as the mcd staff clambered onto the top of the three storeyed building at beadonpuras gali number 42 clearing the debris that remained after the blast at gaffar market on saturday the sound of smashing glass was deafening however sevenyearold gangaram was unmoved with his neck firmly tucked in the familys pet parrot made an enigmatic picture a symbol of hope a symbol of a new beginning gangaram had been brought into the house by saroj simrans aunt who was among those dead the parrot is a part of our lives he stayed in the cage perched on the neem tree and ate out of sarojs hand relishing the red hot chillies often served to him said shyam prasad a neighbour saroj took him inside on saturday evening she had planned to feed him after she returned she died in the blast and gangaram has not been the same he is refusing to eat and seems to be waiting for her he said but for bishan devi the parrot represents hope i was sitting with krishna and aarti my grandson and a neighbours daughter respectively the blast took away krishna but just like the parrot aarti survived she is a blessed girl she will grow up to be a handsome lady she muttered tears rolling down her eyes