(Maya Sharma is NDTV's Resident Editor in Bengaluru)
Over the years as a television journalist, I have been asked several times which stories have left most impact on me. There have been big news stories - the devastating Tsunami, the kidnaps and murders committed by Veerappan, violent clashes over the river Cauvery, air crashes, the turmoil of elections, floods and droughts. But as any reporter would know, it is often the individual stories of courage in face of adversity; demonstrations of the strength of the human spirit that stay with you.
And so I will always remember the story of a Bengaluru family - the Rajans. I will always remember the sound of music that filled their home and their lives. One of those family members is gone now, the eldest son, Roshan. But are people really gone when the sound of their voice can still be heard?
35 years ago, Snehlatha and Rajan had a baby boy. The doctors confirmed that Roshan was born blind when he was just three-months-old. It hit both parents hard. Snehlatha's husband was was not with her husband when the doctor gave her the news. She recollects telling her husband about their child's blindness, "Next day, early morning he came, the whole night I was weeping. As soon as he saw me he said, what's amiss? Did you take him to the doctor? Seeing my face he knew there was something bad, so he consoled me. He said I am there for you, whatever worse comes we will take it. That is from where we started our journey."
Rajan is still in awe of the strength shown by his wife. He said, "My world was shattered. I really don't remember. Probably it's not easy to remember. You push certain things back in your memory because you don't want to take it back. It was a very tough time. I have a very hazy memory of that period. I knew that she was going through many things. I was just present physically, but I think mentally I was away, not knowing how to cope with the circumstance."
The young couple found consolation in the fact that Roshan was a bright young boy. Roshan spoke of the encouragement given to him by his parents. "Initially, no school was willing to take me, because of my problem. Because of the constant perseverance of my parents, the school finally agreed to take me. And they pretended as if they were doing a favour by taking me. Subsequently I think they realised that I have some talent in me."
But Roshan felt lonely at home - and in 1989, his younger brother, Ritwik was born. Roshan shared with us his memories of the arrival of his little brother. "I do remember that day as for the first ten years of my life I was longing for a companion. After ten years, Ritwik was born, and that was a Sunday, July 2nd, 1989. I got the news at 12 o'clock in the afternoon. I was too small to digest the fact that I got a companion. I went running to the hospital to see him and he was sleeping. I asked my grandmother - I judged people by their sounds so I asked why is he not crying or not making any noise. Immediately after I asked that question he started crying."
Ritwik was also born blind and it became apparent soon that he was autistic too.
Snehlatha said, "I told the doctor if there is any problem you tell me openly. Don't try to put a cover to it. I am ready to face anything. If he is blind, you tell me he is blind, I am ready to go through the mill again."
"But to get Roshan back to his original self was very difficult. So we had to use a lot of counselling for him. You have gone through that, you are his elder brother, you have to be a guide to him. Whatever the world says, he is your brother. Whatever he is, you have to accept it. So whatever you have gone through, whatever knowledge you have, you share it with him. So you have to take him along with him. You can't have any frustration or any depression and get withdrawn. Both of you hold hands and walk together."
Roshan loved his brother very deeply. He had told us, "He is more than anything to me. I can't categorise him. More than a brother; more than a friend. I waited for 10 long years to have a companion. And finally I got one; it is my duty and my responsibility to take good care of him. I think I am doing it."
The parents drew comfort and joy from the remarkable singing talent of both their sons. Roshan, a wonderful singer himself, placed Ritwik at a higher position. "He is a genius - he started singing from the age of six months and he is my first guru. He teaches me. He guides me through my music and he helps me out. So I hope to see him at a higher position than mine. He is all into music, if you ask him to sing for 24 hours or two days, he will do it. I have other diversions, like a computer course and my academics but this guy is not at all diverted. He is a true follower of music," he said.
In a bid to make her sons financially independent, Snehlatha did what she could to help them earn a living from their talent. The music room in their house is filled with trophies and awards, citations and photographs with singing legends. Both Roshan and Ritwik have taught music to others.
"He is the music, she is the teacher. I have learnt mostly from observing my wife. The perseverance she has, the perpetually optimistic nature and always positive. For her, there is no problem for which there is no solution. She is good at bridging communication gaps. She has taught me many things in life. Also that the meaning we give to life is more important than life per se. She has been trying to give meaning to the life, all our lives," says Rajan about his wife and Ritwik.
When we met them for the documentary, Rajan told us, "Our house is all the time full of music and that makes a lot of difference. We have music round the clock. They have been responsible for teaching us about life. They have brought us so much joy. Today we are more known by them, by their achievements than by what we are."
Snehlatha said, "They have only brought joy. The joy we get when we see them performing and others applauding covers up all our sorrows. So if you keep yourself active and occupied, there will be no room for any displeasure or any grumbling or complaints. For any problem there are many solutions. One should go out and find the solution to the problems. I don't think there is any problem which is insurmountable."
When we filmed with Roshan, he had finished a post-graduate degree in English literature and had got a job in training call centre executives in an American accent, a profitable way of using one of his biggest gifts - his voice.
But music was always his big passion and dream. "My ambition is to become a playback singer, to become something big in the music industry. You have great examples like Stevie Wonder, Ravindra Jain so maybe I will be also one of them. Whether I will be greater than them, I do not know."
Roshan took ill and died in March this year. Younger brother Ritwik continues to sing. And somehow, in the music room the two brothers shared, you can still feel Roshan.
And his voice, which is as beautiful as ever.
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