The Last Trip

The Shastri household was a hub of activity this morning. The family was going on a road trip. This trip had been in the planning for the last one and a half years. But it was only now that they could actually put the wheels in motion. 

The senior Mr.Shastri, Govind Shastri was eighty now. His wife Lakshmi Shastri was a pious lady who's day began with chants of God and ended with His name. The trip was Lakshmi's idea. A trip to Tirupati has been long overdue, she said. The last time they visited was during her niece's wedding seven years ago.

Shiv Shastri was a good son. Heeding his mother's wish of visiting the holy place, he planned a road trip. We have never been to Tirupati by road, he had said. Buy Ketki, his wife, was vary of a road trip. She would always find road trips to be a test of nerves. They had a discussion and decided to vote. Ketki found herself in the minority as their children, Ashita and Tarun too rooted for a road trip. This would be the first ever road trip for the family. And with their new and big car, it was going to be fun. 

They planned to go in the first week of April, when the exams would have been finished. Everything was set for the trip, but an obstacle in the form of covid emerged. The country went into lockdown in the month of March. The Shastris’ trip got postponed indefinitely. Everyone was upset. 

Lockdown was difficult, but they got through it. A year and a half passed. Life was picking itself again. Now, after getting vaccinated, the family thought of going on a much delayed trip. They made a checklist and considered every precaution. Excitement reigned once more.  

Since morning, everyone was running around doing the final preparations for the trip. Ketki was preparing snacks, for the kids who wanted something to munch on during the journey. In fact, they would keep eating the whole trip. So Ketki prepared extra. The kids themselves were busy telling all their friends about their intended trip. Shiv gave the car a final check. Lakshmi was repacking her bag after Shiv told her to pack light. She would have packed a few more saris, but Shiv insisted that they carry as much and not more. Govind, on the other hand, decided to stay away from the action and had his nose buried in the newspaper. He wouldn't be able to leisurely read his daily quota of news once the trip started. So wanted to make up for it now. 

All was ready and set. They would leave early in the morning next day. Ashita and Tarun could hardly sleep a wink with excitement. It was going to be the best trip ever, they told themselves. The trip from Bengaluru to Tirupati takes around four to five hours by road. The road is good and it makes for a pleasant drive. Besides the Lord's abode, there are many a scenic places in and around Tirupati, which can be visited easily if one has a car in hand. Shiv had made an iternary which covered a few of these places. He intended to make this the best road trip ever.  

On the bright sunny morning, the family set out on the much-anticipated trip. They were all in high spirits. The children had come up with a few games that they could play enroute. The weather seemed to be favouring them. In all, the family was having a wonderful time. This was the much needed getaway that they were looking forward to.  

And then it happened. How exactly it happened, no one knew. Halfway through the journey, the Shastris’ car hit a heavy vehicle. Who hit whom was never found out. As there was no one left to answer these questions. All that was left of them was a mangled heap of metal and the burnt bodies of the three generations of Shastri family.