Purna Bahadur KC, Sumitra’s spouse, joined the Indian Army in 1960, and his first posting was in Dehradun. Purna Bahadur KC was killed in the battle with Pakistan on December 12, 1971. He was only 28 years old at the time.
“We were in Gulmi, Nepal with our children,” Sumitra explains. After 16 days, she received word of her husband’s death in the battle through letter. There was no phone call after that. My Mr.’s body was never discovered. His leftovers were on their way. He was only with her for a brief period, yet he lives on in my heart.
Sumitra prays every day. In his chamber, there is no representation of any god. Every day, Sumitra burns a lamp in front of the same 22-year-old photograph of Purna Bahadur KC. Sumitra kept returning to this image, as if she was asking herself, “On whose shoulder should I cry?”
Sumitra was asked how she remembered her husband. Sumitra did not respond, but her hand on her chest, even after she had tied it, said – “Everything here is charged with emotion. Nothing is lost.”
