A NEW YEAR LOVE STORY

Those were the days when we used to stay in a rented apartment at Belapur, Navi mumbai. One evening we were reclining on a small couch, pushing each other to get enough space. Our eyes were fixed on the TV as our favorite show was going on. We were so engrossed into the show that we had forgotten to switch on the fan even though we were sweating profusely in that hot sultry evening. I didn’t get up to switch on the fan, afraid of losing my place on the couch to another friend who was sitting down on the mat keeping an eye on the couch. I guess others too have turned down the idea of switching on the fan fearing the same.

Suddenly Prabin, who was sitting just beside me jumped up his place, shouting, “Rahila”. “Yes, she is there”, he added. We were startled. At first we couldn’t understand what he was trying to say. “Yes, I found her. Yes I did”, he muttered. Astounded, we all surrounded him. Of a sudden our attention turned towards him. But he pushed us aside and kept his gaze on the show, threw the pillow he was holding and moved close to the TV.  His eyes glued to the show and ours to his insane behavior.

The show got over in the next few minutes. We went close to him. We didn’t ask him anything, but looked at him closely. With his moist eyes and trembling lips, he uttered, “Rahila…Rahila is here”, his fingers pointed towards the TV.  It was as if he had seen somebody, someone he was searching from quite a long time. “Where? Whom are you talking about?” it was the first question I asked him. “Rahila”, he replied with wide eyes.

Then he narrated his story….

“1^st January of 2006, we were going to meet. I had asked her to come to the  oldest banyan tree close to the lake after her father had left for his work. I  wanted to confess my love for her on the New Year's eve. I was always said by my mother that whatever you do on the New Year day, you do the same throughout the year. I wanted to express my feelings to her on the same day. I wanted to do the same throughout the year. 

 Like most of the malayalis, I was more interested in football, swimming and  fishing than in arithmetic and history. Being born to the most beautiful place on the mother earth, Munnar, I was a nature’s boy. I spent my whole childhood wandering in the nature’s lap.

 Apart from my nagging parents, the only reason I used to go to the school  was her, Rahila. I would cycle behind her father’s scooter from her place to the school. Sitting behind her father, she would keep grinning, showing her pearly whites. My legs used to work synchronous with the speed of his father’s scooter. They paddle faster when his scooter used to gain some speed and would slow down as he would break at the speed breaker.

At school our teachers never allowed boys to interact much with the girls. So, my interaction with Rahila was very limited. But still we always used to find out some way to talk. I used to catch fish every evening. And I used to take the most stunning, colored fish to Rahila. I used to keep the fish alive in my Tiffin box by filling it with some water and show her the same, the next day in the lunch break. I just loved to see her smile and those shinning dark eyes that used to get bigger seeing the surprise. I was up to doing anything to see that divine, glittering smile of her. I didn’t know, but every time I used to see her smiling, my heart used to get filled with immense happiness. It was like as if her smile was enough to please my soul.

 It was always a beautiful feeling to have her by my side. When, I was a kid I remained confused but when I grew up I realized that it was nothing but love. Soon I decided to express the same to her. I planned to give her a surprise and that too on the New Year eve. I wanted to make the day special and nothing can be more special than a New Year day. She had always told me, how much she wanted to see a tree house. There was one, an abandoned one. It was on a huge old Banyan tree near the lake, just half a mile away from her house just before the woods started. I worked on it for days, cleaning and remodeling it, replacing few old damaged wooden planks. And at last I made it ready.

So, the special day arrived. The New Year eve's arrived. I was all set to express her, my feelings. I was convinced that she would never deny me. As I believed it’s not only from my side, the fire of love was burning in both the sides. I didn’t want to keep it inside me anymore. I just wanted to take our relationship to the next level. I thought when we both have the same feeling for each other then it would be my foolishness if I would keep it hidden any longer.

But she didn’t come that day. I waited for her till the evening. But she didn’t come. Yes, she didn’t.

Even she didn’t come to the school the next day. The next day too. I went to her place. Her house was locked. It remained locked ever since then. Seeing me waiting infront of Rahila’s house every day, one day her cousin sister who lived close to her place came out and talked to me. What she said shocked me, brought tears to my eyes. I cried incessantly. I trembled in anger. But nothing was there left in my hands to do. I had already lost her. I had always thought that Rahila shared with me everything, even the smallest of the affairs that was occurring in her life. But I was wrong. She had kept one secret hidden from me. She was in love with someone and she had kept me aloof of that secret.

On the 31^st December, she had lied her parents to be with that guy. And that guy was a cheat who had no love for Rahila. He only wanted to play with her body. He took her to an abandoned place. Blind in love, she too followed him. There he tried to molest her. But fortunately she was rescued by few workers working there. To save themselves from the humiliation, her family ran off the place the same night.

Ever since then till now on every New Year day, I visit the same place where I had called her with a hope that someday she will come there and I can get back my love.”

The next day we went to the set of that particular TV show. A Mumbai friend of ours introduced us to a team member of the production house that runs the show. We talked to him. We talked to many other people. But no one had any clue about that particular girl in the audience.  Prabin even took leave from his job and looked for her at every possible place throughout the Mumbai. He didn’t miss the shooting of even a single episode for next two months, thinking that one day he would find her for sure. But that didn’t happen. After few months, he was transferred to Pune. Before leaving, he met the same team member of the show and gave him a picture of Rahila that he had shot from that episode, with his contact details written at the back and asked him to tell about him if she ever comes to the show in the future.  

Months passed by but he didn’t get any information about Rahila. I tried to convince him that she is not written in his destiny. But he was not ready to accept it. He was not ready to admit that he should move on by now. How clear the situation may be, one will never accept the fact that they have already lost the person they love. You give them plenty of reasons to forget and move on but the person in love will always come up with that single reason that will shut your mouth. A person in love always convinces himself that someday he will get back his love, how much impossible it may appear. Love has that strength; it gives that immense power to look beyond the impossible, to fight against and rewrite the destiny.

The year end arrived and there he was ready with his bags packed. This time I accompanied him too. Actually I was looking for a chance to visit at least once the place which people calls, “God’s own country” and there I got the opportunity.

The New Year day it was. He woke up early in the morning and wanted me to accompany him. My lazy body didn’t want to get up so early. My eyes were heavy too. With half opened eyes, I looked at him. He was ready. I saw hope sparkling in his eyes. It seemed as if he was sure of meeting her that day.  I knew he would return back again with broken heart. But I went with him.

We arrived there, shivering in cold. My thick woolen jacket had already surrendered to the chilled winds. The fog had made us partially blind. Prabin used a torch light to find the way through the rough terrain covered with the green growths. I just followed him like an obedient kid.

In the dense fog, only the fat trunk of that huge tree was visible to me and nothing above it. The lake appeared dark and frozen, as if I can walk on it. The grasses were constantly poking my legs. The chilling cold had made their tips tough and sharp. They were hurting me, as if I was the one responsible for that icy winter. Prabin directed the torch towards the tree, putting some light on the huge branch that carried the tree house. “Amit, this is it. This is that tree house”, he said.

“Wont you show it to the person you had built for?” someone spoke from a distance.

Listening to the voice he turned back in a fraction of second, as if it was a known voice to him, the voice he was waiting to hear from quite a long time. I tried hard to look through the dense fog. I was only able to figure out that someone was standing just few meters away.  I thought Prabin would switch on the torch to see the person. But he didn’t. As if he knew the person very well. And then I heard something that stunned me and froze me for a minute. I heard Prabin murmuring, “Rahila…” and “yes, Your Rahila is here for you”, I heard from the other end.

And then… then there was just both of them hugging each other and the silence. And they hugged till they surpassed the pain of separation for years, hugged till both of them shared the warmth of their hearts, till they healed the woes of the past, till their hearts expressed the love for each other, till the sun burnt stronger and brighter in the sky, till the sunrays penetrated the opaque leaves and melted the fog, till the lake water dazzled, till the dew drops on the green grasses sparkled, till the birds chirped and they hugged each other till they realized it’s no dream but truth. Yes they hugged each other till they believed that they have found each other and no power on this earth can ever separate them. 

Rahila had met the crew manager of that show. He had lost Prabin’s contact but told her about him. And Rahila knew where and when she can find her love.

That day I realized the superpower of love and the New Year day. Yes, the New Year day is special. If you are in love and you are looking for a special day to express your feelings, then the New Year day is that special day. You won’t find any day as special as the New Year day. This day is fresh, full of happiness and filled with lots of hope. The New Year day has a magical power to heal all the wounds of the last year. It has the immense power to make you get over all the failures you have faced the last year and to make you strong enough to fight your battle again with a new zeal. The New Year day patches relations, spreads love and happiness. So, if you had a fight with your friend the last year, go and hug that person tight on this day, you will find that person melting in your arms. Go and express your love to your parents, siblings and yes if you are in love with someone, go and tell that person on this New Year day.

Spread love and happiness with everyone you meet on this New Year day and you will be doing the same throughout the year…

 

 

  

YET ANOTHER STORY OF LOVE...

Sea was rough. As per the latest weather report it was going to last for few more days till the cyclone subsides. The Gigantic waves and the increasing wind velocity were combinedly making our ship restless. She was rolling severely and so was I on my bed that night. It was late already. I had duty from early morning. It was not seasickness. We seafarers are all well accustomed to these storms and the movement of the ship in bad weather. Actually I didn’t know what it was. I decided to move to the lounge to finish my incomplete movie. Strangely I met my second engineer there, sitting alone. It was like he was searching for someone. He wanted to pour his heart out. And there he found me... 

It was last year’s Valentine’s Day. I was out to meet a friend at a mall…

“Don’t give this wicked smile, Amit. I was waiting for an old friend of mine who happen to be a boy”.

“Sir, I expected a girl”, I smirked

“There is no girl in my life”

“There was no girl in fact….no girl after her….”

His voice broke. I could see the bulge in his throat. He cleared the same, took out a cigarette from the packet and lit it. In the flame of the lighter I could see his moistened eyes. A thin layer of the tear had wrapped up his eye balls that glistened in the light of the flame. I saw two tiny drops of tear escaping from his eyes, passing over his dried cheeks and landing on his strong hands. He took a long drag from the cigarette, almost till his lungs denied to inflate more and puffed out the smoke into the semi darkened room in the other second. I could only see the smoke whiling like a mini tornado and getting absorbed into the blower in the feeble light of the room.  He continued…

My friend was taking time. I was getting bored and so I started boozing in the bar of the mall. I had few jiggers of whiskey by then when I turned back to look for the waiter.

“I saw her”.

“Yes, I saw Tanisha.”

I saw that spark in his eyes when he took that name, “Tanisha”. I didn’t interrupt him. He went on…

Amit you know, it was almost after 20 years that I saw her in person. I had spent those years seeing her growing up in those profile pictures of her. She was looking gorgeous as always. She was the most beautiful girl of my school then; she is still the most beautiful lady I have ever seen. She was holding her daughter. She looked exactly like her mother; divine. The dark dress that she was wearing was complimenting her well. She has not changed a lot. Those timid twinkling eyes, that glowing face, those free flowing dark hairs that she never clutches reminded me of the past. 

“Sir I am excited. Please tell me your story”, I asked.

In school we came close several times but the real story between us never took place. Those were all my mistakes. I was not convinced that it was her and not anyone else. It all started after we passed our tenth board exam. I shifted to another school while she continued in the same. I proposed her. She didn’t answer. I proposed her again. Again and again… She knew that I was a flirt. She had questions in her mind but she believed me this time. She doubted that I may cheat her someday but her trust on my love overshadowed the same. She took a risk, risk of falling in love with me. I too was determined to give her back the love she deserved. I didn’t want to mess up anything like before. I gave her the strength to believe me. I gave her the promise that she can rely on. I gave her the love she always craved for and moreover the faith on which she can stand against all odds.

I still remember the first time we met outside. She was accompanied by her best friend but her friend gave us the needed space. We went on for a walk. I didn’t know what to say. I was talking this and that. Our hands were colliding with each other while walking when suddenly she slipped her fingers into mine and in the other second we were holding each other’s hand tightly. I experienced a spark, a chilling sensation in my spines. My legs stopped, denied to take another step. I looked into her eyes. Still holding her hands, I embraced her tender fingers and said, “My love thanks for believing me. I will never ever leave your hand.”

But I failed…I failed to keep that promise…

Once she was suffering from chickenpox and I went to her place to see her. She had asked me to sit about two and half feet away from her fearing the contagiousness of that disease. She was all red. Reddish swellings had popped off all around her face. They looked more prominent because of her fair complexion. She appeared dull in the pain of the disease. She was worried of the marks that the disease will leave behind. I missed her smile. I missed the shine in her eyes that bedazzled always. She was repeating the same thing that the chickenpox would leave her back ugly forever. I just couldn’t stop myself and stepped ahead and hugged her. I just wanted to convey her that she shouldn’t worry about that, everything would be fine and I would always stay with her. She reciprocated the hug too but pushed me away the moment she realized the aftereffect of the hug.

The next day I found two painful red marks on my right shoulder. The moment I told about the same to her over the phone, I was summoned to appear in front of her. She was crying, crying like a child and was apologizing me for giving me that disease.  She took out all her tablets and popped them one after the other into my mouth. She then brought some ointments and applied the same on those reddish swellings on my shoulder.

She has always been very affectionate. I just can’t ever forget that care and warmth of her.

Since we were in different schools, we decided to visit the same tutors and thus the physics tuition became our meeting ground. I remember, she used to lie her class timing to her father so that we can get maximum time to spend together before he arrives there to pick her up. 

I have always known him as a rude man who keeps on working all the day. Even if he is off duty one can never find him sitting idle. Either he will be reading something or else polishing any metal piece with sand paper. That day for the first time I saw his eyes glistening. It seemed like an ember, a fragment smoldering in the fire that was burning inside him. I saw a smile in his face that I had never seen before. It was the smile that comes of its own when one talks of his love and the moments spent together. I could see his eyes narrowing down as his lips widened with the smile. He carried on….

Amit, you know, she was a sports freak and a huge fan of WWF. Every night we talked, she would force me to listen to the stories of the recent fights. She was a strong girl then. She must be a strong lady now. I remember once few guys surrounded us while we were talking outside our school. I got frightened but she bravely showed them the way out of the place.

She used to write poems. She often used to recite them to me. I never understood them completely. But I always appreciated her in the end.  I just loved to hear her reciting those poems to me; I just loved that happiness that she used to get when I used to appreciate her poems.

 I miss her poems now, I miss her now…

His face suddenly turned gloomy. He bent down to reach for his packet of cigarettes, took one out and lit it. He smoked for a while without saying anything. I didn’t disturb him either…

One late night I received a call from an unknown girl. According to her she had seen me with her friend once and had started liking me from then. I didn’t believe her. I knew she was lying but I continued to talk to her. I was incarcerated by that momentary pleasure, that temptation. I didn’t realize then that I was going to cheat Tanisha by doing so. I thought just talking over phone to some stranger girl would not label me as a cheater. Moreover, I thought no one could ever discover that secret affair of mine over the phone. Believe me, I had felt guilty numerous times but every time I had convinced myself by telling that I was only talking on phone and nothing more than that.

Within few days she disclosed the entire story behind the veil. I was taken aback to discover that she was Tanisha’s cousin sister, Aroshi. She was checking my loyalty in which I had failed badly. I was dumbstruck and terrified. But astonishingly, she continued to talk to me without unveiling the result of the loyalty test to Tanisha.

Slowly we came close and became good friends. Soon she started sharing the secrets of Tanisha with me. From her I came to know that Tanisha was not that sure about me. She still craved for her school time crush, our senior, Sankalp. Aroshi disclosed how Tanisha always complained about me to be not the right guy for her and how I had failed to treat her the way she deserved.

I believed Aroshi blindly. And then gradually I drifted away from Tanisha.

Those disclosers by Aroshi kept on reverberating in my ears for days. My mind got snowed under numerous bizarre thoughts. I realized that Tanisha was not happy with me. I started comparing myself with Sankalp where I found myself getting defeated in huge margins in all aspects. I assumed myself to be not the right guy for her. Neither I was handsome enough to deserve a girlfriend like Tanisha nor had I ever treated her the way she deserved. I had never taken her out. I had never presented her any gift. I had never treated her at a lavishing restaurant. Suddenly I realized I had not done anything for her. A stint of inferiority complex grabbed me. I started considering myself meager.  

In the meantime, Aroshi had come closer to me more than before. She had already started liking me. I knew that and I had not done anything to stop her. It was not her mistake completely. I was a part of it. I was the one who had started it. I was the one who could have stopped the same earlier. One day I decided to confess everything in front of Tanisha to put a full stop to this fuss. I knew the consequence. But still I wanted to tell her. I wanted to confront everything. I did. It was the last time I talked to her.  

He turned silent for a while. “Is this way it ended?” I asked.  “No”, he continued again.

One evening a stout guy landed up in front of my house. He was accompanied by few more guys who appeared just like him. He enquired my name. His voice was the proof of his arrogance. The way he parked his bike and walked towards me showed how proud, haughty, adamant he was. He looked exactly like what we call, “imperious spoiled rich kid”. As soon as I confirmed him my name, he started thrashing me badly. His friends accompanied him. They slapped, kicked and punched me severely. I collapsed on the spot with both my hands covering my head, Pressed to the edge of the gate. Then that stout guy who appeared to be their leader jumped over me. While his shoes were kneading my fingers, he was raining punches on my back. Listening me screaming and the growl of those guys, my mother rushed out of the house. By then my father had also arrived. He tried to save me. My mother was begging infront of them. All my neighbors slowly gathered.  Seeing the crowd they decided to flee. Before leaving, the plump guy shouted, “stay in your limits or else I will kill your entire family”.

I remained clueless till the day I received a call from the same guy. He said me the entire story. He was actually Aroshi’s boyfriend. He narrated me the story framed by him to recite in front of Aroshi so that he can prove her to be a cheat and leave her for the same. I denied. I denied strongly though my face was still swollen of his punches and my arms had blood clots of his kicks.  He played his next card that he would attack my family the same way he had done to me that day. I agreed. I did whatever he wanted me to do.

You did? What happened then? What happened to that Aroshi? Did Tanisha come to know about this? Did she come to stand for you at that time?  

I don’t know what happened to Aroshi after that. I don’t know if they broke up or continued. I don’t know if either Tanisha or Aroshi ever came to know about this. I went away from everyone… Everything…

What do you mean by you went away, Sir? 

Amit, I belonged to a low middle class family where my father worked hard to fulfill our basic needs. My family had never witnessed anything like that ever before. My mother was so horrified that for days she didn’t leave me out of our house. Even she left going out herself. My neighbors started looking at my parents as the parents of a criminal. I had brought disgrace to my family. Slowly my relatives came to know about this and my cousins were asked not to talk to me.

My parents had faith that I would do well in life but that incident changed everything. My life turned upside down in a single day. Till then I was a culprit in the eyes of Tanisha only. Now I was for everyone. Slowly I started hating myself. And when you start hating yourself, you start failing in everything you try.

My parents assumed that I was still into the same issues and so they wanted me to go away from that place. They were convinced that I would spoil my life and bring more trouble to my family if I would stay there. One day my father came home and asked me to join merchant Navy. I had no idea of it. I had never heard of it before. I had other dreams. I wanted to fulfill them. I denied but my father turned deaf ear. I tried to convince my mother. But she didn’t raise her voice against my father. All she wanted was me to stay well even though that would cost her to get separated from me.

And look at me…I am here… sailing and sailing

“Sir, did you never try to talk to Tanisha after that?”

No, I never tried. I knew Tanisha well. She would have never talked to me. I knew her well (He laughed)

Moreover, I had cheated her. I didn’t deserve another chance.

Yes, I used to hear about her from my friends. You know Amit, she used to abuse if anyone would even utter my name. She hated me so much.

“Sir, do you think it happened all because of you?”

Yes, it was my mistake. I shouldn’t have talked to a stranger girl. I should have controlled my temptation. I shouldn’t have believed Aroshi. I should have complete faith on myself and my love. The spark of inferiority complex was residing there inside me that only got exasperated after talking to Aroshi. I was insecure. I was afraid that someday she might leave me because of my inefficiency to make her happy. For me then her happiness meant only the materialistic pleasures that I had failed to give her because of my not so good financial condition at home.   

I still remember once I had failed to attain her brother’s birthday party because I had felt that I might not fit into their gathering as I had nothing good to wear and moreover I had failed to save some amount to buy her brother a present. So, the feeling of being meager in front of Tanisha was already born inside me long back. It just got nourished under Aroshi. One believes what he wants to, what is there already inside his mind. Inferiority complex was already there that just grew up like beast and surpassed my love.

“Sir, can I ask you something?”

“Is this the reason why you didn’t marry yet?”

I loved her then. I love her now. I will love her till eternity. Though at that tender age I had committed few mistakes that snatched her away from my life, I still love her, the same. I know she hates me. I know she is someone else’s now. I know someday even I will breathe my last and she still will have no hint of me and of my love. I know. I know everything. But these reasons can never stop me from loving her.

There can be no reason in the world that can stop you from loving someone. If there is; then you are not in love.

I have spent sleepless nights. The only thing that reverberated in my ears was her calling me a cheater. I can spend my entire life being a cheater in her eyes but not a cheater in mine. I cannot cheat the love for her residing in my heart by marrying someone else.

Moreover, love is all about staying happy. One cannot say that she/he is in love with someone if she/he is not happy with that person. And you know something Amit, I am happy. I am happy to spend my entire life loving her. I am happy to see her happy in someone else’s arm. I am happy to spend my life in her thoughts. I am happy to check her Facebook profile several times a day, happy to see her posts and pictures uploaded. I am happy to download all her pictures and see them when I miss her the most. I am happy when I want to like her posts and pictures but resist myself from doing so. I am happy to celebrate her birthday; hers is close to mine (he laughed). I am happy when I read any book that reminds me of her poems. I am happy. I am happy that I love someone so much.

I want to live in her memories. Those memories are perfectly encapsulated morsel of a good past with tinge of sad moments. Her memories are like a brush stroke of color on the gray canvas of my life, a barren canvas.

“You should have told her once… Atleast she should have known the truth”, I said.

Why don’t you write a story on this Amit?

(He laughed)

But still she won’t believe. I know her.

(He stood up and got prepared to leave)

“Unke jane ke baad,

dil ka alam kuch aisa hai,

samandar ki tarah sham dhale,

isme halchal kuch jyada hi rehta hai…”

Unke jane ke baad,

Dil ka alam kuch aisa hai,

Bas charo taraf hai namkeen si lehren,

Aur ankhon ke kinare namkeen se pani ke kuch bunden…”

Unke jane ke baad,

Dil ka alam kuch aisa hai,

 Iss gehre samadar ko dekhke

Paraya nahin, apna sa lagne laga hai,

Mere ansooyon ke sekdon katre

Kabhi gire honge iske gaud main,

Ab to iss ke kuch lehron pe

Mera bhi hak banta hai…..”

Goodnight Amit. Thanks for listening me.

 

 

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE PM OF INDIA AGAINST THE CASTE BASED RESERVATION SYSTEM

To,

The Prime Minister,

India

The higher secondary exam of various boards throughout the country is over. The Students are done with almost all the entrance exams by now. They are going to take the next big step on which their future will be entirely dependent on. But I am pretty sure; plenty of them will start this most important journey of their life with despair, dejection and with wrath in their heart for the system.

 Why??? Ok, that’s why I am writing you this letter.

How do you expect the candidates to feel when they will be denied to take the subject of their choice? How do you expect them to feel when they will be denied to get admission in the college they have always dreamed about despite of getting the eligible score for it? 

If it’s their fault, they will accept it. But if it is because some seats are already reserved and someone who have scored comparatively less is placed in the front of the row by the Government just because that someone belongs to some particular caste, don’t you think it’s enough to fill them in anguish, despondency and frustration?

You know what; mediocrity is a sin in India.  In India, either be a Topper or have a quota or live your entire life cursing the system.

Toppers mostly carve out their place, though they too are affected by this reservation system. But the persons who get affected the most are the “average students”.  Either they have to compromise with the college or entirely with the stream they have always wanted to be in.  When their parents refuses to pay high for the private colleges or to get them their favorite branch, all that they do is that they curse this system and their fate for being born in the so called higher caste.

You won’t understand how it feels when your place is taken by some undeserving candidate. I know, I am no one to call anyone undeserving but it is the same rank list which displays my rank displays some of their ranks too, way below mine. It is only the reservation which drives the reserved candidates in the rocket speed and launches them at the top where they grab the place that I deserve the most.  It’s on you to judge now. If the general candidates are denied of a particular seat to someone and if they are declared undeserved for a particular seat even after scoring comparatively higher, don’t you feel there is something wrong in this system, something an average countryman/woman to be angry about?

Is it their caste?  Isn’t it that all are equal under law? Isn’t that the constitution of India is not a caste constitution? Anyways, if it is all about the caste, then I am not at all responsible for the formation of it.  It’s like punishing someone for the crime that his grandfather had committed. Here, even my grandfather too was a victim of this caste based reservation system. Yes, I completely understand that this caste based reservation was implemented for the upliftment of some downtrodden castes in India.  But now don’t you feel that the caste based reservation is working more for the upliftment of the already uplifted ones?  You want to provide an equal ground for all…great, go for it but mind you, not by killing my rights.

The caste based reservation has become a privilege now. It’s like the Krish power which is getting transferred from the grandfather to the father and then to the son.  It’s no more a tool to bring equality; it has become a weapon of benefit for certain group of people.

A person who is an officer in some government department, who had inherited the caste card from his father, who too had held a good position, empowers his off springs with the same. Now his sons/daughters who already have access to good education, good environment and have good financial status will enjoy the caste based reservation, not even once but as many times as they want to and this benefit will get passed to the generation following them. When the reservation system has already uplifted them, then why does the Government need to empower them again with the right to reservation?  Isn’t it a privilege that the Government is providing wrongly?

If we will look into the other side and see the story of millions of general candidates then we will find that it is gruesome.  The caste based reservation system have always discriminated them and provided them with an unequal battle ground.  This system has killed the dreams of millions.  This system has kicked away many deserving and capable candidates while giving place to the undeserving candidates carrying the reserved caste card.  This is one of the reasons why the premiere Government institutions in India are losing their luster and name in the international level.  I strongly feel that If India has lost its pace for the development it is partly due to this reservation system which has discarded capable persons from taking positions and have placed comparatively less capable persons with reservation in their place.

If providing equal ground to all is the prime aim of reservation, I don’t understand why it is needed to be carried on even after a candidate completes her/his graduation and seeks for job or higher studies. The reservation system has already provided them the equal ground. The reserved candidates got the opportunity to study and flourish in the same institutions where the general candidates study. Now, both of them obtained almost all the resources by the government in equal. Then why do they will be entitled again with the reservation when it comes to higher studies and jobs?

In the name to create equality, the system is spreading inequality and discrimination among millions of youth in India.

I won’t go into the statistics. You have better access to them. As per the law the reservation can be given up to 50%. That means 50% of anything only remains for the general candidates. Kindly go through the statistics which will clearly depict you the huge population of the general candidates. Don’t you feel that it is unfair and unjust on the general candidates for creating a tough and unequal ground of competition for them?  Reservation gives leeway of 10%- 40% reduction in various parameters in India. It’s not an equality of opportunity but it’s an unfair playing ground.   

Even after so many years of implementation of caste based reservation, did the system succeed to reach the root level? No the government has failed badly. Still now there are tribal areas that are yet to see the light. They are devoid of even the basic necessities of life. I wonder if they have ever even heard of reservation. This caste based reservation is benefiting only the creamy layer of certain castes and it has failed badly to reach the impervious areas that need upliftment in the true sense.

Does government have no machinery to find out the percentage of truly disadvantaged people of the reserved category? Does Government have no way to find out the percentage of people of reserved category who have already been benefited and have come up in their life? What is the point of benefiting the already benefited ones?  Here a general category poor candidate who needs a job is discriminated and his place is given to someone less deserving while on the other hand the government is busy providing privilege to the candidates belonging to an affluent family just because they have a reserved caste card.  What is the point of providing scholarship to a candidate just because she/he belongs to the reserved category despite of the fact that her/his parents have already enjoyed the benefits and now hold a prestigious position. I think that poor general candidate needs assistance more and there are millions like him.

Why reservation? Why not resources? Is the Government afraid that the resources will not reach the needy? The resources will get lost in the way and instead of helping in the upliftment of the downtrodden it will fill the pockets of the channels it will pass through, isn’t the Government afraid of this? So, the best way is to continue with the Caste based reservation, the easiest and the cheapest way, right?

Sir, Can’t your Government build up strong, honest and strict machinery that will ensure that all the aids and the resources by the Government reach the needy that will bring development in the true sense?

Don’t you feel the reservation system is putting a question mark on the credentials of many deserving candidates belonging to the reserved category? Their achievements will be always weighed by their caste not by their talent.   

The castes are anti-national. Caste based policies are divisive, anti-secular and anti-progressive. Caste cannot be a class to define the “backwardness”.  An individual is underprivileged, not the class. The most important reform that is required in the present situation is a departure from the “group centric” affirmative action to the “individual centric” benefits. At present benefits are being extended to a class    (described as caste) which has resulted in formation of unholy caste based lobbies. 

The time has arrived when we need to uproot the caste based reservation from our country and provide benefits to the financially downtrodden individuals irrespective of their caste. Caste conscious measures can never eliminate caste consciousness from our society.

Sir, the whole youth of this country had roared for you in the last Lok sabha election.  We had a faith that you will provide us a progressive egalitarian society. We still nurture this faith within us. We want India to be free from the caste based reservation system. Sir, don’t let the fire of anger, inequality, broken dreams and failed attempts of millions to engulf the peace of this nation. Don’t let millions of youth to come on to the road in the demand for banning this reservation system. Time has arrived that your Government should think, talk and act quickly on this topic.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully

AN INDIAN

IT ALL STARTED WITH THIS RAIN.....

There was a time when my evenings were restricted under the shade of my umbrella near river banks. Solitary evenings turned to an addiction for me. Every day I noticed a forlorn man, may be stepped into his late fifties, smoking a pipe. One day I went and started talking to him. Within no time he understood the pain behind my crestfallen face and my mournful voice, which I tried a lot to hide. Our relationship complemented each other and we started getting closer. One day he inquired the reason behind my lonely evenings. I looked at him, smiled and told him, “man this is my story…”
It was because of that incessant rain that I took shade under my neighbor’s thatched roof, waiting for the rain to stop. So after making sure that no-one is watching, I slid my hand through the window and snatched a big sheet of paper and ran home covering my head. The moment I reached my house, I saw a girl coming running behind me, yelling. “That was my drawing sheet”. Confused, I turned the paper and realized that she was right. The green color that she had used for the mountains was spread throughout. Now even the rivers were carrying green water and houses had turned green.  “Sorry, I saw the wrong side of the paper. I thought it was blank.” She was busy wiping the color from the drawing sheet. “But it’s your mistake that you applied too much of green color”, I said and ran into my house. Though she complained against me to my father for which I was severely beaten, slowly we came close and became good friends. She was studying in class five at that time and I was in class three. Age difference was not a valid factor to over shine our relation.


I carried her pot whenever she used to go to the tube well to fetch water. We both even ran together through paddy field dividers to get her father his lunch. We used to play for hours in the muddy roads and by throwing cow dung cakes on each other. As kids, we were devoid of restrictions. But when time raced away, everything changed. There were so many meanings for boy-girl relations in society which we couldn't understand at that small age, but our parents did. Our meetings shrank considerably. In this period my mind started automating a strange feeling for her. I was feeling a pang in my heart and my eyes always searched for Rini every time. I had no idea of what was happening to me, before I started realizing that I am in love. One evening, gaining all energy, I proposed her behind Ganesh temple. She stood dumbstruck. It took her quite a while to recover from the shock. Soon as she recovered, she vanished. I didn't see her for a week. I was afraid that she might complain to my father this time also. Few days later she came to my house. I was sitting inside my room and she was talking to my mother. When my mother went outside giving her a bowl of sweets, she came to me and asked to have one. I refused first, but later I took one from her bowl. But to my surprise she asked me to have just a bite and let her have the rest. I asked her to get a fresh one. But she snatched that sweet from me and had the same. I was not able to understand why she was acting loony. I was about to scold her. But she placed her palm over my lips and whispered in a naughty tone “dumbo! I love you too”. It was raining heavily that day too, reminding me of our first encounter. But this time dark clouds appeared pink to me and they were raining love incessantly. This was how our love story blossomed... 

29th September, 1999 was the day of massacre when the super cyclone hit the coastal Odisha .The cyclone dumped heavy torrential rain causing record breaking flooding in the low-lying areas. The storm surge was 26 feet, about 8 meters which struck the coastal planes, traveling up to 20 kilometer inland. Everyone was petrified by the devastating wind. Residents of thatched roof houses were shifted to rescue centers and Rini’s family took shelter in our house. By the same night, our village was entirely submerged in flood. Wind remained playing the havoc which created mayhem in the entire village for the whole night. The next day after noon when the wind preceded a little Rini’s father went in search of his cattle. But an unexpected wind slam hit again which was tame less enough to shower mass destruction. When he didn't return for more than two hours, everyone went absolutely mad in fear of the unexpected. It was bedlam. I and my father went in search of him. The sight we saw on the way was nerve wrecking. Human dead bodies and cattle carcasses were flowing together in the flood water. Women and children were screaming in pain at the loss and not a single house was visible to a distance that my eyes could see. In the mean time I spotted a person under the debris who was wearing the same color dhoti that her father was wearing that day. My hands trembled to lift the person and identify him. My heart froze for a moment, unusual chillness griped my body and my senses stopped working for a minute when I saw his face, which was more than half smashed being snapped under a tree. My choked throat cried out in pain when I realized that the dead body was none other than Sahoo uncle’s, Rini’s father.

Six months passed after that calamity. Life in the village was becoming normal but everything was shattered in her life and so was in mine too. Rini’s family which was entirely dependent on farming and their prime source of income was completely destroyed. Moreover her father’s death had left them jolted and in severe grief. Slowly when the money sanctioned by the relief fund of the government no longer helped to meet increasing expenditures, they came into the clutch of shear poverty and hunger. But I consoled her every time in every possible way. I supported her mentally to overcome her inevitable loss, gave her courage to fight against all odds. I promised her that, soon I will get a job and marry her so that all her problems will be solved but I had forgotten that I was giving her a false assurance, since our village will never allow me to marry her as I was two years younger to her. Even I used to steal money from my father’s wallet to help her. We used to spend a lot of time together, meeting at the river bank every evening because my presence always soothed her. She believed that the safest place to weep was between my arms. She was always concerned about her helplessness in consoling her mother who hasn't recovered yet from the scene of her husband’s corpse and a sister who almost quit smile and hopes. The only strength that drove her forward between these debacles was just my love, which she too reciprocated evenly.

But soon people started pointing us. Our pious relationship became a matter of discussion for the villagers. People accused her of frolicking with a younger boy in the aftermath of a family grief and they accused me of bringing shame to my family’s ancestral name by romancing an older girl. Boys, who had nothing to do except sitting in shops, whiling away time and passing lewd comments called out her, “ if you can give the kid a chance, why don’t you give us a chance too”. People started to boycott her family but I was spared. Why? I was left off because I came from a respected family and was lucky enough to be born as a male in this patriarchal society of ours. Gradually it became difficult for her to go out, even to the tube well to fetch water or to the temple to worship. There were hot debates on our relationship, throwing dirty tantrums about her character.

One day her uncle arrived in our village and took her family to Bhubaneswar, capital city of Odisha where he worked. Her sudden departure distressed me but before leaving she hugged me and said, “come quickly, I will be waiting for you”. Every Saturday she used to call me, borrowing her friend’s phone. I too used to wait for hours starring at our phone in the evening time every Saturday. I was so impatient that I hardly allowed our phone to complete one ring. The way she used to call my name in her sweet voice, the way she used to express her love for me in a special lilt, the way she used to scold me whenever I had done anything wrong, always made me feel that she was not far away from me, rather she was sitting beside me. Gradually, Saturday became the reason for my survival which had reduced the distance between us from miles to inches. But then came one Saturday which I didn't receive her call. I waited near the phone whole night, but in vain. One...Two...Three...Six...Ten... Saturdays passed by without her call. I was baffled at the sudden absence of her phone calls. I was fretful, agitated from within and upset at same time. I was vexed and kept on wandering the reason behind it.

After few months when I was still waiting, I received a call from her. I had hundreds of questions to ask her, my exasperated mind was commanding my vocal cords to scold her for making me wait for so long, for making me suffer in such a deplorable condition for the past two months but my heart didn't listen to them, it was busy building the castle of love again. But when she opened her mouth I was left dumbfounded. She asked me for a break up. When I dolefully asked her the reason she replied that since her uncle is running her family, paying for almost everything starting from the food they eat to the clothes they wear and even for her college fees, she can’t demand him to make her marry me. She also told that our village will not allow me to marry a girl who was two years elder than me and she was not strong enough to stand against the odds and fight against such an absurd valueless social rule. Her words appalled me and I was outraged. I shouted at her. Accused and abused her like anything. She was sobbing at the other end, apologizing for everything. But I was not in a condition to listen and hung up the phone. Few days later she called me again. She wept a lot, asking me to remain as her friend for lifetime. She always needed me by her side. My anger and ego never allowed me to understand her and again I ended up scolding her. For few months she kept on calling and requested me to talk to her but I never listened to her. Though I still loved her, her decision hurt me a lot. So I never tried to understand her problem, the traumatic condition through which she must have been through to take such a decision. Slowly she too stopped calling me.

After completing my graduation, I joined a builder as his supervisor at Bhubaneswar. I toiled day and night and became my boss’s favorite. Slowly he started offering me with more work and more sites to handle. Within a span of two years I had my own flat, a bike and a respectable bank balance. I was contended with my life. Though I knew that Rini too stays in that city, I never tried to contact her. Even I had stopped visiting my village which always reminded me of her love and betrayal, which I had considered it to be. In my busy life and tight working schedule’ her thoughts hardly annoyed me. But her letter woke me up one morning. She wanted me to meet her and she insisted it to be very important thing, so I shouldn't be late. Again the butterflies of love started dancing all over my body. The memories which I had buried few years ago bloomed again in my mind. Within a stroke of a minute I saw every beautiful moment with her in a flash back. The sleeping volcano of my feelings erupted again. On my way to her house, to the address she had given me in her letter, I bought a wedding ring as I was sure that she will ask me to marry her. I was making myself strong, preparing my afraid heart for a battle against my family and against the damn rule of the society that a groom should always be elder than his bride. She rushed to me the moment she saw me arriving. Her wet eyes were telling how badly she missed me. I too wanted to hug her and let her know how much I love her. After talking for a while I inquired for the reason behind this unexpected meeting optimistically though I knew the reason and was playing with the ring inside my pocket, getting ready to fit it to her tender finger. “My marriage is fixed with son of my uncle’s boss.” she said sadly. “I was helpless. I can’t stand against my uncle’s will” and she wanted me to attend her marriage. She wanted me to be there with her in such an important stage of her life. It felt like I had been struck by a bolt from the blue. White rage filled me. The anger was so intense that I couldn't speak or maybe it was the numbing pain in my heart that left me speechless. She was sobbing but I stood up gritting my teeth and left the place kicking the chair, turning a deaf ear to Rini’s pleas to stay.

She got married. I got the news but I never talked to her again though she tried a lot. I felt dejected and started living an isolated melancholic life. I wept and wailed in my loneliness. I became inactive in everything. Slowly I started committing careless mistakes in my job and as a result one day I was fired when I incurred a big loss to my boss. Within few months my bank account was zilch and I had to sell my bike and my house to pay back the loans. Ultimately I left the city and went back to my village. Back to where I belong….. 

“This was my story, an unsuccessful love story”, few drops of tear rolled down my eyes. He took a long puff from his pipe, remained silent for a moment and then said that I had done a wrong thing by leaving her alone, when she needed me to be with her as her friend. He said that when I was loving her , I was happy with my life and I was prospering in my job and the day I started hating her , I became sad with my life and thus my collapse started. He tried to make me understand that every teenager thinks that love means to achieve but the biggest meaning of love is in understanding and in sacrifice. He said that Rini too loved me a lot but it was impossible for her to cross the line that this society had drawn. These things happen in movies and novels, but in real life and in a village like this, it was impossible for a girl to fight for her love especially for one who was younger than her. He said that once he too had done such a mistake by misunderstanding his lover who got married. Neither she lived happily there with her husband nor could he. One day she committed suicide and he is roaming like mad, smoking weeds since then…

I realized that I had committed a terrible mistake. True love is not just about living together. Sometimes it demands sacrifice for the happiness of the person whom you love truly. The worst part is that most of the times you have to sacrifice your love just to prove the depth of your love. I didn't want Rini to live her entire life in guilt. So the next day I visited her and met with her family. She was extremely glad to see me and we spent a blissful afternoon together. After I left her home, I felt extremely relieved, in high spirit.

Now I am not only a successful businessman who built up a sound career, but also a human-being who have learnt to live with someone’s love in my heart rather than hatred for her in my mind.

“Not every love stories are meant to end in each other’s arm, some are made to see how happily you can live by seeing your love secured in someone else’s arm.”

yes it is raining again... rain makes life beautiful. Don't complain if it makes your window pan hazy. It is just trying to wash away the dirt that have accumulated over the time. Its your duty to just wipe out the moisture outside. You will see everything clearer than before. Life is no different. All we need is a heavy rain to clear us of all the dirt, the evil thoughts, the regrets that have been clinging to us from quite a long and start everything afresh.

 If this rain, brings you back memories of some good past moments with your special ones and who are no more in your life, no need to be sad. Cherish those memories in this rain, cherish those memories happily. 

"AN OPEN LETTER BY AN ODIA TO REST OF THE INDIA"

 How many times have we (Odias) found out a strange blank look and adding to it the lifted brows, the moment we have replied to their question, “Where are you from?”

“Am from Odisha“

You may be answering this to your co-passenger in a journey or to the new other state friends you have made just now after joining this new university or to your colleagues, even to your most qualified boss… let me make it precise by putting it down this way, like whenever you have been asked by any non-Odia or someone who have never been to Odisha.   

“ODISHA?????”

A big question mark pops up on their head. Eye balls make a complete rotation and then they close their eyes forcefully giving an impression that the person is thinking something very seriously.  I mean she/he is trying to recall something.  After some time with a concerted face they start to murmur, “udishaaa…right?”  “By the way where it is??” “Have not heard of it much”

“It’s one of the 29 states of the Republic of India. …”

“You don’t know that??? Huh!!!”

That certainly shows your ignorance.

In the schools we have been taught the states and their capitals. How can you forget the name of a state?  You have not heard of my state doesn’t mean that it do not exist, it simply means you are ignorant or you haven’t done your schooling properly. Am sorry if am rude but seriously you need to hear this. Next time before laughing at jokes on Alia Bhatt just remind yourself that you at least know the names of all the states of India.

When you have said me that you are from Gorakhpur, Gwalior, Nagpur, Shimla, Cochin and what not places, I have always understood and acknowledged. Then why can’t you?

“Odisha is the poorest state of India, right (Mockingly)?”  the next question in the row.

“Let me make it very clear that Odisha is not the poorest state of India but at the same time I won’t deny that Odisha is one of the poor states of India.” 

“Yes, our state is poor. So what?” 

“Did we beg in front of you?”

“Did my state ever asked for some fund to your rich state?”

Odisha is speedily growing economic wise as it has a large amount of growth rates in gross state domestic products as shown in the reports by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Odisha's GDP has grown by a stunning 8.74% way beyond the definition of 7% growth. It should be noted that the all-India growth during this period was 8.49%.

As, you say about Odisha, world speaks the same about India, “You are poor”. Odisha is also a part of India. Let me ask you what step have you taken till now to eradicate poverty from India?

“You have not, right??” Then please don’t talk like some leading economist about the poverty prevailing in my state.

“Odisha is the least developed state, I mean have never heard of it”

“How did you come to know that Odisha is least developed?”

“What is the basis of your statement?” “I mean on what scale did you measure the development and you considered Odisha as the least developed one?”

“Come on; don’t make any assumption on the basis of your ignorance. You don’t know about the state, you have never been to this place or you have never been an enthusiast to know about Odisha, doesn’t make it least developed or least known place.

Just that we haven’t produced much international cricketers and Bollywood film stars don’t make us least known. Just that there was no big crime in the past few years which would have appeared in the national television or just that there was no huge political cry in our state which would have been discussed or debated at national level do not make us least known.”

In this period, Odisha is the fourth fastest growing state of India. It has always attracted international investors in Steel and Power sector. Recently it has become the favorite of IT sector too and it soon going to become the next IT hub of India.

In the year 2009 Odisha was the second top domestic investment destination with Gujarat first and Andhra Pradesh in third place according to an analysis of ASSCHAM Investments meter study on corporate investments.  

Huge infrastructural developments have taken place and many are in progress. I cant mention them all here. (If you are really interested, Kindly Google it out)

And when you talk of it as least known, I feel piety on you. All the tourist spots, historical places and temples of Odisha attract millions of tourists from around the globe every year. Come and check Jagannath temple at Puri or Sun temple at Konark. Come in the time of RathYatra, you will find yourself lost. Come now, “Nabakalebara” is going to take place and I am sure you will be startled to see the extravagance and the foreigners flooding our state. I have just mentioned two places; a long list is still left to be mentioned.

Our dance form, Odissi is world famous. Haven’t you heard of it? Our odissi dancers have brought our country laurels by performing throughout the world. Come and see how many foreigners come to Odisha just to learn this dance form.

“It’s the state of Naxalites, right?” 

“State of naxalites?”  “What do you mean by that?”

Our state is being run by Government as any other state of India is being governed, not by Naxalites. And you speak as if we have Naxalites under each roof, as if each mother gives birth to atleast one Naxalite, as if they roam freely with grenades in their hands on our streets. I know Naxalism is a threatening issue which is not confined only to my state. Naxalites exists in many other states in the inaccessible areas. Both the Government of India and the Affected State Governments are taking necessary steps to eradicate this problem.

Your state is a tribal state, right?

What do you mean by a tribal state? If you mean that tribes still exist in Odisha, then I shall say yes. If you mean that they share a fraction of our population, then I shall say yes.  And we are proud of it.

Our government is taking necessary steps in preserving their culture and at the same time helping in their growth and bringing them to the mainstream population by formulating various reservations.

You have always laughed at us while we eat.

Yes, we eat rice in water (Pakhala). It’s our favorite dish. You have always mocked this by saying why this rice is floating in water? In south India when we ate idly, dosa, vada our beloved North Indian friends laughed at us. When we ate aloo parathas, chole bhatures, dishes of paneer my South Indian friends joked us. They always had a doubt that how can we get accustomed to all kind of foods so easily?? Seeing us eating Pakhala (rice in water) they have always misinterpreted that we (Odias) do not get to see these dishes and so I can eat anything, south Indian Idly or North Indian parathas.

But how can I explain them that we are all familiar with these dishes? Idly, dosa, vadas are our usual breakfasts. Sometimes we opt Parathas over them too. How can I explain them that all the dishes normally cooked at our homes and available in our restaurants shares a link with both North Indian and South Indian style?  Our food habit comprises of rice and roti, sambhar and dal, chicken and paneer. We are all familiar with them already. So I get easily gel up with food anywhere throughout India. I have already said; don’t conclude things unless and until you come to Odisha.

You are talking about food to an Odia whose culinary tradition is spanning over centuries. I am from the holy land of Jagannath whose kitchen is reputed to be the largest in the world, with 1,000 chefs, working around 752 wood-burning clay hearths called chulas, to feed over 10,000 people each day. Rasgulla originated from Odisha. The well-known Kheer that is relished all over India originates in Puri, 2,000 years ago.

Anyways, I have always said I am an Odia, I will never complain about food. I can stay happily on Pakhala (rice in water) with smashed potato mixed with onion and chilly. That’s it.

We are Odias. We do not like to show up usually. We are less demanding. We are peace loving persons. We know to compromise and adjust a lot. If you have an Odia roommate you will never find him/her nagging for this thing or that. We usually get gel up easily with anyone. You will never find Odia guys or girls forming a separate group at any university or work place outside Odisha. But am sure there must be one or two Odias in your group.

We usually shy out for late night parties or night outs but that certainly do not mean that we are less friendly. That simply means we have never done it before and are little afraid of it. Believe me; wait for an Odia to open up (She/he takes time though) and see the blast.

You have always commented us for being less stylish.

Come on, style is something we can carry and be confident in. Yes, I admit that we are less funky or shy to try out any new style but that doesn’t mean we are less stylish.

Let me put it in this way and most of Odias will agree with me too that we like it being classy more than being funky. 

We are calm, simple, shy and loving persons. We prove to be great friends. We have our own habits as you have your own. Don’t laugh at us when we bow down infront of each temple on our way. That’s our habit too.  We will love to adjust with you and expect the same from you too.

Start acknowledging us. Acknowledge Odisha if for nothing just for the fact that it’s a part our country. As we Acknowledge you, Acknowledge us. Know about Odisha, visit this beautiful place, relish its delicious dishes and then make any conclusion. 

(Anyways, if I have been rude anywhere in this article kindly pardon me.)

NOTE-  To all Odias staying outside- “Kindly do not lose your identity. Do not shy out to say that you are from Odisha. Do not ignore any Odia who is new to that place. Our unity can only bring acknowledgement to our state, not this blog of mine.