Berhampur: Every mother dreams of a son like Shravan Kumar, a mythical character from Ramayana who would fulfill every desire of hers.
School-going Pravat Maharana is one of this kind who has been taking care of his mother for the last two and half months single-handedly. This young lad has been playing an able nurse to his ailing mother. He feeds her, cleans her bed, takes her to the wash-room and gives her company, nursing patiently in a bid to take her home fit and fine.
Notably, Basanti Maharana lived with her husband and two kids in Takarada village of Sorogada block, Ganjam district. On the fateful night of 28th of June 2016, his drunkard husband had picked up a quarrel with her, leading to the gruesome and horrifying act of trying to burn her alive.
The neighbours rushed her to the MKCG Hospital, Berhampur where she is under treatment now in the female surgical ward as there is no separate ‘Burns Ward’ in it.
“We had a small domestic fight due to which my husband put kerosene on me and tried to burn me alive in a fit of rage. I was rescued by the neighbours and was admitted in the hospital. Though the relatives come to visit me, no one is willing to stay with me. My daughter is very small, studying in Std-6 living in a hostel. My son takes care of me foregoing his studies. I am really fortunate to have a son like him, “said Basanti Maharana, the victim.
With the father landed in jail, Pravat relies on the help meted out by some benevolent persons around him. A holder of Biju Krushak Kalyana Yojana Card, some of the medical expenses are easily met but he still needs more funds to have her mother operated properly.
“Initially, some of the relatives volunteered to stay but after some time, they left to fulfill their own family obligations. Now I take care of my mother all alone. On the financial front, I have taken loans from some of the villagers to meet the expenses. Some kind persons have helped me on their own will seeing my plight, like a local MLA gave me Rs 5000 for the medicines of my mother. But, the funds are exhausting very fast,” revealed Pravat.
“I don’t know how will I manage to get more money. I just want my mother back home fully recovered as soon as possible. And I want to continue my studies. I am in Std-10 now and will appear board exams this term,” he cried out.
“Pravat is staying with her. All are too busy with their own affairs, so do not have time to come and stay with her. We all hope that she gets well soon and both are able to go back to their home. The doctors have their own reservations regarding her recovery period. It may take a few more months, I think,” said Basanti’s sister.
In this world where the equation of relations change fast and where people have become selfish enough to think only about their comfort, where gadgets have taken the place of friends and family, a mission undertaken by a 15-year-old boy continue to remind us of the stories which narrates our age-old traditions and practices, where parents were considered next to God.
