Once in a small village of Andhra Pradesh there lived a young couple called Anand and Garima.
Anand was a railway employee. He was living in railway quarters along with his wife Garima. Even though twenty years had passed from the date of their marriage, the couple did not have any issue. Even then the couple was happy because both husband and wife loved each other immensely.
Once while working over a railway track Anand was hit by a speeding train. He was thrown aside and he had a serious injury due to which Anand went into coma. The doctors struggled very hard to recover him. But the wound was deep and hence the efforts of the doctors proved of no avail.
A team of experts examined Anand. The team skillfully performed a difficult operation but Anand'scondition did not show any improvement. Infact his condition started sinking day by day.
One and half years passed in this way. Anand'scondition was grim. All his systems became irregular. There was absolutely no possibility of any improvement in his condition. Doctors advised unanimously to euthanise Anand as otherwise his further journey was bound to be painful. However Anand'swife Garima was against this.
She was serving her husband with extreme devotion. She shuddered over the idea of euthanisation. She was terribly upset. When doctors refused to treat Anand further, Garima took him home and she started serving her husband with every care and skill. She learnt nursing and started spending days and nights in the service of her husband.
Like that not four, five, ten, twelve but complete 19 years elapsed. Garima went on serving the stone like body of her husband just like serving the idol of the dearest-deity. Some people characterised her as mad, some considered her foolish and diehard.
Anand remained buried deep in coma and service to sense-lost husband became the soul purpose of existence of Garima.
One fine morning while attending her husband Garima was struck with great wonder. She found that the eyelid-petals of her husband showed some movements. Soon the eyelids bloomed like flowers and his eyeballs had the first touch of daylight after 19 years.
Anand had entered into a new world. He had entered into a new life. Garima did not believe in her eyes. But it was a reality, her husband started showing improvement.
For over 19 years she fed her husband with her own loving hands just like feeding her own small baby. She sponged her husband, caressed him, patted him, held him in her tender lap feeling the touch of that of a child born from her womb.
She started teaching him to ulter alphabets, utter words. She taught him the movement of fingers, handle the things, get up, stand on his own legs, put a foot ahead.
Now Anand learnt the mother tongue imitating the movement of lips of Garima.
And lo Anand raised his neck with a new curiosity, rubbed his body against the lap of Garima and a marvelous word, trickled from his mouth, maaa.
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