Even death couldn't separate them: Man holds on to wife's ashes for 32 years

Bhola Nath Alok recalls memories with his wife as he gets emotional and says "One day at night, my wife said, sleep next to me, I want to die married. That time I could not understand why she is talking like this. I replied that it will never happen, both will live together and die together. But when I opened my eyes in the morning, she had said goodbye to the world."

Purnia: As the world celebrates Valentine’s Day in Bihar’s Seemanchal district, a 90-year-old man’s undying love for his wife continues 32 years after her death. Bhola Nath Alok, who has been living with his wife’s ashes for 32 years, has requested his family members to perform the last rites of his ashes along with his body when he dies.

At present, he has hung the urn on a mango tree inside his house premises in the Sepoy Tola area of ​​Purnia.

Bhola Nath Alok recalls memories with his wife as he gets emotional and says "One day at night, my wife said, sleep next to me, I want to die married. That time I could not understand why she is talking like this. I replied that it will never happen, both will live together and die together. But when I opened my eyes in the morning, she had said goodbye to the world."

"After my wife's death it's the end of the world for me but I had to live for the girl child. Since then I did not immerse the ashes of my wife and kept it with me for the last 32 years so that after my death both of us can leave this world together. I have told my children to put 'potli' on my chest after I die and cremate it with me. My wife could not live together, but we will get cremated together. If I meet her in the other world, I will tell her that I kept my promise," said Alok, his eyes welling up.

Everyday, the octogenarian sits in his courtyard, staring at the 'potli'. "Padma is not with me, but her ashes never let her memories die. Whenever there's a problem in the family, I hold the ashes and I'm assured that she is around. She is with us, with me," he said.

Purnia-based litterateur Govind, says Alok's love is a symbol of true love, which is rarely seen nowadays. “Alok’s wife Padma Rani passed away 32 years ago. He preserved her kalash and hung it from a mango tree in her honor. He used to remember her with roses and pray every day. He loved his wife dearly when she was alive and did not want to leave her alone even after her death."

Ashok Singh, the son-in-law of Bholanath, says that this is a unique example of love and we will definitely fulfill his last wish. To avoid water and sunlight, this urn is kept tied with plastic and then cloth on top. "We all get emotional seeing his love for his wife. Today's young generation needs to learn from this love story, where the meaning of relationships keeps changing with time," he added.