It was a heart-breaking farewell for the James family as 11-month-old Vivaan was laid to rest at Orlem Church in the presence of his father, who beat the odds to return in time from a Togo prison
The James family finally achieved the closure they had prayed for albeit a painful one when they bid a final goodbye to baby Vivaan at Orlem Church in Malad yesterday, in a ceremony that was attended by hundreds of relatives, friends and wellwishers.
A visibly distraught Sunil James took part in the funeral proceedings of his infant son. The ceremony was attended by over 200 members of the parish, as well as friends, well wishers and relatives. Pics/Pradeep Dhivar
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The miracle that they had been praying for since Vivaan’s tragic death on December 2 materialised on Friday, when the infant’s father Sunil James returned home from a five-month-long incarceration to be present for the burial of his son.
The burial took place last afternoon in a ceremony that was presided over by priests and attended by the parish of Orlem Church in Malad. The family, which started out at 11.45 am from their home, completed the funeral proceedings in an hour, in the presence of over 200 friends, relatives and well wishers who also bid the child a tearful goodbye.
On Sunday morning, around 9.45 am the infant’s body was brought home. Sunil James, just back from a harrowing five-month-long incarceration, was in tears when he saw the child’s body. The Malad (West) residence was teeming with relatives and friends, who had arrived to show their support to the family in their difficult hour.
The family stepped out of their home with the child’s body at 11.45 am for Orlem Church in their vehicle, and were greeted by a huge gathering of relatives and well-wishers. The priest blessed the body at the entrance of the church, after which the community members read prayers. The crowd later headed to the burial grounds, where the family members were seen weeping inconsolably.
Once baby Vivaan was buried, the crowd lit candles and prayed for peace to his soul. A relative said, “Sunil is completely shattered because of the death of his son. As a father, it is very difficult to digest the loss of a child. I pray to God to give the family all the courage and strength, so they can sail through the tough times.”
Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam, who had helped the family meet the prime minister, also visited the family to pay their condolences, as did MLA Aslam Shaikh. The family members also thanked the media for the role they played in bringing Sunil back. u00a0
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