“She got 96 in Mathematics. She must take mathematics optional along
with physics and chemistry”, Said Sharma sir. “No, I want to be a doctor. I
will take biology”, I interrupted. My parents were very happy when I scored 90%
in secondary exam and why they shouldn’t be; after all their daughter was very
brilliant who had never gone to take any coaching classes and still managed to
get such good marks in her exam. Actually they belonged to a small town where
education was not given such importance but they were very proud to educate
their elder daughter Shyama who recently cleared her B.Ed. entrance examination
and was getting ready to join her new college. She was being sent to a girl’s
hostel provided by the college. Everything was going very good. I scored good
marks in XI too. My sister got engaged to Sandeep, a post graduate teacher.
Soon her marriage was fixed to be held in February of the next year.
Everybody specially my mother was very happy. She had many dreams in her
life but couldn’t accomplish because of adverse circumstances. She had been
married when she was only thirteen. At that time she couldn’t even complete her
9th standard. She was very good in sports and gymnastic but society
never favored her in her choices! My father, a simple natured gentle person,
not much educated, forced to feed a family of fifteen when he was only
seventeen year old. There was not so much scope of earning in that small town
and he somehow, crossing all ups and downs of life, managed to lead our family
to that condition where I and my three other siblings were getting regular
education in government schools, having better food and sufficient facilities
to live everyday life. Life was going very smooth along with lot of dreams that
were being piled up one over another with time.
Those days of happiness were no
longer remained for us. Creator had destroyed all our dreams. My father, a very
naïve person was betrayed by his best friend in some business matter. He lost
all of his capital along with all means of livelihood. The day of my sister’s
marriage was coming swiftly and in typical Indian society it’s very difficult
for a lower middle class father to arrange a marriage ceremony of his daughter
and also at the time when he had nothing more than an educated sincere girl. In
our society daughter’s wedding means pouring everything you have earned, or
saved, it means breaking fixed deposits, selling assets, taking loans etc. The
remaining assets were gone with her wedding.
It was the time when I was forced
by the situations to leave my studies. I was supposed to remain at home helping
my mother in her household work. There were only two options left for me either
to do or to die. My dream was about to buried in mud but I did not accept
defeat by the hands of destiny. At the age of seventeen I decided to leave the
town with my younger sister and pursue my education further with only the
capital of twenty five hundred rupees arranged by my mother with extreme
difficulty. It was the last time when I asked for money to my mother. I along
with my sister left the town and destined ourselves to an unknown future with a
lot of dreams. We had time when we couldn’t manage square meal a day but decided
never to go back home without achieving something.
I started tutoring at a local
coaching institute along with the college within few days. My first monthly salary
was rupees 500. It was a big achievement for both of us. I tried hard to manage
my college studies along with my part time job. I had to work fourteen hours or
more a day. My sister used to take care of household work. She also started
tutoring at home. Besides fulfilling our basic needs like rent of the room,
stationery, grocery, uniform etc we decided to save some money too. After seven years of struggle, finally I became
the head of a reputed coaching institute. Though I couldn’t be a doctor but became
able enough to fulfill basic needs of my family. My sister completed her doctorate in science
and now working as assistant professor in a well recognized university. I could
not give my helping hands to my parents in making my elder sister marry but became
able enough to spend a little on the marriage of my younger sister. I still think that decision of moving away
from my town was a boon or a bane! I was certainly a blessed child of my
parents who dared to let me go to achieve my dreams. Now I am married and live
in metropolitan city with my parent in laws, loving husband and a sweet
daughter. Life is not so difficult until you make it difficult. It is true to say:
“Where there's a will
there's a way".
दूर क्षितिज तक अनगिन राहें
ReplyDeleteअनबूझी सी फैली फैली
लक्ष्य कुहासे जैसा धूमिल
सभी दिशाएँ मैली मैली
कभी समय से टक्कर ली तो
कभी भाग्य से ठानी
लेकिन मैंने हार न मानी।
भीतर के इस जज्बे को सलाम!
Thank you jijaji... great expression.. great meaning.. great poetry ... a big salute!
DeleteThis post is for indiblogger, also a big salute to him for whom I have written this... though slightly edited.. :P
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