Abhi, My Brother From Another Mother
On what would have been Abhi’s 50th birthday, Sid Ghosh pens a heartfelt letter. This piece takes you through cherished memories, weaving an emotional tale of their enduring friendship and brotherhood.
Dearest Abhi,
It’s hard to believe, but June 18th would have marked your 50th birthday. A day destined for an epic celebration, no doubt! Instead, fate had other plans, taking you from us far too soon, yet leaving behind a treasure trove of beautiful memories we’ll cherish forever. The irony isn’t lost on me that our first meeting and our last shared the same setting – AIIMS.
I still vividly recall our very first encounter back in 2012 at AIIMS, in the rather unglamorous waiting area of the Orthopedic OT. My Maami was getting a knee replacement, and so was your future mother-in-law. I was there, being the dutiful (and slightly stressed) brother, supporting my dear sister. And then you arrived with your mom for a visit. Kakoli, of course, had already spilled the beans about you – her engagement to an Abhijit Sen from SBI Card.
Honestly, my sister’s impending marriage had me pretty on edge. I even had a whole prepared lecture in my head, weighing whether she should truly go through with it. But then you showed up at AIIMS, in full corporate attire (a look I generally despise, by the way), and all my preconceived notions about “corporate types” simply evaporated. There was this instant sense of your genuine nature. It was clear that behind the office-going façade was a big kid who simply refused to grow up. And for 12 wonderful years, you absolutely proved me right: you were the perfect match for my dear sister. My carefully crafted speech remained unspoken, thankfully!
Abhi, your pure heart was truly your most beautiful trait. I often think of your tales about zipping off to your Sardar friend’s wedding on the scooter your sister gave you. You know, the one you’d recount every single time we had a drink, which was, let’s just say, a regular occurrence. And for a non-sports enthusiast like me, your Facebook posts were my go-to for all the latest sports news. Your love for Formula 1 was so palpable, I could practically see you on the track, leading the race, probably giving the other drivers a crash course in cornering.
Your love for food, Abhi, was on an entirely different level – and being fellow foodies, we could talk for hours about every kind of cuisine imaginable. I vividly remember at Anurag’s wedding in Kolkata in 2023, we spent ages planning all the local delicacies we’d devour. But the highlight, or perhaps the lowlight for Kakoli, was heading to the reception at The Park Hotel, Kolkata. All you wanted was to grab some chicken rolls from that street stall right outside. You were genuinely peeved when Kakoli put a stop to it! Priorities, right?
And your endless love and constant talks about Vada Pao since childhood made me genuinely picture one in your hand whenever I thought of you! It was practically an extension of your being.
Then there were movies, clearly your second great love. I can still picture you arriving at my place, latest blockbusters loaded onto a pen drive, and me returning the favor with a few of my own “highly curated” downloads. Even when I’d visit your place, just before I left, you’d insist on sitting me down to meticulously go through your movie collection and its resolution quality – a true cinephile, ensuring everyone appreciated the pixel count! I also cherish those trips to PVR to catch films with Kakoli, Agastya, and Anju, always followed by a fantastic lunch where you’d likely dissect the cinematography.
And of course, your taste in liquor! You absolutely had to have the best, and you made sure everyone around you tasted it too – often whether they wanted to or not! I’ll never forget our Kolkata trip, Abhi. There we were, both of us dressed in our most “relaxed” (me in my trusty Black T-shirt and Red Jodhpuri, and you, ever the enigma, rocking a Kurta with shorts.) attire, shocking the refined Kolkata crowd as we hopped into a rickshaw for a multi-story Spencer’s, solely on a mission for booze. I swear the manager personally escorted us, probably to ensure we didn’t cause a scene. And you? You gave that poor man a full-blown crash course on the nuances of quality liquor right there on the spot. He probably thought he was in a masterclass!
And let’s not forget the absolute core of you, the part that truly deserves a Nobel Prize in Human Connection (if such a thing existed, you’d be a shoo-in): your colossal, ever-expanding love for your family! We’re talking immediate family, extended family, and then those “far more stretched extended ones” who you probably only see at weddings and funerals but still treat like long-lost siblings.
Honestly, for the past 12 years, I’m pretty sure you’ve transcended the title of “son-in-law” and officially become more of a son to your mother-in-law than her actual son! Seriously, the way you doted on her, with the same unwavering devotion you showed your own mom, was truly heartwarming (and slightly terrifying, in a good way, for the rest of us mere mortals). You were perpetually worried about both your “Moms,” constantly checking in, probably even color-coordinating their medication schedules.
It’s no surprise you became the undisputed favorite in absolutely everyone’s life. I mean, what’s not to love? A family gathering without you? Unthinkable! It’d be like a birthday cake without frosting, a party without music, or a family WhatsApp group without at least three passive-aggressive emojis. Your presence wasn’t just appreciated; it was practically a legal requirement for any successful get-together. You’re the human equivalent of that one dish everyone secretly hopes someone brings to the potluck – indispensable and utterly delicious!
Abhi, you always held a special place in the kids’ hearts. You had this incredible knack for aging back to their level whenever you talked to them. Aggy has such good memories of discussing his Hot Wheels model cars with you and those Marvel superheroes. I still remember Agastya liked you so much, he actually shared one of his precious Hot Wheels with you when he was just a little kid. That’s true love, right there.
Abhi, you left us with so many stories, you’ll never truly be missed. In every family get-together, you’ll always be there in our memories and our conversations. I bet Moloy Da and Shankar Da often miss you with their drinks… maybe they even keep a glass ready for you and say cheers to you, looking up somewhere, knowing you’re probably critiquing their choice of spirits.
And I, Abhi, my brother from another mother, I still remember that last time we met. It was again in AIIMS, when Anju was admitted there last year. I went down with you along with your little Pakhi, while Shankar Da was waiting for you guys to pick up. The sheer irony of life, our first place of meeting and the last one remained AIIMS. You certainly had a way of coming full circle.
With endless memories and a hearty laugh (and… maybe a tear),
Sid
PS: I’m sure you’re reading this somehow on your smartest device, probably one Apple hasn’t even dreamed up yet.
What's Your Reaction?
