Bond of Hearts

'God gives lives to others, God saves the lives of others', said Rajni as she finished worshipping and praying to her gods. She called her amma, appa and brother Chetan as she touched her forehead to lord Ganesha's feet and gave her family holy prasad.

It was the first day of Onam. The Krishnan family was a typical but still modern South Indian family. They shared immense love and togetherness amongst each other. Rajni who was 26, was their elder daughter, and Chetan, 22, was their younger son. Both of them were an inseparable bond. 

That morning, Onam, Chetan was participating in the traditional boat race and Rajni, and their parents had come to cheer him up. The race began. All cheered and danced and eventually so did Rajni. She cheered loudly and danced with happiness but abruptly she fell to the floor, unconscious. Chetan left the race and three of them took her to the hospital immediately.

They waited all afternoon outside the emergency room and finally, the doctor came out. 'Arrhythmia', he said. 'The heartbeats improperly. It will lead to death. It's severe. Only a heart transplant can save her. If the donor can't be found in 4 days she will die'. 

Their amma cried on Chetan 's shoulder. Appa tried to control, but he wept for his daughter. The three of them waited at the hospital for the night. At midnight Rajni gained consciousness. the doctor and her family told her about her condition and about the transplant. She sobbed in despair, helplessly. 

For the first two days her amma and appa looked for donors. Every night they returned in vain, confronted the home temple and cried to God for their daughter's life. On the third day, three of them went to see Rajni. She lay in the hospital bed with the ventilator, miserable. 

The doctor said that her condition was worsening and the transplant operation had to be on the fourth day instead of the fifth. That meant that they had only a few hours to find the donor who could save their daughter's life, at the sacrifice of theirs.

The operation was that night. That night, Chetan waited at the hospital and sent his parents home. 

Their amma and appa, woke up the next morning with a mind full of fear and hardly a speck of hope. They reached the hospital and saw that Rajni was alive. She was sleeping after the anesthesia was given during the transplant.

'Transplant?' her appa exclaimed. 'did Chetan find the donor during the night?' Soon, the doctor came. He let them in. Appa asked again, 'who was the selfless donor?'

Before the doctor could answer, Rajni had started moving her hands and feet. The doctor walked to her along with her parents. 'Who, who was a doctor, who benevolently saved my life?'

As the doctor reveal the donor, their jaws dropped. And tears roll down the cheeks. 'Chetan', said he. 

A month passed. Rajini was discharged a week ago. It was Raksha Bandhan that day. She sat praying to her gods. She touched her forehead, on lord Ganesha's feet, and lifted up her head. A picture of Chetan stood, tall and respected. 

'Rajni, dear, why have you kept Chetan's picture amongst the gods?', asked amma. 'God gives lives to others, God saves the lives of others. What different did Chetan do?'