OH SAATHIYA, TERE BINA INN SAANSON KA MAIN KYA KARU, TERE BINA ISS ZINDAGI KA KYA KAROON, TUM HI MERI ZINDAGI THE, MERI JAAN ( DILIP SAHAB JAB SE GAYE, SAIRA JI KA BAHUT BURA HAAL HAIN , AAO HUM SAB UNKE ACCHE SEHAT KE LIYE DUAA KARE ) by Ali Peter John

On that fateful morning of July 7, 2021 at 7 40 am when Dilip Kumar was breathing his last breath, there was another human being who was very close to him for more than sixty years was also breathing some of her last best breaths of her life and that person was Saira Banu who was in love with him since she was twelve years old and married him when she was twenty two years younger than him and when he was still the most handsome, talented and eligible bachelor in both India and Pakistan - Ali Peter John

She had lived like a queen or even better for the next six decades just living the life of the Shahenshah of Indian cinema and even Indian civilization and culture.

The first words that Sairaji spoke after her "Sahab " passed into eternity were, " I have lost my reason to live " . And how true what she said has been slowly coming true .

Saira had shown herself as a woman of courage, confidence and sheer strength when she was by the side of her sick and very sick husband for twelve long years.

She was the woman behind all that was being done to save his life by some of the best doctors and a team of assistants, nurses and technicians .

She had gradually converted 34 Pali Hill into a virtual hospital which worked 24/ 7 and 365 days.

It was only when her Sahab's condition grew critical that she rushed him to the Hinduja Hospital in Khar which was close to her house.

And the last time she had to admit her Sahab was on July 6 after which he only came back as a man who did not belong to her or to the world.

The usual rituals followed. The emperor was given a state funeral and his body which millions worshipped was carried in an ordinary casket and lowered into a grave which was not even dug four and half feet deep and his final residence was covered with a crowd of flowers.

And like all the stars and other mourners Saira also went home, but the difference between the other stars and Saira was that they knew where they were going, but Sara had no one to home to for the first time in more than 60 years.

Her "Sahab" was not going to be at home to receive her with all his love, affection and care..

And that is how life has been for Saira, the most talked about and pitied widow in the country or anywhere else where widows are still considered worth thinking about.

But, what is worrying and of serious concern is how the death of her husband has seriously affected her health.

She has been fighting bouts of high and low blood pressure for which she is being treated by the same team of doctors who treated her husband .

She has been admitted to the same Hinduja Hospital in Khar and has been admitted in the same room where her husband was admitted and where he died only a few months ago and was treated by the same doctors who treated her husband for several months.

She is said to have gone through an angioplasty and is under strict observation. She is also said to be down with age and stress related problems. It may be remembered that she was 79 recently.

During the last ten days, matters have only turned worse as she has refused to meet even some of her closest friends and well-wishers like Dharmendra and Shatrughan Sinha.

Some days ago the well-known star of the seventies, Mumtaz (who had replaced her on the suggestion of Dilip Kumar in Ram Aur Shyam) was in Mumbai to visit friends and dropped in at Saira's bungalow to pay a courtesy call, she was not granted her wish of meeting Saira .

Industry circles and close friends of the family are deeply concerned about Saira's health, but she continues to be in het state of silence.

The only message that has come from her through Dharmendra is " my health is not good" And the explanation to that gloomy line is the gloomy and sad atmosphere all around the bungalow with even the security guards looking very sad and somber instead of looking very stern and serious as their jobs expect them to do .....

KAl CHAMAN THA , AAJ HAI UJDAA HUVA , KAL YAHAN HAR TARAF KHUSHI THI , AAJ YAHAN HAR TARAF GHUM HI GHUM HAI. KISNE UJAADA YE CHAMAN ? AGAR KHUDAH NE UJAADA HAI , TOH KHUDAH KO BHI SAZAAYE MAUT HONI CHAAIYE . YE MERA DIL KEHTA HAI. KISI KO BURA LAGE , TOH MAIN KYA KAR SAKTA HOON?