditions, but the virus! He may have been cured of the virus at the time of his death, but the irreparable damage it did to his body was too much to overcome.
I’ve had so many family members battle this virus, some even having a very close call. We’ve even had some close family friends and acquaintances who were unable to survive the virus. I don’t think anyone who has ever gone through it with a loved one will ever forget the nightmare they lived through. Trying to get a hospital bed in a decent hospital, then hoping and praying that the doctors are trying to do everything they can, hoping your loved one is being taken care off (unlike other illnesses you can’t even be close to them to comfort them while they are sick), having to make those decisions for every treatment being provided knowing that if something goes wrong the side-effects could cost them their life (all treatments are still experimental), and the most dreadful of them all, when the doctor says that they may have to put them on an invasive ventilator, every single step is a nightmare. Chances of survival when a patient is put on an invasive ventilator is around 10%. When you are helpless, and there is hardly any hope, you are willing to take even that 10% chance. You know that once your loved one goes on the ventilator they will become unconscious and may never wake up from it. So, you end up having that very painful and tearful final goodbye call, hoping against hope that everything will work out for the best. And heaven forbid if it doesn’t, the aftermath is another nightmare of a whole new level that you wouldn’t wish even on your worst enemy. This is a pain only those who have gone through will understand. It is a virus that will drain you emotionally, physically and financially. So, please trust when people tell you not take the virus lightly, because once the virus reaches your doorstep, it is really very late. The only thing you can do at that point is educate yourself with the treatment process so you can ask the right questions and make the right decisions to save yourself or your loved ones.
It really breaks my heart every time I hear of a Covid-19 related death. SPB deserved to live a much longer life, and so did everyone else who lost their lives to this dreadful virus. RIP dear sir. You brought so much joy into all our lives. Your smiling face and beautiful voice will live forever in our hearts.
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