Ch.6 chapter 6 - Sanyog - A Coincide...

I went towards hostel, meditating on the morning incident and the incident that just took place in the canteenâ¦ then I also realized this canteen matter was not affordable for me financiallyâ¦ I have almost spent one fourth of my pocket money in a single dayâ¦ anxious faces of parents with a dream in their eyes that their son will drag them out of their pitiable condition blinked in front of my mindâs eyesâ¦ and I felt ashamed of myselfâ¦

I entered the room and was about to start my studies, I heard â¦

Mr. Sameep Sharma, Mr. Sharma, room no. 26 old building, I heard a call on the speakerâ¦ In the beginning I couldnât understand, what it was all aboutâ¦

Then I understood some visitor may be thereâ¦

Visitors were not allowed in the hostelâ¦ so they were made stand outside and the boys were called on speakers by the rectorâ¦

I hurriedly went downstairs, my room was on the second floor, the corner room, the scenic beauty of the lake surrounded by forest was visible from the windowâ¦ I felt very lucky to get that roomâ¦

With these thoughts in my mind, I was standing in front of the rectorâ¦ Mr. Sharma â¦ he said â¦ your callâ¦ I took the receiver from his handâ¦ my mother on the other sideâ¦

Sameepâ¦ how are you? â¦ Have you reached safely? â¦ Have you got the room and friendsâ¦ How is the hostel and the food over thereâ¦?

My mother was asking questions in a sequenceâ¦ and I was overwhelmed by her questions overflowing with loveâ¦ I felt guilty also as I havenât called them after I reached Indoreâ¦ my faultâ¦ I cursed myself...

I heard her voice, âSameep, my boy, you are not speaking, is everything all right? Are you feeling homesick? Or have you already forgotten us?

I gathered my courage and spoke, âYes, Ma, I am fine, Sorry I couldnât call youâ¦ I was very busy in completing the formalitiesâ¦â

At this juncture, rector was looking at me very angrily, I feltâ¦

Though I ignored him and continued speaking with my motherâ¦

My mother like all other mothers were bombarding on me numerous advices... and I was just humming â¦ yes â¦ yesâ¦

I listened to all her good instructions carefully and patientlyâ¦ later I asked â¦ about Baba and the work on the farmâ¦ I promised her â¦ I will be there to help them whenever they will need meâ¦

My mother replied, âDonâtâ worry about us or the work over hereâ¦ concentrate on your studies â¦ fulfil our dreamâ¦ that you become government officerâ¦ we will be very proud of you thenâ¦ we can tell our neighbours and relatives that our Sameep has become a big government officer and he gets salary on the 1st day of every monthâ¦

My eyes were filled with tears after listening to my motherâs small wish and once again I felt guilty and ashamed about my two dayâs behaviour and thoughtsâ¦ I was completely lostâ¦ in her thoughtsâ¦ but I landed into reality after listening to my motherâs anxious still patient, assuring voiceâ¦

In the end, she added, donât take tension of anything, I just said, enjoy your college life and daysâ¦ we have never seen such big college in our lifeâ¦ you are thereâ¦ half of our dream is already fulfilledâ¦ eat on time... sleep on timeâ¦

I said, âYes, Ma, with heavy voiceâ¦ you please take care of yourself and Babaâ¦â

âOh! My God â¦ the meter is already showing Rs.25â¦ Beta I will call you again and â¦â

And I heard the beeping soundâ¦I kept the receiver downâ¦

Mr. Sharmaâ¦ Rector was saying â¦ Do you have any plans today to complete the formalities as you have already lied to your motherâ¦?

Sorry Sir, âI will bring the documents immediatelyâ, I said and rushed towards my roomâ¦

This love, love at first sight isnât affordable to a boy like me, it was confirmed after my motherâs callâ¦ and I promised myself that my first priority here is to study hard, prepare well for competitive examination and fulfil the dream of my loving parentsâ¦

I was their only child â¦ from whom they will expect anything, except me? Itâs not their faultâ¦ I was thinking while submitting my documents to the rectorâ¦

He said, now the whole paper work is done, you havenât taken dinner last nightâ¦ go and have your lunch firstâ¦

I was shocked by the concern in his voiceâ¦ and I just noddedâ¦

Appearances are deceptive, I thoughtâ¦ he isnât as bad as I thoughtâ¦

I entered the hostel canteen and stood in the row with the plate in my handâ¦

After eating the watery dal, spicy subji and burnt roti, I saluted my mother in my mind for her hard efforts everyday to serve me hot and nutritious foodâ¦

I returned to the room and decided to prepare the notes of the dayâs lectureâ¦

I was recalling all the lectures and writing down important points, elaborating themâ¦ but I sensed, I should have text books and reference books for preparing authentic notesâ¦

With this thought, goosebumps on my bodyâ¦ No â¦No I wonât go to the libraryâ¦ againâ¦ she will be there and again I will be wavered â¦

So better stick to the room and the table and chair over thereâ¦ Itâs good for you Mr. Sharma, my heart repliedâ¦

I jotted down all the notes â¦ but then I felt, I should read the text books in detailâ¦

And now I have made my mindâ¦ so I will not pay attention to herâ¦ I will concentrate on my studiesâ¦ with this thought â¦ I combed my hair looking in the mirror with a crack in the middleâ¦ I stepped outsideâ¦ and started walking towards the libraryâ¦

It was 5.00 Oâ clock in the eveningâ¦

The college campus was over pouring with students both boys and girlsâ¦ chatting in groups â¦ enjoying, laughing and merry making â¦ this was completely new for meâ¦ in our town â¦ boys never spoke with girls in our collegeâ¦ we always maintained a distanceâ¦ but here â¦ everything was different â¦ Again, there was tingling in my heart â¦ though I canât have relationship with herâ¦ at least I can befriend with herâ¦ with these thoughts again I was excitedâ¦ this freedom in the city is very good, I said to myselfâ¦ this should happen back in my town alsoâ¦ whatâs wrong in the friendshipâ¦

With these words I was at the entrance of the libraryâ¦ instead of looking here and thereâ¦ I went straight into boys reading roomâ¦ I searched the books I needed and were indulged in them shortlyâ¦ almost at 7.00 pm when lights were onâ¦ I sensed I was in one of oldest and richest library â¦ I felt proud as well relieved within these two hours I was nowhere except in my studiesâ¦ I was happy that I havenât changed within these two days as I thought earlier â¦ I am still focussed â¦ I complimented myself â¦

I should go for a walk now near the lake â¦ I thought â¦

I kept the books in the cupboards and lifted my bag and came outsideâ¦

Slowly I started walking, taking the left turn where arrow was shown, âLake Vihangamâ â¦

I was not aware that time, that, that walk will completely change the track of my life â¦ forever â¦

Dr. Archana Pandit

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