KOCHI: As relatives and neighbours discussed funeral details of N Ramachandran at ‘Neeranjanam,’ a man in his 60s stood quietly at a distance, visibly overwhelmed by grief.
When asked about his connection to the deceased, he replied that his name is Sharath Chandran, who resides on BTS Road, Edappally. A childhood friend of Ramachandran, Sharath moved on to share his memories of the deceased.
“Many of us had friends a couple of years older than us, and he was one such friend. We spent our childhood playing together and taking part in various extracurricular activities. His family home was close to mine. So, we were not just friends, but neighbours as well,” said Sharath. His eyes lit up briefly as he recalled a fond memory.
“I still remember how we used to sneak out to play, slipping past his mother’s watchful eyes. She was a teacher at the Edappally Government UP School back then.” But the pleasant smile on his face soon disappeared.
“A journey to Jammu and Kashmir to see the Chasme Shahi and Dal Lake was a dream from our childhood days. He travelled to Kashmir with that much happiness. He even shared that happiness with his loved ones before he left, but...” Sharath said, his voice trailing off.