The Graveyard at Abu Road: A Journey of Renewal and Reflection

Last week, my younger brother Aubrey paid me a visit to renew his expired driver’s license. While discussing his plan, I checked mine and discovered it was due to expire in January. Renewing a license in Sirohi, where ours was issued, is a tedious process, but I’d heard of a new office on Abu Road that might make things easier. I contacted an agent there, and he confirmed it, advising us to bring two passport-sized photos and our licenses to streamline the renewal.

On November 11th, we set off, but post-Diwali traffic turned what should have been a straightforward journey into a test of patience. Vehicles packed the roads, slowing us down on both the way there and back. Yet, the pleasant weather provided some consolation, softening, the frustration of being stuck.

We finished the paperwork at the agent’s office, only to discover that the agency processes renewals only a month ahead of time. We would need to return in December to complete the procedure. While this meant more waiting, I was relieved to know we wouldn’t have to make the longer, more cumbersome trip to Sirohi.

A Visit to the Abu Road Graveyard

Before we headed home, Aubrey, a devout Catholic, expressed a desire to visit the Abu Road graveyard where our maternal grandfather, George Ernest Sarstedt, and great-grandmother, Florence Anvie Gaskin, rest. This visit turned into an emotional detour down memory lane.

In the 1970s, the Abu Road graveyard was a serene and well-maintained place, adorned with flower beds and trimmed hedges. But when we stepped through its gates, a heart-wrenching sight greeted us. Time and neglect had taken their toll. Vandalism marred many of the graves, and the church associated with the site appeared to have fallen into disrepair.

It was disheartening to see this once-revered resting place in such a state. Graves that had once stood as dignified tributes to the lives they commemorated were now crumbling, their inscriptions faded or defaced. The scene spoke volumes about the erosion of respect for the departed in today’s world.

Reflections

The visit left me with mixed emotions—gratitude for the opportunity to reconnect with our family history and deep sadness over the neglect of a space that should be sacred. It also prompted me to think about how modern life, with its relentless pace, often sidelines preserving our heritage, including places like this graveyard, which holds the stories of those who came before us.

As Aubrey and I left Abu Road that day, I couldn’t help but wonder: If we forget to honour the past, how will future generations understand the value of the lives and legacies that shaped us?