Remember Me

Which God you worship ?

You are asking me?

Who else is in the room?

No one sir…

Then whom do you think I am asking this question for?

Me sir…

Then tell me which God you worship ?

Goddess Kali Sir…

Do you have any special reason for that?

…

I’m asking you, do you have any special reason for worshipping Kali ?

Nothing specific, she is my preference..

What you think you get worshipping her?

Do I need to answer this question?

I wish you do..

Okay sir, I feel I get strength which I require and most importantly,  when I worship her and go to sleep, I don’t get bad dreams..

Bad dreams??

Yeah, Bad Dreams.. don’t you get bad dreams?

I do, Infact, I only get that...but what kind of bad dreams you get?

I see Dead people in my dreams…

So do you think I might come in your dreams?

You aren’t dead…

But I can be...

Then you may come..

What do you think I would do in your dreams?

Sir, can I have some water…

You can reply to this question and then take water.. tell me, what do you think I would do in your dreams?

Generally I see dead people holding my neck tightly and I feel difficult to breath…

So you think I would kill you in your dreams?

I generally feel I am close to death when it happens in my dream…

Then what happens?

Fortunately, I wake up from that bad dream before I die… (chuckles)

So you don’t get dreams now?

Who said?

You said…

When?

You said, you worship Kali so you don’t get bad dreams?

But I still get..

So Kali is not helping you…

Sir, please don’t talk like that.. She is my Goddess..

What kind of Goddess you have who doesn’t help you but still you keep worshipping her ?

Stop it… I am leaving..

Sit.. I will not ask that question again..

But I want to answer..

I am not interested to listen..

God only gives what you deserve and not what you want.. she thinks I deserve these bad dreams.. but I am sure by my sincere worship, one day she will help me to come out of these bad dreams…

Why you think you deserve these bad dreams?

I am a evil…

Why so ?

Can I know why you wanted to speak with me?

Why can’t I talk to you?

You have better people to talk…

Like?

Like your sister, your mother or your dear one..

You mean my wife..?

I know you are not married, but you might have a girlfriend…

I don’t have any…

If you had, you wouldn’t be here…

What do you mean?

Nothing sir,  but tell me why you didn’t wanted to meet them?

I don’t have time…

You had it before…

But I am not interested to see them…  in your language, I don’t deserve to see them… (chuckles)

But you never know… they might still think you deserve their kindness..

May be… but I wanted to spend some time with you…

Hahaha.. With me.. it’s quite strange, no body has called me before like this..

That’s why I called you…

Reason ?

To know few facts ?

What?

Have you read the novel “Ponniyin Selvan” ?

What?

Ponniyin Selvan  - The son of River Ponni…

I have read it when I used to enjoy nature…

You mean many years back?

Yes…

You don’t enjoy the nature any more?

I have become old..

So old people don’t enjoy nature?

That’s not what you wanted to know..

Ya.. sorry for changing the topic..  have you read it?

Yes I did..

Can you tell me the story?

Are you crazy or what? You wanted to know the story of Ponniyin Selvan Novel? (laughs loudly)

Stop laughing, I wanted to know the story of it?

Are you serious? Why are you so interested?

I heard it’s the novel which one should have read for sure atleast once in their lifetime? Is it true?

I don’t know what other’s say, but yes, it’s one of the best written novel..

So can you tell me the story?

Are you mad? It’s a 5 volume book, running to 2500 pages.. how can I tell you the story now? I don’t think I have that much time to spend here…

Do you have time to listen to Ramayana & Mahabharatam?

I don’t want to talk to you…

Wait listen, I can tell you in a minute…

How?

One Lady Cried, that become Ramayanam… and one Lady laughed, that become Mahabharatham…

Nonsense.. I don’t know if you are pulling my leg… I am not a scholar like you to tell Ponniyin Selvan like that…

Please..

Sorry sir, I can’t help you.. I am leaving..

Wait..wait..sorry,sorry… I thought of having some fun atleast now.. but you are not co-operating… I would leave you soon but please help me in answering few questions...

Ask soon, I have to go home…

Have you made my drop ready ?

…..

Sir, I am asking you a question? Have you made my drop ready?

Yes sir, it is ready…

Will it withstand my weight?

Yes, it should for certain. We prepare it with utmost care according to doctor prescription. Didn’t the doctor visited you 4 days back?

Yes he did (chuckles).. So what is the length?

7 feet 8 inches exactly sir..

Wow.. I am surprised with the amount of calculation beyond it.. you should be an expert by now..

If I knew that I would be the expert of this sort, I would have asked my mother to kill me even before my birth..

Don’t be too complaining… You are doing a righteous job.. So has it been tested?

Yeah, we did it today evening…

What you did ?

We tested your rope by suspending from it a sack of clay equal to one and a half times of your weight. The sack is dropped for the exact distance of the final drop. We actually do Mock hangings three or four times before the actual hanging...

Are you supposed to do that?

Yes, it’s in the process, we had to do these testing so that…

So that it doesn’t become a disaster..Ah.. hahaha (laughs loudly), It would be intersting to see how it works, so can I call my friend to be present?

What cruel person you are? .. it’s not allowed…

So nobody would be present there except you?

There will be armed guards, few constables and few senior officials and doctors, that’s it…and if you wish we can arrange for any religious priest for any formalities…

Ah, I don’t believe in that.. not required..  but I would be interested to see you guys reaction… you would be quite happy to do this work, don’t you?

I have already answered to this question, moreover, you will not be allowed to see anything there, your face would be covered…

Oh god, what a tragedy, I can’t see my last visitors..  so what you do after you cover my face?

Hmm… do you really want to know it?

Yes, that’s why I had my last wish to see you who exactly knows how to kill me … hahaha…

Okay listen, I don’t want to deprive you from knowing the truth which is your last wish… we would first place you exactly under the part of the beam to which the rope is attached,  and then strap your hand tightly, and further put the noose round the neck tightly, the knot or metal eye being just in front of and below the angle of the jaw, so as to run up behind the ear when you actually fall and receives the jerk.

Oh wow, what a beauty.. then ?

We take enough care to adjust the rope so that the part to which the metal eye belongs shall pass in front of the throat. The noose would be kept tight, having been adjusted by means of a stiff leather washer on the rope. The flap of the cap should hang in front free from the rope.

Oh it would take more time …?

Nope, we have to do all these checks and settings as quickly as possible, we are not allowed to make you wait and it’s against the process…

Quick Death.. Ah… hahaha.. then ?

We wait for the final signal…

That’s the moment of truth of this life isn’t it… Great.. I don’t remember my moment of birth, but I can certainly remember all the minutes, seconds of my death process…

....

So you keep me hanging like that for ever?

We have to keep you remain like that for half an hour and we would put you down only after the medical officer certifies that your life is extinct

Hahah.. I’m the most deprived person on the earth, who is interested to know how his death gonna be conducted…

May be .. but you are also very lucky sir…

Me.. hahah.. are you kidding, you are going to hang me tomorrow and you say I’m lucky? Reason?

Simple, you know your death before, but I don’t know when it’s coming for me…

Can I have Hyderabadi Biriyani before my death? I haven’t had it for quite some time…

You would be provided with a Tea, but I don’t think you would be feeded more.. If you want, I can check with my seniors and arrange for it tonight…

Ya please.. Is the gallows far away from here?

It’s 20 feet long from here… but it’s the most sorrow sight I can imagine…                  

Why so?

Usually the face is hooded and hands tied behind. Though it is only a minutes walk, but the convicts are usually paralysed with fear and the last walk is a sorry one.

You see how I walk tomorrow… it would be the most royal walk you have ever watched in your life.. hahaha…

I can’t laugh now sir…. can I go ?

One last question, does it pain much (sobs a bit…)

Sir, the job is an art, The noose has five knots. The preparation of the knot is so important for us. The person will feel less pain if the knots are right. If the man is heavy, you need fewer knots. If he is light, you need more knots. If the pull is too hard, the head can be even severed and he can bleed from the mouth and nose.

Oh God…

Yeah… So, the pull has to be of a force that kills the person and yet causes no pain

What a science involved in even killing… Absolutely marvelous…

Yeah, we even tie their legs and hands and hold him upright in case he faints in the face of death.. and from the look of it, I don’t think you are going to faint…

Why you say so?

Otherwise how in the world, the last day before your life in this earth gonna end, instead of your family members you wished to see the person who is going to hang you …

Yeah, you may find it strange, but I wanted to know all this information, otherwise the fear itself will kill me… now I can atleast sleep in peace knowing that the person who is going to kill me will take enough care of my death process… what you say?

Sir, I don't know what to say, but I can say onething for sure… 

What?

Tonight, you are definitely going to come in my dreams…

Hahah… bad dreams Ah!... Don’t worry, worship your Kali before you sleep tonight, she will protect you from me in the night…

I don’t have any other options sir, I don’t know what harm I did in my last life, I am leading a life of a Hangmen…  Good Night Sir…

Don’t call me Sir… You are now my friend… By the way, Will you be my friend? I don’t remember having good friends…

Sir… I…

I know, you can't talk further… leave it. Anyway, Thank you very much for accepting to meet me. I really  wondered what can be my last wish? to see my mother or to see the seashore or  how about a movie of my favourite star? Like this, I had so many crazy thoughts which I would like to do for one last time... But later I found it to be of no use, What difference it would make tell me in achieving any of these tasks? May be some momentary satisfaction. But it would not help me. I don't want that. What I need now is a sound sleep tonight and the only person who can give me that is you the Hangman, so I called you...Sorry, if I have harassed you by my questions.. but i would be ever thankful for spending the time with me...

Sir, I don't know what to say.. but I would remember this day for sure... And I can tell you that never in my life i would again accept to meet a prisoner who would be hanged by me in the next day....

Hahaha... I would also never ever forget you my friend, since I only have a night to remember you...  You can leave now, and yes, Just don’t forget to ask your seniors about my Hyderabadi Biriyani… I feel like tasting it tonight..  I don’t have another chance you see..

Ye... Yes Sir...  I will try my best... Good Night Sir..

Good Night my Friend, Have a Sweet Dream Tonight…

(Next Day)

Execution Report

“I hereby certify the sentence of death passed on 12^th August  2010 by the Court of Sessions and confirmed by the High Court, has been duly executed and the said Kasab Khan was hanged by the neck until he was dead at Mumbai, Tihar Jail.

Signed

Medical Officer