The plans of sending me to other city for engineering exam preparation had already been ruled out by one odd incident. When I was facing board exams, many fooled me by saying, it's just matter of passing 10th standard with good marks and your life will be easier. But the reality was; the struggle had just started to give life a stable configuration.
Though there was economic pressure, my parents wanted to send me in one of the prestigious school in the capital city; RAIPUR. Father was still incapable of walking without support, so I along with my mother went for the admission in that school. We boarded on the train in morning and it took four hours to reach the capital city.
It was the first time we were in that city, but with hardly any difficulty we finally reached the school, the big board in front of school read the name 'DEHLI PUBLIC SCHOOL'. I was bit exited for admission in that school, as one of mine classmate and best friend was already studying there from standard 9th and One more friend had taken admission there after completion of 10th standard.
I and my mother went inside the school to the admission desk just to meet disappointment. Only one seat was left for admission and even if there was more of that they didn't prefer anyone below 9 CGPA. That was the first time my mother actually felt that I had scored a bit less. She had put more than 10 reasons for my scores till we had reached to the railway station. All her words didn't bother me at all, as my mind was busy in thinking the food we will order as lunch in some restaurant before leaving the city. The excitement of being in restaurant and having food was even more than that I had it for my admission since I board on the train for the capital city. Soon we had lunch and we left for our city.
Now it was very certain that I would continue my intermediate from same school. The support I had in my school from my teachers was tremendous. They always did everything to install the confidence in me for being victorious in every step of life. Still only half of my mind was happy being back here, I had reasons for it and that were quite efficient ones.
My trusted partners had left the school and I was left with many of those with whom I hardly talked or had hardly anything in similar as per mentality is considered.
They were not just friend we were like a family, giving the steering a support whenever my eyes blinked, they always stood beside me irrespective of situation. From something as irrelevant as hair styles to relevant as examination preparation, I was used to of their suggestions irrespective of whether I needed it or not. Life always seemed easier with them, impossible aims for many was just matter of we all standing together. Being still smaller in age than 11th and 12th standard students we dominated every competition of school and dominated like nobody had done it previously at least at the that place.
It was matter of time when all the students started believing that we were out of their reach. I always believed that people with positive attitude could change the atmosphere around them. I felt it right when the teachers started discussing us in staffroom, calling us the best and the most disciplined class in the whole school. Though I think discipline was used as the synonyms for the word success, people can always find the discipline in success.
Everyone in the school were aware of the kind of talent that we had, no class went such that teacher would complete it without considering the name of at least one of us, as such was our effect.
In all of them I was inspired most by a girl; Farhat, a girl who had memorised every text of Quran, which was reason for all the inspiration she brought with her words. Understanding her was as complicated as the curls of her hair; the path she followed for doing anything was dilapidated as her tooth but always assured to reach the final destination. The only thing that never seemed complicated for me was her words which were as clear as anything in this world could be and touched every bit of my soul.
It was summer of 2009, our summer vacation was over. I was promoted to standard 7th. Being in my hometown for the vacation, I was five days late to school due to lack of reservations for coming back to Raigarh. Even if I had one day of school absent, it felt odd next day when I went to school. I reached in front of class and saw all of my classmates waiting, the door of our classroom was still closed, and all were waiting for the peon to open it. I looked for the faces which were more familiar to me than others. Four and five of them were chatting in a circle, they looked at me and welcomed, I shacked hand with all of them and extended the circle.
One of them brought lines on in forehead, broaden his eyes and started elaborating how much I had missed in the class, his expression were such that in these five days all the syllabus had been finished. One of them added to his part by telling me how many times teacher has asked for me in previous five day. The build up made by them let my awkwardness reach to its highest level.
They all find it as fun in making someone nervous like this. I too liked the same and had done this many times with others. So I was sure about their fake build up but a kind of uncertainty that what comment teacher will have on this made me bit nervous.
There was still delay in opening of door, Lochan; my one of classmate who had thinking similar to me as far spiritual topics was considered. When I joined the school he was a slow learner. But over a year he had evolved as a decent competitor.
He pulled my bag from behind in order to have my face towards him and said, 'Hey Sarvesh, do you know? A new admission had come in our class and her knowledge about everything is far better than you.'
'Really?' doubting his legitimacy, I asked while observing all the faces there.
Other guy replied, 'yes brother, she even answers more efficiently than you in class.'
With jealousy fed by them in my mind I asked, 'what's her name?'
'Farhat', one of them replied.
Peon came and opened the door and this proceeding almost went unnoticed by me, now all I was concerned about having a look of that girl who had strongly put her foot in mine area of dominance. Throughout the assembly more than prayers my mind was towards the girl's row, finding any new face there.
The commander instructed, school; standies, attention, standies, attention, join your hand, close your eyes and prayer begins. Prayer was over and it was term of national anthem, the commander again instructed, school; standies, attention, standies, attention, loudly and proudly national anthem begins. Don't know why but our principle furiously came in centre of stage, asked for a mike and controlling his anger he said 'give the command again' to the boy leading the assembly. He shouted, standies, attention, standies.
Stopping him in anger principal said, 'what is 'standies? Could you spell it?' Now there was a big silence. Only a keol dared in all of us to vibrate the vocal cord with sound of 'cooh'. Our Principal turned his face towards the assembly and asked, 'can anyone pronounce it correctly?' The silence continued. A powerful voice broke the silence and we I heard, sir it's stand at ease. All the heads in the school turned towards that voice. She was a lanky girl with curled hair in the back of our class girl's row.
Principle sir called her on stage a told her to again pronounce it in front of assembly, she came out of the row and moved towards the stage. Someone whispered from behind, 'She is Farhat.' The jealousy that grew for her while hearing praise for her by friends was now in a give up position by seeing her confidence with which she answered.
She went on the stage and pronounced it again but this time in a commanding voice, 'School; stand at ease, attention, stand at ease, attention, assembly disperse, first row turn around and move towards the class and others follow them.'
The assembly was over and we all came back to class, as I was to sit on the bench I saw the girl entering in the class like a boss. Confidence in the walking was enough for me to accept that boys were not wrong at all. But inside me I was in no mood of accepting her superiority. 'Her walking style is so odd, isn't it?' I passed comment to the friend sitting beside me. That guy laughed in return, which gave my jealousy a cool.
Teacher entered our class; he took our attendance and started a new topic in history, the medieval period. To every general question, Farhat was the first one to answer. The feeling of competition and shame was there, why I am not impressive as her? I questioned it to myself. Jealousy in me was now replaced by shame as matching her standard seemed difficult to me, but the internal desire of being superior to her was always there.
It was last period of our school that day, the games period. We waited all the day for it. We went to out sports room to get the bat and ball for playing cricket, we were unable to get that as the trunk in which bats were kept was locked and the teacher having the key was absent that day. We decided to play Frisbee, the rules we very simple for this, the person whose legs below the knee would be hit by Frisbee he would be out of the game and the last surviving one would be the winner.
We started the game, Farhat and one more girl classmate also desired to be part of it. I has happy about this as I saw it as opportunity of defeating her at least one point. I instructed all the boys to target Farhat so that we can out her of the game.
All the boys started doing the same but the first three attempts failed, this time Frisbee was in my hand and I ran behind her to get her out, she ran faster and in attempt of this, her foot got in an odd area and she fell down badly.
All the boys except me started laughing, as I was close to her I saw a minor bleeding in her knees, so it would have been bit too inhuman laughing at it. As she stood up I asked her to go to classroom. What she said that time is still one of the great inspirations in life, 'It's a minor pain, I want to play.' Even if you are a boy, after falling so badly I would expect you to cry and move out of the game. Her spirit of playing after that incident was true inspiration. After that incident the mentality of competition with her was over, now I just desired to learn as much I can from her.
In no time the similarity in our thought of being different and spirit of not giving up in any condition made us good friends. The way we supported each other often made her say me as brother from another mother. Every Rakshabandhan she would tie rakhi on my wrist, and without demand of any specific gift in return. That was the biggest favour any sister could give you on that day.
Once our E.V.S teacher gave us the project on natural disaster, she asked us to do this project by making group of three. I was one of the dearest students to ma'am. This was the only subject in which I was still stealing the show, so I wanted to give my best for the project. I made group with the friends whose homes were nearest to me for convenience of communication after the end of school.
Volcanic eruption was the most popular topic in our class. For this project the students took empty cylindrical hollow structure with closed base and made mountain like structure around it either by clay of by using thermo cols. Next they mixed baking soda and red colour in that hole in the upper part of mountain. In the next step they added vinegar to the mixture made earlier, this acid base reaction gave carbonic acid and sodium acetate. Carbonic acid further on decomposed in water and carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide formed raised to the top of the mixture. This created a view of bubble and foam coming out of the mountain, giving a nice elaboration of volcanic eruption. The competition in this project was just about how good you have made your mountain and the view around it.
I chose landslides in mountainous region. The idea behind the project was very simple. I made big paper balls with newspaper and glued it in the form of mountain, some of the paper balls were loosely glued and thread was attached to it. The whole mountain was surrounded by houses and roads around it, on pulling the thread of loosely glued paper balls, all the loosely bound paper balls started falling down and destructing the houses and vehicles passing by the road. There was no something extraordinary about the model the main factor for getting good marks was explanation of topic and beauty of the model.
When I unveiled the project to the classmates they found it interesting after being bored by all sort of volcanoes. Farhat, who had also made a volcano, found my model bit less attractive than others said about it. She started decorating the mountains and surroundings with the material which was left with her or she found the things which were excess in her model. After her efforts my model was looking too attractive to the eyes.
My E.V.S teacher who already rated me as one of his favourite student was very impressed with my presentation of that model. She granted us the marks which were two less than what Farhat got. The way she helped me and her reaction even after getting less marks than me became the base foundation of, how today I get inspired for helping someone without any interest of own in that.
Her influence in my life grew with every inspiration, which I got from her. Her father was a branch manager in SBI and his transfer lead Farhat to move another city and made all of us missing her badly. And it made a reason less for being in that school.
The second reason was my own stupidity, which once brought me in unexpected trouble. From the beginning of joining M.V.M, I had good relation with most of the schoolmates' just a year senior to me. Some of the senior girls and boys were studying in same coaching centre where I had joined for improving my English. I knew them even before getting admission in my school, which gave me opportunity of making friendship with them and their friends. Few of them lived near my home. We always shared good memories while travelling by same bus and while waiting for bus at our stoppage.
It was the first time I was standing on the bus stop near a shop named 'gold and silver palace', few of them also came to the same stop. I was very happy after watching some familiar faces on the first day of schooling, before their arrival the faces in the big poster in the theatre just opposite of the bus stop of movie 'Love story 2050' starring Priyanka chopra and Harman baweja were the only known faces around. 'Love story 2050' was the first movie which I ever saw in a theatre just a week ago. My father always restricted the source of our entertainment only till what is necessary. He always avoided watching movies in front of us and news channels were being made our default choice. But by someone he heard about concept of time machine in the movie and decided to watch movie with whole family in hope of giving us inspiration of the invention of time machine in somewhere near future. The movie didn't satisfy father's hope as it was a pure love story without anything scientific in it. But that movie remained my favourite for a long time as the impressions of watching something on big screen dominated my mind.
Our friendship kept increasing with every passing day. Soon we were frank enough for cracking any kind of joke on each other. This frank behaviour once cost me friendship with a senior living in my neighbourhood, when I trolled her excessively about her boyfriend. Other than that exception nothing affected our friendship with each other.
Once while returning from school we were in mode of enjoyment. I had missed to get a seat where my group was sitting so I requested a girl for giving me her place who was sitting with one of my friend. She clearly refused doing so. I didn't like her attitude and trolled her for wearing specks. She was fuming and warned me of telling all this to his brother. I didn't care about that and said, 'Do whatever you can, from today onwards you will get any seat in front.'
Next day when I was coming to my class after washing hand, I saw that girl going to filling her water bottle and taunted, 'Where is your brother? I thought he will come to me after your complain about me.' She went her class without replying anything to me.
I too moved towards my class but before I could enter my class three lanky and a short heighted but heavy boy came inside my classroom and confirmed my name. 'How did you dare to warn my sister about breaking her specks,' the short heighted boy asked furiously. That girl had added few words more than what I had said to her for making complain effective. His brother was not ready to accept any of my explanation and one of his friends raised me up by my collar and slapped me under my ears while doing so his bracelet rushed with my ears and left it bleeding. Before they could do any further damage, a senior named 'Aman' came there for rescuing me from the trouble. He was always polite to me unlike other senior boys. He removed everyone from there and let me free from their grasp.
Seeing my ears bleeding, two of my classmates rapidly went to office and brought first aid box. One started binding bandage on my ear and other lost her toughness to fill her eyes with tears. The only girl who later scored 10 CGPA in our class; I thought Meghna always cared of me as her brother more than hes own, if she had any. Few boys along with Aman were still outside the class and were watching all this happen. They were too surprised by so much of care. While returning to home, Aman asked, 'Why girls of your class favour you so much?' I had no answer for that. Like every day my mother was cooking in the kitchen when I reached to home, for my bleeding ear I gave excuse of slipping on ground which had turned slippery due to heavy rain.
Next day more than me my friends were in angry state of mind. They come to me and said, 'How he dared to warn you?'They all gathered around his class to warn him back. Before anything could happen, observing the chance of something unwelcoming one of our teacher marched toward us. This scene was soon over, but it was caught in eyes of few more teachers. In no time all the scene was in the mind of not only nearly every student but also few teachers including my E.V.S teacher who cared the most about me. Suddenly after this incident their behaviour started changing towards me and it seemed I am losing all the love that I had earned by my hard work and discipline in last 5 years. In the classroom I used to share my bench with Rohit, with whom once I made the E.V.S project. Once our biology teacher asked a question in class, the boy next to me knew the answer and started elaborating it. In a furious voice teacher said, 'stand up and answer'. After the completion of answer instead of praising teacher suggested him, 'By having friendship with wrong people don't learn indiscipline from them' this was the last comment I would have ever desired to hear.
Though getting smashed by those boys was very humiliating but on thinking the incident with calm mind later I found it helpful towards my increased simplicity and decreased heroism. The unnecessary heroism which could have put me in any serious trouble in later stage of life had been suppressed and excessive simplicity replaced it. But anger and disappointment on those faces who once liked me stole all my courage of facing them again. Idealism was what they wanted from me and probably I had put my steps on the path I shouldn't have. I wanted a new start and again going to that school was never going to provide me this at all.