The Story Of My/Our Accident
To be continued...
By N P Samal
My/our accident took place long ago, when I was twenty-two years old. Since then there has never been any single day when I was not reminded of the incident. And now that I sit to write down that incident, a strong emotion shakes my body and mind as the vividness of my harrowing "afterlife" is played out before my tearful eyes.
N P Samal
Academic, poet, author
Sanjay Rath, my bosom friend, and I were doing post graduation in Bhubaneswar in 1993. Both of us were ambitious for civil services. While Sanjay joined famous Lisa's IAS coaching center at Buddha Nagar, Bhubaneswar, I, because I was not able to afford coaching fees, continued learning NCERT courses by privately tutoring CBSE school students. Earning and learning went on together happily.
On February 01, 1993, the then Dramatic Secretary of our undergraduate college visited us to arrange guests from the Odia film industry for the college dramatic function. As alumni as well as ex-leaders of the Students' Union (Sanjay was the President and I the Dramatic Secretary), we were quick to search for some celebrity guests. In the effort of just two days, we could rope in two noted Ollywood actors -- a heroine and a comedian. Full credit goes to Sanjay, who would be very persuasive with his rare intellect, social astuteness, and motivational skills, that the two top-rated film stars agreed to perform in a rural college and, too, at less than their usual charge per show.
Sanjay Rath
Asst. Commissioner-turned-politician
February 12 was the day. Sanjay and I hired a taxi (an Ambassador car), received the guests from their respective residences and journeyed together for the function. We reached the college at 7 p.m. to a rousing crowd. Soon the function started with lots of enthusiasm. Although Sanjay and I were kind of lost, as the two famous guests were the cynosure at the event, we, however, were satisfied with our respective little audiences -- Sanjay was let to speak (he had been an excellent orator) and I sing a Kumar Sanu hit (I was being called Kumar Sanu Junior by the college folk and the locals).
The function went on nicely and was over at 10 p.m. While the agenda time was till 9 p.m., it was delayed for certain reason. We had dinner together in a local hotel, arranged by the function organizer. At about 11 p.m., we (especially the guests) were given a cheerful send-off. Sanjay had the front left seat and I sat between Sanjay and the driver (Ambassador cars would have a three-seater front seat then). In the hind seat were the actress, her father (who escorted her), and the other actor.
The two actors were talking, at some length, about their film, Dadagiri, which then was at the cinemas across the state -- almost the same talks they did during the 'up' journey. The actress's father was an official in the Institute of Mineral & Material Sciences (then name RRL), Bhubaneswar, and found nothing to add but kind of topics like his daughter's continuing education, Odissi training, etc., etc. I was thinking to ask them if they wanted I sing, but could not dare. So I badly wanted they ask me. But Sanjay, who would hug all discussions, would never spare a filler and had full attention of the hind trio. So I would forgo my interest. However, I was silently savoring the pride of my companion with the two popular stars from the filmdom.
Prativa Panda
Actor, Odissi Guru
The night was growing. We had covered one fourth of the 120-kilometer journey, fragmented into single roads narrow and wide, with many bends, and at some places bumpy. The blanket of darkness had shrouded our car. We only could see by the head lights occasional vehicles crossing from the front, some fast vanishing flying moths, or canines quickly crossing the path. No, there was no fear of ghosts or animal attacks, although the night felt spooky (to me), but obviously we all had breaths of fear of accident. Though none would dare to talk of any (it would be considered ominous to talk of -- a common mindset), all would be withdrawn to the safety of the wishfulness.
I heard the heroine's father snore. Yes, he had slept of. The two actors were silent, perhaps asleep. There is a common wisdom that sleeping or drousing on the driver's side is contagious for the driver to nap. But the three were on the back seat. So Sanjay kept on talking with the driver. He would caution me not to sleep, but talk anything or sing. I admit I would not be a good talker, so I would sing. I knew my songs were not to entertain but to keep the driver from any possible dozing off. So I would ask the driver after every refrain or verse if he liked it. I would also ask him what songs he would like me sing. Although, one time, he wanted me sing some trendy Odia adhuniks, I appeasingly refused, alluding that the honorable guests were seated behind.
Sanjay shook me. And I started off from my sleep. He gestured me to get off. I realized then that I had dozed off and in the meantime our car had reached the residence of the comedian actor who stayed at Cuttack. After we dropped him, we started for Bhubaneswar. The time then was past midnight. This time, I opted for the door seat. So Sanjay sat in the middle and continued talking with the driver. (I was feeling guilty of sleeping in the car.)
Cuttack to Bhubaneswar. The distance is 22 kilometers. It would take less than 30 minutes if the speed is 50 kmph. The car left Cuttack and was running on the Kathajodi bridge, which is over 1 kilometer long and bridges National Highway no. 05. We panicked when suddenly a clanking sound came from under the car. The sound was like a piece of metal sheet breaking off and tossing on the road. But the driver showed no concern and drove on, much to our comfort that nothing happened to the car. Then suddenly he increased the speed of the car. About 70-80 kmph. He was heard to have been sleepless the previous night. Obviously he now would be feeling sleepy. Maybe that is why he was in a hurry to get home. In fact, all of us were.
It was 20 past 1 a.m. now. NH 5. A single wide road. Almost lonely. Either side was almost empty. Only big trucks were found resting on the sides at some places. Cat's eyes were helpful, even more where the street lights were faint. It was just an uninterrupted task for the driver to drive smoothly, baring one truck running fairly ahead. And he drove on. The cool wind was lashing me through the open left window. The car was speeding...
A beautiful history in my life lied just a few minutes away. The would-be long-cherishable experience of journeying together with famous film stars to and fro, as well as the on-stage appearance with them, would be delivered soon. I had kind of been familiar with the two actors, courtesy that year dramatic society of my alma mater. I was thinking how to cash in on this familiarity and get a role in an Odia film. I was ambitious, so I would not settle at any role other than a side hero. No, I would not opt for a hero role, for I looked less heroic (in complexion and height), although I had acted as the hero in many a village, and college, drama. Such and other fancy thoughts (like how I will narrate this 'proud' experience to my study mates, relatives, and students in my tuitions, how my friends will envy me of my overnight 'fame', etc., etc.) came one after another, till whole things sank into a darkness. (I fell asleep.)
***
The accident car (a look-alike)
***
The 2nd day of my accident:
(While being transported from the Capital Hospital, Bhubaneswar, to SCB Medical College & Hospital, Cuttack,) I regained consciousness, but to a ghastly suffocation, as if an extremely evil darkness was smothering me. I struggled to dislodge the darkness by throwing up my hands and legs, but could not. I felt some four to five persons were pressing down on me. I was gasping for breath.
***
The 4th day of my accident:
The sunlight that fell on my face pulled me back onto consciousness, but I could not open my eyes. I sensed I was being carried in a canvas stretcher, through milling people and their commotion. We entered a building, then into a hall. I was lifted from the stretcher onto a raised bed. The bed then slid into some cylindrical darkness. I was told to remain still. Then my surroundings lighted up and after some time I was pulled out. I heard someone say, "The brain is safe".
The 7th day of my accident:
I realized I was lying on a bed, with my face up. My whole head was wrapped up, except my mouth, nostrils and left eye. My neck as well as chest also had something pasted on it. I felt my tongue was unusually big and when it touched the teeth, both tongue and teeth would feel an unbearable pain. My right hand was bound (to the bed frame) and something (a saline syringe) had pierced into the hand. Some people around me were talking. There talk was faint to my covered ears. I opened my left eye but could not look at the sides. My head could not move and if it did even by the slightest, my neck would produce severe pain. So I had nothing but to look up. A broad ceiling appeared before me, from where a heavy fan was hanging and moving sluggishly with some ghostly sound. The ambience felt to be unhomely. Perhaps I signaled a question, by kind of a groan, I heard my father say, "Baba, you are in a hospital." ("Baba" is a fond name a father calls his son by.) My father on my side gave me instant relief from a strong feeling of insecurity and discomfort. He was moving his comforting hand softly on my legs. Before I further signaled why in a hospital, a cousin of mine (Jatindra Routray) leaned over me and said, "You had an accident. But do not worry! You are safe, absolutely." I could not make out much of the present. Neither could I remember anything of the past. The future was kind of shut from vision. To remain awake to the physical as well as physiological confinement was a sufferance. (I was drawn back into another faint.)
***
The 12th day of my accident:
I woke up again, this time to a better vision and acknowledgement. My right eye was let free to open. There was no bandage on my head and ears. I felt a huge cut across the middle of my forehead that ran down to the medial canthus of my right eye. The wound was not completely healed I knew when I raised my brows. My mouth opened only narrowly. The upper teeth and the lower teeth would not touch each other. The lower jaw would not move up and down or to sides and it had moved to the left by about one inch. There was a huge gap under my left chin. The lower jaw had broken apart. The whole chin, mandibular skin, neck, and upper chest were still under a thick dressing. The bulge on my tongue had decreased, but I had to put it still because the teeth were still too sensitive to touch. I could not talk.
***
Sanjay came:
It was the 15th day of my accident. I heard Sanjay's voice on my bedside. Sanjay was enquiring with my father and others around me about my condition. I tried to look at him by moving my eyes when his face just appeared. I noticed his nasal bridge was swollen. It was in a strip of bandage. Before I groped for the cause of his injury, he said, "The people who have seen that mangled car would have believed none of us are alive. Thank God, we all have survived that deadly accident!... I was discharged from the Capital Hospital after three days while the actress and her father stayed there just over a week before there discharge, though I don't know the whereabouts of the driver, who fled the accident site, bleeding heavily. I was really worried about Naran ("Naran" is one of my fond names). Because of the severe traumatic wounds, the doctors in the Capital Hospital were not sure about his life and, too, doubted brain injury. So, they after emergency treatment referred to this Cuttack hospital. Now I'm relieved that both his life and brain are safe..."
Only then did I remember Sanjay was on my side, with the actress and her father behind us, inside a car and it was traversing the stretch of road from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar when the accident happened, and I could not know the accident as I had fallen asleep... (Then, from sleep into coma...). Two weeks had passed in the unconscious aftermath. I remembered what all I was thinking fancifully before the accident. I realized my wishfulness of becoming a film actor, or kind of a celebrity for my frinds and relatives, etc., etc. had all been shattered. My jaw was broken apart; my submental region had cuts and scrapes; my forehead had a deep and long tear... My face was deformed... I knew I would carry my ugly face throughout my life... I cried. Tears rolled down from the outside corners of my eyes. Had my mouth and jaw been free from bandage and pain, I would perhaps have shaken the whole ward with my cries. Yet, I could not silence my tearful whimpering. And this sound attracted the gossipers around my bed towards me. They consoled me with their respective encouraging words. My father wiped my tears.
***
Sanjay's narration of the accident:
I had not been drifting exactly. But sure, had I been mindless of my responsibility of not sleeping on the driver's side, I would perhaps have fallen deep asleep. I was having a shuteye when suddenly I jumped back into realization. Perhaps the car hit a pothole. I looked at the driver. He confirmed this with a faint voice. I read the speedometer. The car was running at 75 kmph. Naran was sleeping, resting his full upper body on the seatback. The seat had no headrest, so his head rested on the seat-top. He was breathing through his open mouth. The car now climbed the Kuakhai bridge, on the eastern outskirts of Bhubaneswar.
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