"Take care mamu! Take care Bhanu di!" Soumya came to see us off at the bus stand. We took our seats and bid ta-ta to Soumya when the bus arrived. As the journey started, Bhanu checked the locations of our stay places in Jaigarh. We were close.
Bhanu: (infatuated) Five years in Jaigarh together. It will be great fun. Agastya, I am too excited, aren't you?
Me: It's only five years. If you wish to join me, it would be great help. Indeed, it will be tough time for you Bhanu!
Bhanu: No worries! I just want to be with you anyway. (break) Let me take a nap now!
(She rested her head on my shoulders and slept.)
Shubham had a rental apartment in Manita Colony, Jaigarh. My brothers lived in a PG near LMB Road. Brother Rudra had his final day of his exam that day. Brother Bhargav and Shubham came to receive us at M G Circle. We parted our ways to our rooms. Brother Bhargav had one year left to complete his CA while Brother Hemanta had two years left for his engineering.
When it was dusk, Dad made a call on my phone to let him know if I had reached all right.
Dad: A new journey starts here. At home, we behaved you like a little child. However, there are your brothers but most of the time, all of you will be alone. So take care of your health, study well, know about the people in the city but don't get too involved anywhere. Keep informing me about your experiences.
I assented with him while brothers had their conversation with dad. Brother Rudra had packed his bag and he left at 9:00 p. m. after dinner. I had a brief introduction with the other guys living in the P.G. Most of them found me cute, cultured and smart.
Bhanu messaged me Zs at half past ten. I read it and slept.
The next morning was Thursday. I visited the Hari Mandir, a kilometre away, at 7 o'clock. When the pundit heard me chanting 'Shri Hari Stotram', he commended my voice. He asked my name while putting tika on my forehead and blessed me with god's grace. "Agastya, son of Mohini," I replied, bowed to him and asked for leave.
At 9:15 a.m. Bhanu called me. She informed me about the library in her colony. Had brothers checked out early, I locked the room and went to the library. As I entered, I took the daily newspaper 'The Indian Express' and sat adjacent to Bhanu. There laid a newly published book titled 'Jaigarh Vibes' which depicted an overall map of the city. Although the writer's depiction style and language were not interesting, I read it like a user's manual. We left the library on lunch time and returned back an hour later then, focused on particular subject everyday until it was dusk.
One day when Bhargav was on leave, he and three of his friends had planned a short refreshment trip to Sunrise Park. He asked me to join. I got a chance to meet his friends too. They were all friendly to me. We enjoyed swimming and other games. Later, we went to the restaurant. I could decode their language pattern and etiquettes. They all had their families living in Jaigarh for over five decades. One of them, namely Gagan, lived in a joint family, primarily engaged in perfumery.
The day ahead of the exam date, I recalled every piece of information what I had learnt and practised in the last two months. Although Bhanu had been preparing for almost 6 months, she was nervous. She called me to let her know how was I.
Me: I am self-confessed of my preparations for the exam. Its not a sword duel to fear for life. So, don't jolt out of your tranquility Bhanu and take the bull by the horns.
Bhanu: Okay. If you believe me, I will calm myself.
I felt her cold feet.
Me: If you don't perform well, we won't meet in the same college. You should be ready to part ways.
Bhanu: No..no..no.. I am well-equipped to take the test. I will crack it definitely. (She ousted her fear confidently.)
*16th July...Rajasthan Law College*
All the examinees, taking blessings from their elders and the God however haunted by fears and suspicions, had arrived in the college by 11 o'clock. The examinees walked in from all dimensions of life, in and out of Rajasthan. The gender participation was equitable. Members of Students Union made a judgemental overview on some of the examinees that feared them high. Bhanu saw me laughing.
Bhanu: They are scaring the examinees and you are having fun of it.
She rebuked at me.
Me: It's seldom that we get chance to have fun in the exam time. I am enjoying it. Haha!
Meanwhile the bell rang, we submitted our phones at the entrance and made our way to the exam hall. The invigilator let us know about the seats. Bhanu and I were in different halls. A guy sitting ahead of me introduced himself as Achyut. He and the girl behind me, Aisha, were cousins. He said that they thought no one would have been in between them.
Me: Oh! I feel I should be sorry.
Aisha: Haha... no-no.. You have a nice name actually, Agastya. Please help us when we have something to ask.
Achyut: Are you confident? Legal reasoning scares me a lot. (He confronted his weakness.)
Aisha: Where did you get coaching?
(She wanted to confirm whether I could help her or not.)
Me: I have been taught by Prof. B.D. Sharma, Prof. M.S. Sinha, Dr. Naveen Patnaik, Dr. Kumar Vishwas, Dr. Pushpendra and I have experienced an interrogation with Vidur, too. Is that ok?
(They were all the writers of the books I read the last two months.)
Her response was affirmative.
The exam started right at noon. The question paper had 150 objective questions in 5 divisions to be solved in two hours time. The english portion and the current affairs were easy. Solving the quantitative aptitude portion was quite time-consuming. However, I did it confidently. It was 1:15 p.m. by then. Aisha murmured Question no. 85. I signalled her four fingers i.e. Option D. The legal reasoning portion weighted the highest. I read each question with intent. By the time I did all of them, only 3 minutes were remaining. Only a question in logical reasoning related to 'Tax Law' confused me in between two options. I left it unanswered. Achyut said he left 24 questions while Aisha left the quantitative aptitude portion. Everyone gossiped the paper was way too difficult. Bhanu came out weeping. She said she guessed answers of almost 35 questions.
Me: Are you confident about the other 115?
Bhanu: Yes. But, I may not achieve rank. You will part ways with me then.
(She wimpered on this probability.)
Me: No, Bhanu. Calm yourself. I wanted you to be confident. I am not leaving you anyway. Stop crying now.. (And I hugged her.)
Aisha and Achyut saw us there. They both called me towards the canteen. I took Bhanu along with me and introduced her. We had a short break when I came to know they were from prestigious family in Jaigarh. Both of them had passed their graduation in Political Science and wanted to have a law degree too.
Achyut: We are just 22 now. A B.A.LLb certificate acts as a compliment to B.A. in Political Science degree. Thus, it's complementary too.
Aisha: If you say you're affirm at your answers of 115 questions, there's no doubt you will get your name in top rankers list, Bhanumati.
She tried to persuade Bhanu.
Aisha: Thank you Agastya for your help. I didn't believe you would. I checked it was right. You didn't tell about YOUR test. Hmm?
Me: Perhaps all that I attempted are correct. I left a question unanswered.
They were shocked to hear.
Achyut: (objecting me) Don't try to make us fool! No one has scored over 130 yet.
Aisha: Share me your number. When the results are out, I will call you.
(She was pretty impressed with me.)
Bhanu: (low-contented voice) You self-studied so much in just two months Agastya!
Achyut and Aisha were once again in great surprise.
Me: Just like you are pursuing a secondary degree to complement your qualifications, I am studying India on various fronts to have a better understanding of a lawyer's attitude and the power of justice.
Bhanu's phone rung up. It was 3 o'clock then. Achyut and Aisha drove home in their Audi. I booked a rickshaw and rode back to our rooms.
I had a whatsapp call from Dad. I turned the Wi-Fi on and called him back. It was his tea-time.
Dad: How was your test today?
I told him I left a question undone and the rest was okay. I asked him to permit me a week leave before the results came out.
Dad: Where do you want to go? It's raining everywhere. (break) Jaigarh is itself a rich city. Go out and experience it's charm. You can choose hotels or ashrams to stay if you don't have time to return back to P.G.
From the Jaigarh Vibes memo, I recalled a palace floating on a lake that exhibits majestic views at night by reflecting the fiery lights, adorned on it. I rode a cab to the location where I enjoyed the superficial panorama embarked by the palace. In a folklore, a great King Man Sagar had ordered the best of his architects, Sukarma, to build this palace. The year when the construction was completed occurred famine in whole of the kingdom. The King declared to perform a 'yajna' pleasing the Lord Varuna. His hundred day long penance drew tears from the hundred eyes of Lord Varuna which irrigated and revitalized the soil capacity. However the drains, in absence of canal system, flowed to the lower regions and surrounded the newly built palace. Sukarma feared that the force of water would demolish the beautiful palace. But Lord Varuna pleased by the King's 'yajna' blessed the palace to float on the lake. So, the place was named on both: the Lord Varuna and the King Man Sagar.
I enjoyed walking on the streets. I arrived at a hotel and booked a room for the night until 10 a.m. in the morning. After breakfast, I booked a cab to the fort on the Aravalli Hills that offers breathtaking views of the Jaigarh city. Had I heard about the pleasing sunset view and cold breezes one encounters there, I wished to stay until it was dusk. The influx of visitors cherished and dictated how the fort lives up to the expectations. People mostly visited on trips with friends or a romantic trip. The bold walls intricately adorned with designs and murals invited us to take pause in our life and behold at them.
At 6 p.m., I moved out of the fort. I recalled the route to the J.C. Garden where the museum and Rani Mahal came in the way. The museum depicted itself as masterpiece of Indo-Saracenic architecture. The soothing lights inside let us study about our glorious past. The museum closed at 8 o'clock.
Bhanu video called me at the moment. "Hi Agastya! Where are you now?"
I turned on the rear camera to let her view the museum.
"I would have joined you if you had asked. You are so mean." She pulled me up knowing the reason. We couldn't stay together at any cost. I just sent her the pictures and selfies. She always replied blushing face, red hearts, kissing face and heart-shaped eyes emoticons.
Strolling on the streets of Jaigarh was a magical tour. The sandstone palace Rani Mahal, however closed to visit inside, gave impressive shots to capture at night. I took a horse-drawn carriage through the streets to the J.C.Garden. As the city prepares to sleep, the garden enliven itself when the fountains dance on the ephemeral musical tones. The epicurean visitors may have a whale of time here to treat their senses. The kathak performances at Deewar-e-aam and puppet shows at the cultural sites were other prospects that I had interlude with.
The sixth day trip was over. The next morning Bhanu messaged me greetings for the day and her anxiety about the result set to be announced that day. I asked her to be calm. I had booked a ticket of the film "Meherbaan" in Rajshri Mandir Cinema. It was night show. During the day, I made a trip to some famous roundabouts and statues in Jaigarh. By the time it was 3 o'clock, Aisha called me.
Aisha: Did you see your results? You have created history by scoring 149 out of 150. Congratulations to the AIR topper Agastya! Woah! (She expressed euphoric joy.)
Me: Really? I didn't check. Thank you! What about you?
Aisha: I scored 98 and stood AIR 21. Achyut scored 90 and stood AIR 30. We are dancing like crazy. Woohoo! (She shouted in exuberance.)
Me: Okay! Enjoy your day. Talk to you later. (I cut the call)
Bhanu called me instantly. She buoyed up viewing her result. She was AIR 20 with a score of 102. She heard the news aired my name as the CLAT topper. She was elated.
I turned my status as "Busy! Drop a message!" on my phone.
Aisha had also booked a movie ticket in Rajshri that day. When everyone was just waiting to enter into the hall, Aisha joyfully advanced towards me.
Aisha: Hi Topper! You must be fine. Anyone with you?
Me: Hello Aisha! Umm...Yeah, I am fine. I have come alone.
Aisha: Really! No worries. I am here with you. Well, meet my best friend Ritu. Ritu, he is the one, Agastya, who we were talking about all day. AIR 1!
Me: Hello Ritu!
Ritu: Hi Agastya! (whispers) He is so handsome! (They smiled at each other.)
The gates to the hall were opened and we entered. She followed me to the emerald section. To my surprise, she had also booked emerald seats. We sat adjacent to each other. It may sound romantic but I had no such plan. "The actor is one of my favourites. Do you like him?" Aisha tagged the protagonist as the most adorable actor.
Me: Yeah.. And the actress too!
She made a leering face.
Aisha: (sarcasm) Yeah..she is a good actress!
As the movie played on, I was immersed in it. Aisha had her head on my shoulders and her hands got hold of mine. At the interval, we both had head in the clouds. Ritu jerked Aisha and we woke up.
Ritu: What's going on? It's interval time. Let's get some snacks.
"Yeah.." Aisha hustled with her. As she returned, she was feeling low. I asked her what had happened. But she didn't respond. At 10:30 p.m. we exit the hall. She said nothing. Ritu's brother picked her and she left off. Just when Aisha opened her car's door, she called me.
Aisha: Agastya! I am going on a ride. Can I ask you to join me?
I confirmed her if it wouldn't be late. So, we went on the ride. She was feeling hesitant to speak. At around the midnight, she stopped the car at a quiet place. Perhaps, the town had slept there.
Aisha: I don't know why I feel it right to be with you now. I have never felt so close to anyone at one or two sights. You must be different. Actually, there's a problem that I and my family, as a whole, is facing. Agastya, my brother Dakshit and his beloved wife Dikshita don't want to stay together now. It's been only a year they got married. First three months of their married life were beautiful but since August last year, they have bitter discussions and quarrels all the time. Today, Dikshita has submitted divorce papers to Dakshit. My brother is crying. I wanted to go but I had no idea what to say that would calm him. Please help me Agastya!
Aisha was crestfallen by the news.
Me: Calm down yourself. Please, stop shedding tears. Tell me more about your brother and his wife.
Aisha: My dad is the founder of Vastra.com. We run the garment industry 'Rivaaze Vastra Udhyog Pvt. Ltd.' that makes designer label traditional garments related to various cultures and places and of different qualities. My dad and uncles have together worked hard to build the industry. Brother Dakshit used his acute intelligence to advertise and brand our produce. He initiated Vastra.com and a fashion show 'Paridhan: Ek Katha, Ek Pratha' that went hit across India in its first season. Dikshita was the winner of that show. Brother Dakshit is a perfectionist thus, he always takes time to take a decision. Dikshita is creative however too melancholy and emotional. She is always pleasure-seeking but everyday is not Sunday. They have much in common but I can't figure out how things turned this way.
(She dictated the background in short.)
Me: Hmm... there are two probabilities. Let me explain you both of them. Do you see the neem and the mango trees? See, there's no difference in the soil and its nutrients, the climatic pattern and any kind of vulnerability for both of the trees. Yet, they are different in view, structure, taste and importance. Do you see how Mother Earth loves the both? She accepts all the traits of the seeds sowed in it, nourishes with its nutrients and let them flourish with their characteristics. Neither the neem gets jealous of the popularity of mango nor the mango gets envious of the medicinal worth of the neem. They are standing adjacent to each other with zero indifference and love towards the soil. This is the first probability where both of them, instead of focusing on their job commitment, are interfering on each other's duty at the business premises alike at home. Dikshita maybe poly-amorous in nature. Jealousy and ego have strangled their love affair.
Aisha: Okay...and the second probability?
Me: Had the soil and the climate been different to that favorable to the neem and the mango or any of them, would they grow to such possibility? No. Probably your brother Dakshit is not getting things his way. He is a an inventor and a keen artist, I believe. Such people have great patience and desire to persist until they invent something inspiring. Now if I am correct, go and make out this state of despair at home. (break) I think it's too late now. We should move back.
Aisha: It's 1 a.m. now. I have informed mom I am at Ritu's home. Let's stay in a hotel somewhere around. I can't express how grateful I am having you with me tonight. Please let me know if you need any kind of help anytime. Can I hug you once?
Me: Come! (And I hugged her.)
We searched for a hotel room for half-an-hour. We were lucky to have found one however it charged too high. She slept on the bed in the room while I slept on couch until it was dawn. Then, she dropped me at the P.G. by 10 a.m. and moved to her home.