Delhi…
May, 1994: -
Finally
the day arrived on which the result had to be declared… The results got
declared and there was something surprising for her family and shocking for the
teacher... She stood first in the intermediate exams in her school withstanding
each and every hurdle which came her way… Everyone was wondering including her
family and the teacher that how it is possible for her to achieve such a feat…
The teacher even went to congratulate her and while congratulating she asked
her, how did you make it to the top?
She
smiled and that was her way of saying the big things in her life… She had
already given the answer to the teacher… And after this incident, the very same
teacher never underestimated the caliber of an individual…
Now,
as her father promised her to take whole of the family to a vacation… He kept
his promise and whole of the family went to the city of dreams… A place where
many daydreamers come and make their dreams true… But she was unaware of her
destiny which had some other plans for her and which changed her life forever…
Bombay,
1994: -
They
boarded a train to Mumbai which was then called Bombay… When they reached, a
car was waiting for them outside the railway station… Her father moved forward
with the entire luggage… After seeing him, a man came out of the car and
touched his feet… And this man was quite young in his young 20’s… After seeing
all of this, the sisters left astonished as whatever was going around, both of
them never had a clue of it… They had dreamt that they would be staying in a
hotel and would be staying there only in whole of the ‘Bombay’ visit… ‘Clueless’
sisters asked their mother of what was happening around and asked about that
person who was touching their father’s feet…
She:
(Indifferent) who’s this person? And why did he touch papa’s feet? You never
told us about any of our relatives in ‘Bombay’… What is happening around?
Her
mother was aware of each and everything going on but she didn’t want to tell it
to both the sisters…
Mother:
I am also not sure what he is up to and from where does your father get to know
about this person?
She:
So what do we do now?
Mother:
I believe nothing at the moment… Let’s see what is going on…
She:
Ok… as you say Mommy!
Her
father asked everyone to sit inside the car… The same young man started to
drive to take them to a destination which she was eagerly waiting to see… She
was thinking that may be her father is taking them to a dream location… In
between the journey, this person was constantly tried to have a glance of her
from the rear view mirror… When she tried to tell her parents and to her father
especially, he started smiling and told her that it is nothing like the way she
is thinking it to be… She was now in a complete dilemma as her family was
behaving in a very indifferent manner and that too all of a sudden… After sometime,
her father informed her;
Father:
- Do you know he is doing engineering?
She:
- Who?
Father:
- Come on! The person who is driving this car is not a driver… He is an
engineering student… His name is Pratyaksh…
She:
- Hmmm… So what shall I do?
Father:
- Nothing dear… I was just informing you… (And the father once again started
smiling)
She:
- OK!
The
car stopped and stopped at a beautiful Villa which was owned by that young
man’s father… Everyone came out of the car, and her father ran and hugged a
person who was of his age…
He
was his childhood friend staying there with all his family and his was a very
open minded Punjabi family…
Father:
- (To the father of Pratyaksh) Hey Buddy! How are you? How have you been? It’s
been years to see you…
Pratyaksh’s
Father: -Yes my friend… It’s been years since we both met…
Father:
- You know my daughter stood topper in her intermediate exams in her school…
Pratyaksh’s
Father: - Oh great! So, how did you congratulate her?
Father:
- Well, I have promised everyone that if she will score well then I would take
them for a vacation and here we are, in Bombay for a vacation…
She:
- (To her father now) what’s happening around? Who is this person?
Father:
- Don’t you know? He is my childhood friend…
She:
- So that means we are going to stay with him….
Father:
- Yes, Absolutely…
It
was almost late in the night since they entered the house…
At
the Dining Table...
She
stayed quiet seeing different people whom she hardly knew followed by her
sister… Both her parents knew all of this and still preferred to stay mum and
didn’t tell her the reason for which she was brought here…
Pratyaksh’s
Father: - I once again congratulate you child for achieving this feat… But this
congratulation is not enough for what you have done… We will be taking you to
the best locations of Bombay tomorrow… Would you like to go with us?
She:
- (Excited) (Smiled) Of course Uncle! That’s a great idea… I have heard a lot
about ‘Bombay’… But I must say that you shouldn’t congratulate me again and
again… I just gave my best and rest was the hard work which paid off…
Pratyaksh’s
Father: - Hmm… Are you listening something son? You should learn something from
her…
Pratyaksh:
- Yes Dad… She is really humble…
She
again was in a dilemma that why each and every time she was getting highlighted
in most of the conversations… Her parents were really happy thinking that she
is now opening up with this family…
Post
Dinner…
Her
mother asked her to have a good sleep as the new dawn would bring all new
dimension in her life… And when she asked about it, her mother asked her to
sleep…
The
Next Day…
Both
of the families went to the ‘Juhu’ Beach… One of the beautiful beaches in
Bombay… Once they reached there, her sister started making castles of sand… But
she was not able to make a single one… Pratyaksh sat beside her and started
helping her in making the castles…
Now, while she was standing near the sea, her
father asked, how did you find Pratyaksh and his family?
She:
Papa, what kind of a question is this? I mean he is good… I saw him helping my
sister and he is quiet mannered… but why are you asking this question?
Father:
- Well, I think this is the right time to inform you about this… You are grown
up now… You made us proud by scoring really well in your exams and now both,
your mother and I think that you should get married now and Pratyaksh is a very
good person for you…
She:
But Papa, I am still very young and this is my age to get enrolled in a college
for further studies…
Father:
- That is altogether a different thing dear… In our family girls get married at
this age only… Your mother and I tied the knot at this age only… And see you
would be having such good in laws… What else do you want?
We
interrupted her in between to enquire if it was really true because it would
have been true she must have been really young at that age…
Me:
- What are you saying Ma’am? Is this really true? I am sure you would have
refused to do it… I know you are wise enough to deal with such situations…
She:
- Thank you for the compliment…But I wish I would have been wiser at that time…
(Laughed)
Me:
- I didn’t get you…
She:
- (Smiled) and even I didn’t get my father at that time...
Me:
So what happened after that?
She:
- After that I went into a silence and my father once again repeated whole of
that thing… And I simply looked at Pratyaksh at that point of time and his
simplicity and helpful nature touched me inside…
Father:
- So what is your answer now?
She:
- (Smiled) I am really not sure what to say but you are my father and I
completely trust you… Whatever your decision would be, I would be abiding it…
Me:
- So, what was his decision?
She:
- Of course the same one which he thought of even before we left for 'Bombay'…
Me:
- Means?
She:
- I married to Pratyaksh in 1996 and it’s almost been 17 years now since both
of us are together… So you can call me Mrs. Pratyaksh now… (Laughed)
Me:
- That’s such a good story of your life but I am unable to find the answer to
one of the questions which is constantly hovering over my head…
She:
- And what is it?
Me:
- Everything is fine but after you got married, how did you complete your rest
of the studies and how you became a trainer in such a big organization?
She:
- I already told you… Pratyaksh’s family was an open minded family and they
allowed me to continue my studies even after the marriage…
Me:
- Wow! That’s great…
She:
- This is the same expressions of my son for his grandparents whenever I use to
tell this tale to him in the night…
Me:
- You even have a son… and well how old is he?
She:
- I think I am a normal human being and can have children… (Laughed) Well he is
just 10 years old…
Me:
- Hmm… That’s great... I must say that you have such beautiful families…
And
our shift got over and she asked us to move for home… But this again was a
wonderful experience of life to hear a wonderful story of such a humble person…
She was not only the corporate trainer but also an Assistant Manager of the HR
Department of this multinational organization… She married at such a young age,
but made her life big which yet again gave me another reason to share this and
to make everyone’s life big…
Hope
to see everyone healthy and blissful again…
Till
then,
Stay
healthy, happy and brave enough to take right decisions at right time…
Adios!
