Chapter 3
New School
It is said that Time is the best healer for any kind of wound. It was same thing that happened to us. Time by time we became busy in our work. I started focusing on my study and as I was bright and scholar student of my class I was topper most of the times till 9th standard. Now I came to 10th standard and its exams were conducted by state board and as I was a brilliant in study, my Grandmother insisted me to change the school and instructed me to go for further studies in Bhopal, city of lakes. I did not like that because I had to stay away from home especially I had to stay away from my grandmother and I had to stay in hostel. So, I resisted initially but after all she was saying so for my good future. Hence, I left my school in town and took admission in to a school located at Bhopal. My mausi (my mother’s sister) was living there, I could go there to spend time whenever I felt lonely, I could reach at her home to meet her. That was also good for me. I started living there in hostel and school was going to get opened on the next day. Finally the day came. Yah D-Day you can say to it because I was nervous as I had never gone out of my town so I didn’t know which kind of people I was going to meet and how would be teachers and classmates and how atmosphere would be there. It was completely strange for me however I reached there.
I put my first foot in school. I was nervous because whenever we go to newer place we feel nervousness and that is human nature but then after when we feel comfortable there, we feel exciting and we start loving that particular place.
I attended the class. I studied with my full focus and I liked the way the teachers were teaching students. They were so humble and friendly in nature. My classmates were also amicable in nature and I started making friends. Now, I was 16 so it was obvious that I would be attracted towards girls. But, I knew my limitations and I knew my purpose of being there. I was over there to study and I was completely focusing on that.
On the second day I saw a girl who was sitting next to my bench and I felt like oh wow she was really beautiful. That was the first time some strange feeling came to my heart and that was feeling which I had never felt before. I didn’t know what was that but I liked to see her and there was no negative thought in my mind but that strange feeling was very sacred. Later on I could understand that it is called as Love. Yes I fell in love with her. You can call it love at first sight.
Now, I was staring at her. Initially she neglected but she beckoned me to look at board and I felt ashamed for a while and looked at board till the lecture was completed. She was looking at me but I was ashamed as I felt embarrassed and I couldn’t look at her as I was afraid that she would complain to our principal and what if principal would tell it to my aunty or to my grandmother. She came closer to me when lecture was finished and I saw that I stood and came outside the bench and stood there ready to get scolded by her.
“Hi. My name is Roshni. What is your name?”
I was surprised but I replied then “My name is Suraj.”
“You should not stare at me like that way in lecture. If you wanted to talk then you would have to wait until the lecture was finished.”
“I am sorry for that.” I apologized to her.
“You don’t need to apologize.” She said that and looked at me with cute smile.
I don’t know but it started playing music around me and I felt like I became singer, lyricist and musician at the same time and tune started playing.
“She looked at me. So I cannot forget her eyes. She looked at me……”
Our conversation was left incomplete as our mathematics teacher entered into classroom. I was little sad as I couldn’t express myself appropriately to her and we ended up. But that was okay. I forgot everything and that was her smile only that I could remember. I again started gazing at her but I realized that I should look at board and focus on study. So I got back to that. That day was completed. She left hurriedly. I tried to chase her but saw outside that somebody came there to pick her up.
I remembered that I also had to go to my aunt’s house as there was dinner after worship of Lord Shiva, the deity in whom we believe. I also venerate my Lord. He was my Guru, my guide and my friend and obviously my god. I always ask him before starting my work and also tell him some of my confidential things which I cannot say even to my grandmother. You would be thinking I am little bizarre but that is how I am and that is my faith in almighty in which I believe as you may have in the form of god you believe or may not be. But I believe as it has proved helpful for me every time whenever I was in trouble and it is fact that troubles are part of life.
I went to my aunt’s home and we sat together and had a dinner together as rituals were already performed. I took Prasad and sat on table
“How was your day son?” mausi asked
“It was a great day .”
“Your smile is enough to express that. You seem very happy today.”
“No. No. No. Nothing special. I am happy as I got a chance to come here to meet you and saved myself to go to hostel.” I did not say lie but said half truth actually.
She said after taking deep breath “so you don’t like hostel my son?”
“Yes. I don’t like because it does not give me homely atmosphere.”
“Ok. So you can come here and stay here with us. I have told you before.” My aunty had no child so she was treating me like her son and my mausa (uncle) was also so humble that he also loved me so much but my grandmother had some kind of fear so she refused me to stay at aunt’s home. My grandmother had a thought that I would go out of discipline if I would stay at aunt’s home. If I stay in hostel then I would live in total discipline and that was her belief.
“See. Navaratri is going to come. We will come to meet your grandmother and convince her so that you can stay here in place of hostel.”
“Okay. I will be happy to live here.”
I felt good as I had lost my mother and father at age of 10 and it had been 6 years so I liked to live with my aunty. It is said that your maternal aunt is your half mother and in my case, my aunty was ready to take full responsibility of mother. So I felt good.
After few weeks Navaratri –which is a nine days festival in which we worship Maa Parvati and Maa Durga in nine manifested forms for nine days.
In Navaratri vacation, my aunt and my uncle came to my home to meet my grandmother to convince grandmother as aunty had promised to me. She met my grandmother and my grandmother was persuaded by aunty that she would provide homely environment along with discipline of hostel. My grandmother was always happy when she saw me happy and I never wanted to hurt her.
Therefore, I came back to Bhopal and started living with my aunt and continued my study again. Now, days were passing fast, and I was lacking behind. So, I concentrated more on my study. My pre board exams were very near, and I was preparing for that. I wanted to get maximum marks in pre board exams. So, that could give me confidence in my board exams. During this time period, I had frequent small conversation with Roshani. As they were giving me refreshment and I could again focus on my study. Finally, board exams were arrived and I was qualified with 92 %. Besides, I got second rank in the school. Though I came second, I had no grief because first rank was obtained by Roshni. So, in spite of being sad I was happy.
On the day of result when we reached to school to collect to mark sheet, my uncle and aunty also came along with me. Roshni also came over there along with her parents. We met there one another and I got a chance to introduce Roshni to my uncle and aunty and she got chance to introduce myself to her parents. My aunty who had gotten experienced eyes and she asked me after leaving school
“Is she your classmate, friend or best friend?”
“She is just my friend.” She chuckled at me and we reached home.
I opted for Science stream then after as I thought I would have bright career in that. Biology was the subject that enticed me. Hence, I chose it as an optional subject. Coincidentally, Roshni also liked that subject so she also opted for Biology in science stream and we were in a same class now. There was a board exam in 12th standard, but 11th standard was a base of 12th standard, and we were studying hard for that. We had developed friendship now and we became best friends now.
It was February month, and we had just finished pre board exam which was conducted by school before final exam and there was an incident occurred and that was memorable event of my life. Exams were over and I remembered that it was 14th February and as we know it is Valentine’s Day and it was a very strict inside my school. Therefore, I was waiting outside school. I was hiding a gift that I brought for her on that special day.
She came outside. She was looking very pretty and I was mesmerized after watching her I didn’t blink for a single time. She came closer to me and said “Hi”
“Hey. How are you?” I asked formally
“I am fine.”
“Where were you? I tried but I could not find you.” I asked.
“I was along with my friends.”
“You know what is day today.”
“Yah. I think it is Valentine’s Day.” She replied.
I bent down on knees “So, I have brought gift for you. Kindly accept my gift.”
“Oh. So sweet of you. Thanks for the gift” She curiously took a gift from me and opened it deftly there.
“Oh wow.”
“Yah. Beautiful gift for my beautiful friend. Taj Mahal.” I said.
“You liked it?”
“Yah. I really liked that.” She looked at me so lovingly. She came closer to me and gave me hug. I felt excited. I looked in her eyes and I adjusted a strip of hair behind ear and looked in her eyes affectionately and kissed her. It was kiss of love. It was feeling of ecstasy. But, unfortunately it does not last long. She blushed and ran away swiftly. The gift which I gave to her was left in my hands and that was supposed to be there in her hands.
Next day as usual lectures were started. It was lecture of physics and I was waiting for her. She came late on that day. I had no attention in that lecture. I was waiting for completion of that lecture. As soon as lecture was completed, I leaped near her bench. She was little angry.
“Sorry for yesterday. I know you are angry on me and you didn’t like that.”
“I am not saying I didn’t like that. But yah I am angry on you because it will affect our study. You should focus on your study rather than me now.”
“Ok.” I realized what she wanted to say.
“So, concentrate on that.”
“Yah. I understood that but I request you to keep this gift with you.” I presented it in my hand.
“ok.”
“We are still friends right?”
“Yes, we are. Now go to your bench.”
I have always felt that from that day till today she has always showed me right way and I love her for that.
After that day my academics career really started and I worked hard in almost all exams. Sometimes we exchanged notes and study materials. We met and talked whenever we were in the school as I would not be permitted and I didn’t want that my aunty would know that as she would know that then she would tease me and if she told to my grandmother in over excitement then my grandmother would call me back as she would think that I was deteriorating my academics.
Days were passing. I was becoming more and more accurate in my preparations because now exams of board of 12th standard were going to come. I was prepared for that. I cleared exams with 80%. Though it was less than my expectation, I got good numbers. As I had taken biology I was eligible for medicine and pharmacy and other medical as well as paramedical courses respectively. But, I was interested in zoology. I began my Bachelor of Science in zoology specialization and I was successful to convince Roshni to take admission in the same city Bhopal which I thought I never wanted to leave now.
Now I was in college. Roshni was also in the same class and from the first day we were talking to each other. Therefore, my classmates and my friends started gossiping about us.
It is a fact that there are always people around you who would be faster than any form of media to spread canards. There were same kind of people were there who started spreading rumors. When they were assured there was a guy amongst students stood up on the bench and asserted that “Suraj ki Roshni” well it was a nice pair Suraj means Sun and Roshni means light so that was like light of sun perfectly suitable duo and it was official now.
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