At college:
Jagriti: Hi Agastya! Hi Bhanumati! How are you?
Bhanu: Fine ya! It feels like it's been long time at college!
Jaidev: Enjoyed the wedding?
Mukul: Obviously! Didn't you see the pictures? The best one was Agastya's bhabhi pulling his ears!
(Laughs)
Achyut: That was a ritual but Agastya's naughtiness may make it a routine task. Even Aisha pulls his ears often.
Me: Guys! Let's get back to our work. The college committee has decided to let us conduct the farewell programme during the convocation.
Jagriti: Frankly speaking Utkarsha! I was very nervous when Agastya discussed about this programme with Gurudev. Had I known your plan, I wouldn't have come to college that day Agastya!
Me: C'mon Jagriti! Be your name. We are initiating a culture at this college and think once, we will be recalled in history of this college.
Mukul: And thus, it's a big responsibility on us. I do not know how but why do you think so much Agastya?
Me: Are you afraid of me or the responsibility?
Utkarsha: We believe you!
Me: We are going to ensorcell everyone. Right?
Utkarsha: Right!
Me: So, lets examine the Grand Hall of our college. We will analyse the works there! Mr. Shaunak will help us.
The Grand Hall of our college, almost like an amphitheatre, had a total capacity of 1800 people at a glance. That year, the number of students to be convocated was six hundred and forty two from all the faculties in the graduation level and four hundred and twenty eight in the post-graduation level making a total of 1070 students. With an added number of attending parents/guardians, alumni, college professors and staff and the organisers i.e. the new final year students at the graduation level, the grandiose hall was aimed to be housefull.
Bhanu: Agastya! We will have to decorate the hall, set the stage, install few other lightings, allocate the seats, prepare for presents and brochures and a farewell speech. Anything more?
Jaidev: So far, this is all you need to do. Agastya! Will other faculty mates associate us or not?
Mukul: Agastya! If we need help from our college mates, I think we should ask our classmates first. What do you say?
Achyut: Bhanu! You said about gifting something to the graduates and post-graduates. What may suit to present all of them, Agastya?
Mr. Shaunak: Presents? The college is not going to fund you for any such things! It's your idea so, it's you who is going to make arrangements on your own.
Jagriti: But how will we arrange funds for it? We have to gift presents to 1070 pupils! We will atleast require two to three lakhs just for the presents!
Shaunak: That's the challenge. When you bring an idea, you should have the capacity of doing it on your own. Or, don't behave as an advisor to Gurudev!
Mukul: We wanna talk to Gurudev. If this is the condition, we are not going to conduct any farewell party for our seniors. Can we meet him now, Mr. Shaunak?
Jaidev: Let's go Agastya! Gurudev is not doing it right. We have to ask an explanation.
Bhanu: (whispers to me) We do not have enough time for making this arrangement.
Mr. Shaunak: Oh, really! Don't bother Mukul. Here's the notice duly signed by Gurudev.
Jagriti: Agastya! Gurudev has cheated us! The college is going to fund its regular expenses only. Who else shall help us in the town?
Mukul: I am not a part of this! Thank you and Goodbye!
Jaidev: Wait Mukul! Agastya must have thought something.
Mukul: Oh, common Jaidev! He wouldn't have stood silent like if a snake just sniffed at him.
Jagriti: What has cast a chill on you Agastya? It was you who forwarded the idea without any consent with the Utkarsha but still, we believed you. So if you have funds, we are with you or you know it better.
Jaidev: Agastya! I and the whole of our village is grateful and shall remain for whatever you have done for us. But, I can't help you with the funds. And it won't be right to expend on any one or two's pockets.
Mr. Shaunak returned after having a call. He informed us that the invitations of farewell programme to selected alumni of Vikram College were ready to be sent. He asked me if my plan was on.
Me: Mr. Shaunak! You may do that you are assigned to. The farewell programme will be conducted at any cost. Bhanu and Jaidev, prepare a proper banner for the programme. And direct the decorations and lightings. The college professors and highly acclaimed alumni will be seated in the first row. Don't forget that Gurudev and mayor Ma'am Sumati will be our chief guest and special guest respectively. Our vice-principal sir and two senior committee members will also be chaired as guests in the ceremony.
Jaidev: But what about funds?
Me: Don't worry about that. Do what I say!
Jaidev: Answer us first Agastya. We are your friends, not your slaves. Or, forget that I am with you.
Me: I don't need to answer you about anything.
Jaidev: Ok then. Goodbye!
Bhanu: JAIDEV! What has happened to you Agastya? Why are you behaving like this?
Me: Why do you think that college should provide us the funds? It was obvious that we have to conduct the programme on our own. But did you hear them? Mukul, Jagriti and Jaidev have built so much ego that they need an explanation from Gurudev. How dare Jagriti call Gurudev a cheater?
Achyut: Why didn't you answer anything when Jaidev tried to stop Mukul?
Me: He wasn't ready to listen me. He had forgot the principles of Utkarsha. He feared that I may ask him to collect funds for the programme. You both have too failed on being a Utkarsha! It was emphasized on the subject to be a good listener and a good observer of events going around. Had you done it before, you would have talked on this topic before the committee decided to go with us. I never behave like a boss but I anticipated a loyal leader in you all. In the critical time of involvement, you all had a list of queries to be answered.
All of sudden, my palms started dripping sweat.
Bhanu: (with eyes wide open) Agastya! What happened? I have never seen you sweating so high and unlike others, your palms are sweating.
Achyut: I have seen it. He sweats high during exams. But, what happened now?
Me: Leave this. It's not a big problem. Focus on what we have to do. Bhanu! Unlock my phone and check if there are any notifications from the digital payment platform NetPay.
Bhanu: Let me see. Agastya! You have more than thousand notifications today. All of them have sent fifty rupees each. (confused)
Achyut: Who are they?
Me: Answers to your questions.
(Call from Aisha)
Bhanu picked the call. Aisha informed that people from around hundred villages in the district, who were actually the customers of Vastra.com and Roopasthali firms, had sent her a total of three lakhs forty five thousand rupees (each Rs.50) for the said farewell ceremony of our Vikram college.
Me: Do you remember I was chosen face of the year of our college during our third year annual function? After that, I had prepared my own QR code that signed in every user to a quiz game 'Utkarsha' with a subscription of Rs.50. Aisha's account was linked to this. And this fifty thousand received on my phone is the contribution of our college mates.
Both Bhanu and Achyut looked at each other with a surprised expression.
''Spaleen!'' They both shouted at me.
Me: Get to work.
Bhanu: Shall we call our Utkarsha members?
Me: No, you don't need to. Let them enjoy their ego and then hurt themselves! No one can go and hold them everytime.
During the interval, college mates from other faculties came to see the preparations going on in the Hall. One of them named Parth Gupt suggested us to design a badge for the organisers. I had listed names of eighty one students, including myself, who were willing to aid in the farewell ceremony of graduating pupils. For the rest of the day, I along with Mr. Shaunak reached out to the market to purchase the requirements like flowers, certificate stands, black capes and water bottles et al for the programme. Mr. Shaunak took me to the Vyasa Publications where we ordered to print the certificates, specific of stand size, and brochures with all the details provided.
Mr. Shaunak: So Agastya, what about the 'Token of Love'? What have you thought about it?
Me: Sir, I have to discuss it with my fellow partners. I will manage for it anyway. No worries!
That night, I reviewed on the suggestion of making a badge for the organisers. In order to make a difference between the guests and organisers and bring all of us under one umbrella for the programme, I found it a beautiful idea to take on. I drew a peacock feather with the logo of our college at its centre and its tip dipped in ink.
Me: Bhanu! Please come here love! How is this?
Bhanu: It's lovely. Are you going to make badges like this? It will be amazing. But, what material will we use to make it?
Me: Coin metal. A size of 5*5 square cms would be perfect, won't it?
Bhanu: Umm. Yeah! Perfect to wear it near our heart.
Me: Thank you sweetheart!
Bhanu: And what about 'Tokens of Love'?
Me: I have sent a message to the group to have suggestions on this. Lets see what the majority believes right.
Bhanu: Did you? Oh, yeah. I didn't view it before. But what have you thought of? See, I think a gift set of pen, diary and card holder will be nice.
Me: Maybe. Send your idea to the group. If you receive the highest number of likes, we shall finalize it.
Bhanu: Okay! Lets see. (SENT)
We went to bed by half past ten. Before I fell asleep:
Bhanu: Agastya! I am feeling bad for our Utkarsha group. Just remember those days when all of us were together. We studied, we played, we had fun, we travelled and we did so much together. How could you let them go?
Me: Bhanu! I, too, feel bad for our Utkarsha group for it couldn't hold up its dignity. Money and power have once again distracted its living models and I couldn't prevent it. Mr. Shaunak is jealous of me and thus I knew he would prevent Gurudev of helping me. Mukul is facing a tension in between his family and our group. He wished to control me and Utkarsha but couldn't and thus, he left. Jagriti's one and only reason to befriend me was the case of Imaze Landmarks which is now solved. So, she doesn't care much for our tasks and I let Jaidev go on purpose. He should remember who he was and what his future holds for him. The pearls may have more importance than gold in a jewel set but it's gold that gives them an appropriate supporting room to behold at. Understanding the defending truth at just gives rise to arrogance within. Bhanu! I tried a lot to signal them about that proudy wrinkles on their faces but they completely ignored each time. It was essential to let them go and face the world alone. People treat you as per your known identity but this time, neither they will accept the Utkarsha nor can defy it. Let the sun bring the dawn, Bhanu! Good night!
Bhanu: Good night!
The next day at college, most of the group members clicked their like on Bhanumati's opinion. They looked at me to give the final decision on the topic. I went with the majority. Before stepping out to market, Jaidev came to me and begged sorry for his denial of being a part of Utkarsha. He had understood that despite I had an outline map of the programme, he should have had an opinionated analysis days before. So I took him with me to the market to get the badge made and procure the Gift set.
At the steel Factory:
Me: (to the head manager) Sir, this is a picture of the badge that I want.
Head manager: Beautiful badge design! Sir, if you wish a considerable quantity, I can do something. Or, it won't be possible for us.
Me: What if I say a quantity of 1200 pieces? And I want it made up of our coin metals - the ferratic stainless steel.
Head manager: Oh, the quantity is okay but the coin metal will cost higher. It will cost fifteen rupees over the price of stainless steel.
Me: No worries. But, I don't any compromise at the quality. If I find that the coins of Bharata and the badge metal have difference...
Head manager: No, no! We will give you the said quality and quantity. We won't make any difference. Please, tell me the size you want.
Me: 5cm * 5cm * 0.5cm. What will be the approximate weight of the badge?
Head manager: Let me confirm it.
He talked to his cost and works accountant about the weight and costing of the badge. Meanwhile,
Jaidev: The badge is for organisers, right! So, why are you asking him to make 1200 pieces?
Me: Jaidev, this will also be part of the gift set.
Head manager: Ok sir. It will be done on an average weight of hundred grams for the said size. The average costing per kilogram will be around Rs. 175.
Me: Sixty rupees making charge for each! Are you crazy or have you supposed us crazy?
Head manager: Sir, the design you want has intricate works that will be handmade. If we had a mold for the design, we would make it in just 145 per piece.
Jaidev gestured me that it was okay.
Me: Okay. If it's so, I want it in four days. Can you do it?
Head manager: Just four days! Can you make the payment in advance?
Me: Yeah, I can do it three-fourths only if you provide me its order bill now.
Head manager: I will give you both the order bill and receipt of advance right now. So, is the deal final?
Me: Yes. Please, hand me the QR code for the payment.
At the Sharda Stationery Store, the largest store with its own print and publication house:
Top Salesman: Hello sir! Welcome to our store!
Me and Jaidev: Thank you!
Me: We were looking for a gift set of a pen, diary and cardholder.
Top salesman: We have that! Please be seated. Let me bring and show you the different designs.
Jaidev: So, will we have the badges glued to the gift set?
Me: Yeah!
The top salesman brought three different sizes and colours of the gift set we wanted. We both chose the black one that had a keyring too. It looked like a diary.
Top salesman: How many pieces do you want it, sir?
Me: We will be distributing this gift set at the farewell programme in our college. We want eleven hundred pieces of this set.
Top salesman: 1100 pieces? Are you from the Vikram College? And if I am not wrong, you are Agastya!
We gestured him a yes.
Top salesman: My son, Ranjeet, told me about the programme yesterday when he received the invitation card.
We: Nice to meet you sir.
Me: We want it to gift your son and his college mates! It will be our Token of Love for them.
Top salesman: So sweet of you. Right now, I do not have the quantity you wish but I can arrange it if you give me three days of time.
Me: How many do you have now?
Top salesman: Less than three hundred.
(Displaying the badge design on my phone)
Me: This badge made up of coin metal will be glued on this set. Can you provide me a good adhesive?
Top salesman: Why not? Use this 'Gum Shot' for anything you want. I can provide you this as complimentary.
Me: Oh! Thank you! What's the cost of this set?
Top salesman: It's only 180 per piece.
Me: (laughs) Sir, perhaps you forgot the quantity that I am proposing you. For 180/-, any retail store can provide me this item. It's even at the online stores. Your complimentary glue will cost us very expensive. I am sorry to forward this deal.
Top salesman: Wait, son! I am sorry! I can give you this at a discounted price of 150/piece.
Me: That's the real price? Where is the discount?
Top salesman: It's the discounted price sir. I can't do more than this.
Me: Fine! Let's go Jaidev.
Top salesman: Wait! If you pay half of the amount now, I can give you further 3% discount. That's the final price. If it's ok, we can have a deal.
Me: Thank you!
The top salesman provided me the order bill and receipt of eighty thousand rupees on his account.
Me: I don't want any delay. No excuses, please.
Top salesman: Sure! I won't let you complain! Thank you!
Back at the college:
A beautiful banner was hanged, the speakers' stand was set and the special guests' sofa was duly placed at the center of the stage. All the other lightings and flowers were set up and all together, the stage setting was done. One of my college mates from the B.A. (journalism) clicked my photo in formals at the stage. It was a lovely pic.
An idea clicked on my mind. I asked everyone to come near me. I wanted to make a request while they were keen to hear. I asked them to let me put that picture of mine over the gift set boxes that we had finalized. Everyone thought for awhile but later assented. One of them said, ''Agastya! You have been the face of our college. You are already known for so many reasons. You a known personality in the state and maybe beyond too. Still, you want more publicity! Why?''
Achyut replied him, ''The gift set box is a wooden box. People won't throw it out rather use for a purpose. If Agastya is there on the front, people will recall of this very event in their life. As you just said my friend, Agastya is the face of our college. Take it anyway but it's a good thing to accept. Ain't I right?''
All of them once again assented to my will.
Within the next two days, the hall was setup. The essentials for the convocation ceremony had arrived. Jagriti and Mukul came to visit the hall when they were left surprised by its look. However, they couldn't return to their Utkarsha group. When the other professors came to visit the hall, they said it looked beautiful than the other previous years.
Two days before the ceremony, the storekeeper of Vyasa Stationery called me to inform that the gift set boxes were ready for their shipment. Aisha had too arrived that day at the college. I, Aisha and Jaidev went to make the final payment of the presents and bring them to college.
Me: Guys! Everyone, please come here. We have got the presents but still the badges are yet to come. Please check the boxes if anything is broken or not.
Aisha: Agastya! Your photo has been framed on this wooden box. Wow!
Me: Thank you Aisha!
The head manager of the steel factory too called me on the day before the ceremony to make the final payment of the badges ordered and ship them down to college. While Bhanu and Jaidev supervised all the works at the college, I and Aisha went to the factory for the shipment. Aisha further dealt with the manager to help us benefit. She helped me to get further 2% discount on the said amount. As soon as we brought them to the college, I once again asked the organisers to glue the badges on the gift diaries inside the boxes.
By the end of the day, we had done it all.
Me: Guys! Get ready for tomorrow's programme! We have to do great and turn it into a culture of the Vikram College! DO YOU GET IT?
Everyone: YES, AGASTYA!
THE CONVOCATION CUM FAREWELL PROGRAMME!
As scheduled by the college, the programme was set to initiate at ten o'clock in the morning. All of us, the organisers, had decided to reach the college in formals. Males dressed in suits and females dressed in sarees. At nine, all of us had reached and I distributed them the badges to hook them on their bosom. Mr. Shaunak assigned some of us to serve the water bottles to the guests and two of the girls in our group to hand over the capes. I asked Tanuja Bharti and Yuga Karni to help me and Aisha during the gift distribution programme.
The moment that I had waited for about four years was set to come and I felt proud on myself.
Mr. Shaunak: Agastya! You may stay at the back stage, please. I will call you from the stage at the right time.
Me: Sure sir.
Aisha: I am excited for this, Agastya! It's like a dream come true. Well, you must be delivering a farewell speech.
Me: Yeah!
Aisha: Wow! I am truly loving it. Watching you giving a speech live is a heavenly experience.
It clocked ten and that ideal man of punctuality, our Gurudev, entered the stage with the first lady of the district, ma'am Sumati. The other guests at the ceremony followed them to the stage. The hall seemed half-occupied of the graduates and their parents while the entrance passage never remained empty. The professors took the first and second row along with the alumni attending the ceremony.
Mr. Shaunak hosted the programme. He addressed the guests and the assembly of professors, graduates and their guardians. It was the fifty first convocation ceremony of the modern Vikram College. Mr. Shaunak described the history of the college in concise where I learnt that Vikram Gurukul had initiated in the early reigning period of the godly king Vikramaditya. It was then started by a vaidya and a Kshatriya together and it later grew to its full potential under the kingships of Ujjain and Ajmera. Despite the large invasions from the outsiders, Vikram College did never stop its functioning with exceptional cases of one or two months of insurgencies at any particular point of time.
Mr. Shaunak called our chief guest Gurudev to formally initiate the programme.
Gurudev, in his speech, thanked to all the graduate students to have maintained their decorum at the college and achieved a good name and glory to it. Gurudev thanked all the supporting professors and staffs who once again had proved their loyalty to their profession and held the college achieve a worthy outcome. Gurudev, in his thanking speech, thanked me and the team to have adorned the stage and the hall beautiful than the other years.
I bowed down to him.
Gurudev also mentioned about the badge that I had designed for the organisers. He declared that the badge shall be a compulsory wearable for the students at the college. Concluding his thanking speech, he asked me to deliver my farewell speech and thereafter to initiate the convocation ceremony.
Ascending to the stage:
''Pranaam Gurudev!''
''Let me wish you all a warm good morning in the chilly winter month. Greetings to the chief guest our honourable principal Gurudev Prashant, to our first lady of the district Madam Sumati, to our respected vice-principal Anand mohan sir, to our reverent professors, admirable alumni of the college, cherishing graduating seniors and their humble parents and guardians, my lovely college batchmates and supportive staff members! I want to thank you all for accepting and appreciating my wish to bid a formal farewell to our seniors providing them our 'Tokens of Love'. Before we initiate the convocation ceremony, I would humbly request our honourable chief guest to allow me deliver a few words on this ceremony.
Thank you sir!
Let me clarify you first that whenever I say 'I or my' during the speech, it means all of my batchmates. It's a speech of wishes for all of my seniors.
Ladies and gentlemen, I wish when you receive the black cape and the graduation certificate, your confident attitude signifies us the idol that's being appreciated by its makers and builders. I wish when your guardians stand by you at the stage and smile with pride, we are assured of the fact that we are following up a true path behind you. I wish you follow up a career path that will enlighten your soul and this chain of enlightened souls re-build the aura of Bharata that has identified itself as an enlightened nation in the world. I wish your valour and intellect give birth to relevant propositions of life and reverentially guide your juniors on such paths. I wish when I come out to you bidding farewell to the academic life at the college, the aroma smitten around by your struggles and works become an ethical identity to myself. I wish this brotherhood and sisterhood that we have celebrated for years under the shade of this institution becomes a lifelong relationship to admire of. I wish that everytime I meet any of you outside the college, I find myself lucky to greet Gurudev Prashant and this institution 'The Vikram College' lively living within you. I WISH THIS IS NOT AN END TO YOUR LEARNING BUT A CONTINUITY WHERE I AND YOU BOTH AND ALL WILL UNDERSTAND, TEACH, FOLLOW, SELF-DOUBT, TAKE EXAMS, APPRECIATE THAT WE ACHIEVE AND DEVOTE IT TO THE WELFARE OF HUMAN AND OTHER KINDS!
I am thankful to all of you who gave me a chance to speak my emotions and vision engraved within. Concluding my words, I am thankful to our chief guest Gurudev to have faith on me and take the dais that I perhaps don't belong to. I have no words to express this happiness over being permitted to share the stage with such eminent personalities and handover 'Tokens of Love' to our seniors. Thank you everyone! Namaste!''
Mr. Shaunak took the mic and said, ''Love is above all Mr. Agastya! You deserve to be here on the stage for all your contributions you have made and decorum you have maintained. Now, I would like to request our honourable chief guest and special guests to handover the certificates to our alumni. Please come on the stage when I call your names.''
Mr. Shaunak called Ma'am Sumati to speak a few words on the 51st convocation ceremony of the Vikram College.
She was an inspiration to all the youths for she reached the position of a mayor just at an age of twenty five. She spoke about the discretion between hard struggles and lovely experiences in life after graduation. At her conclusion, she willfully invited everyone to actively participate in the journey of transcending Bharata. '' In the age of 21st century, the calculations of labour efficiency and time hold a great importance in our life. The more skilled and dexterous pupils get engaged into the progressive vision of Bharata, the more quicker Bharata will lift up and lead the globe to be a better place to live on all bases.''
It was 1 p.m. in the day. The volunteers served water to all of the attendees and took care of them. The hall was almost filled up of the graduates and their guardians.
Mr. Shaunak, addressing to the assembly, once again requested the chief guest and special guest to provide the certificates and the black capes. He urged me and Aisha to join them and gift the 'Tokens of Love' to the graduates as they staged up upon call.
It was a cheering moment. Cheers for all of them who got the certificates of appreciation! Cheers to those who became the history of our college!
At the end session, Ma'am Sumati and I met in private.
Sumati: Nice picture Agastya! Now, you will be hanging on the walls of over thousand homes. But, you are already ruling over millions of hearts!
Me: Oh, thank you ma'am. Actually, we should keep practising what we are today.
Sumati: Now, what's your next plan? You keep bringing changes everywhere.
Me: Yes, ma'am. I do it because I want to be their choice. I want their liberation.
Sumati: I know that you are doing good for the people. But, this is democratic Bharata, Agastya!
Me: Ask this question to any poor guy that does s/he want me to make arrangements for his/her survival or s/he wishes to enjoy his/her so-called personal life? And then tell me what this Bharata is.
Sumati: And what about the rest half of the population?
Me: Take a look into their life ma'am. What kind of democracy do they enjoy?
Sumati: Yeah! They celebrate our age-old social structure with certain modifications.
Me: Ma'am, have you heard about Tapo-lok?
Sumati: In our hindu scriptures, this is said to be the abode of saints and sages!
Me: Democracy is perfect for Tapo-lok. It'd be better to say the only system of governance possible for Tapo-lok is democracy. I don't think you need any explanation.
Sumati: No, I understand it better.
Me: The government emphasizes on economic democracy and curtails the notions of political democracy. Do you think that politics and economics have no relations? We have discussed it earlier on the art of choice. Yet, people are poor at it but welfare is a must.
Sumati: You have to set an example for this.
Me: Thank you.
(Her eyes said that she was willing to help but she didn't speak for her limitations of a mayor.)