5 minutes. That was probably the sum total of the amount of time for which I held him in my hands. They say that when a parent holds their child for the first time in their arms, the maternal instinct definitely kicks in for mothers, but even for those who think that they are probably the least equipped father in the world to hold their child, the paternal instinct does kick in. It certainly did for me, for those five minutes. Holding that infant wrapped in blue sheets in my arms, 5 minutes is all the time I could hold him I should have been screaming from the top of my voice standing up on the roof of the hospital and yelling out to the whole world I am a dad Except I was not in the hospital.

I was at the crematorium. And a few minutes later, the newborn was buried deep into the ground. 5 minutes My journey as a father began and ended in those 5 minutes.

This story is written and narrated by Amar Vyas. Produced by gaathastory.com