On Death’s Border

On 2nd February 2003, the headlines of newspapers across the world announced the disintegration of the US space-shuttle Columbia. It was about to land on Earth after a journey of 16 days. It was travelling from a height of 200,000 feet and a speed of 19,000 kilometres an hour when, suddenly, it lost contact with ground control and exploded into smithereens. There were seven people on board, all of whom died.

This news was published in a New Delhi-based newspaper under the title Just 16 minutes from home…

When I read this news report, I thought that this is precisely what the final fate of all human beings is in this world. Everyone builds his own dream home, where he wants to lead a happy life, but he is just ‘16 minutes’ from this home when suddenly death arrives. Without even entering this home he is summoned into the court of the Hereafter.

One of the people on board Columbia was an astronaut called Kalpana Chawla, who was of Indian origin. The whole of India was eagerly awaiting her return. Some of her relatives and friends had travelled to America to congratulate her on her arrival. Had she got back safely, she would have encountered a hero’s welcome. But death came as a barrier in between and turned what might have been a joyous occasion into a tragedy.

This was a personal experience for Kalpana Chawla, and a lesson for others. Only those who can see their own image in this event can truly understand its significance and learn the lessons that it contains.