Loss of a beloved brother

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">Rudraprasad Sengupta</span>, theatre personality: I had a terrible experience during Durga Puja, which kept me away from this festivities for a long time. My beloved elder brother, Shibaprasad, died during the immersion ceremony of the goddess.<br />My brother, who was around five years older than me, was my idol.He was a good footballer and used to play alongside Amal Dutta. <br />I used to dream that one day he would become a great footballer. He was good at studies and a great singer. I grew up with the desire to become like him. <br />But all that was shattered during one Puja when my brother was 19 years old. During bhasan (immersion), everybody in my neighbourhood would go the river to bid farewell to the goddess. <br />My brother would always go for bhasan. But as he couldn''t swim very well he never went into the river. He always stood at the ghat and watch the goddess slowly sink into the water. <br />That year, too, he went for bhasan and I accompanied him for the first time in my life. <br />I don’t know what happened, but he suddenly went in to the river and never returned. My idol, my inspiration was lost forever. I can still recall my helpless condition. I stood on the bank weeping profusely. <br />There was a desperate search, but his body could not be recovered. For a long time after that I could not bear to visit pandals. <br />Today I understand that it was an accident and accidents can happen anywhere at any time. <br />(<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">As told to </span><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="" font-style:="" italic="">Saibal Gupta</span>) </div> </div>