It has been around 13 month,but I still remember that night
. There was nothing miracle happened at that particular night, but still it had
an ample reasons to keep in my memory in somewhere deep inside my soul. A
dejected man, leaving a degree programme just after one month of joining of college, had
to face the things in totally undiscovered
land that too when time was already jesting at him.
This story is of 3rd September, 2011.Before coming to Night, you
are yet to be familiar with forces which made it to happen on that particular
Night .I still remember the date 13th feb, 2011, perhaps not only date ,it’s the
reminiscence to all those days which witnessed my Endeavor to Crack the gate-2011.
I never admire myself till the moment when I do something
far ahead of my caliber and this time I did.
Sleepless night, hunger less days did not pay me this time and result
was far-2 below than my standard. A Cherishing surrounding turned as a mournful
for me. Niggling words all around were ample to take away the faith from me. A
reverential effort turned out to be a frivolous one for others. But at sudden, l
got an interview call on the date of my farewell .It was for the course which I
dreamed for. A dawn after so many time, gave me enough courage to go to
gandhinagar and face the task. I did well there and show was up to the mark
there. An austere face ,which it had been there from last 6 months has started to
turn as smiling one. I found place as the serendipity one for me. After the few
days, the result was declared and was in my favor. I smiled but chortle was
still miles away from me. But still, a grinning gesture is always better than the
austere one and it certainly leaded to at least or say at max finish my task
before I could had been forced to stay at college more. With perpetual
shoulders of pals, I any how contrived to do so.it was 10th
june when I finally ended my undergrad days. loads of luggage did not bother me
as I had pals to move ahead with me . The departing day realized me that I
still had bit of emotions in me. My friend had tears in their eyes but i did
nt. May be It had been dried after Gate.
I reached at home. I had around 1 months and 20 days to
rejuvenate me. I endeavored for it and
finally concluded to face gate again. It was not for the sake of others, it was
just for the sake of my-self.it was just to bring self confidence back in me.
So I started studying little bit and slowly-2 the day of departure came. This
time I had tears, I was packing again but this time for new destination. I had
the train to ferry me but not the traveler to travel with. I reached there and my family was there with
me to help me to get settled.After settling me there, my family started going
back. As my mom tells me that this is the first time when i looked back while
seeing them off at gate. She got an intuition with my this reaction. A good
flat mates, a better living conditions did not help me to get settled in new surrounding
there. May be the austere face was still carried by me there. Some subjects of
my apathy were making thing harder for me and bit of Gate pertinent studies
were only reveling things for me. After around 1 month i.e.at around 29th
august, thought struck in my mind ..Why
don’t I leave this place??? An
unsmiling face since 13th February was certainly emboldening me to
do so. Loss of 1 year or more, seemed insignificant for me. During all those
interrogation of mine, a deep faith of me came in front strongly and told “first of all you deserve to be happy in any
case, and without happiness you would be just able to be alive here but not be
able to live here..and yes, you can!!
Just those damn three hours can’t have
the privilege to take away your smile”. After winning over myself, I had
three foremost important tasks for me. First one was to convince my family. For
any family, children smile is always most prominent things they try to have it.
Mothers have the beautiful privilege to feel the emotions of her children even
if they are far away and when I called home to seek their permission in my
already made decision, I found that they were familiar with it and their this
familiarity did benevolence on me to do this task in one day. Then there after
, yet another task was there, That was
to convince my pals which was toughest for me. After having hours of
discussions, hell lot of talks among friends, I was able to move ahead. Now the
third task was for me to bind up the thing as early as possible. I did so but
with a goof and that was telling a lie to teacher who sympathized with me on my
lie!!! However later on, I told the truth but this lie still reproaches me and
seem long lasting for me. While I was about to contrive my ticket for my
hometown suddenly I got a call from one my senior , enquiring about that
whether someone is free in batch-mates to join a college as post o lecturer in
dehradoon!!! It was a miracle for me and I replied positively without wasting
second. So now Destination was clear to me, it was dehradoon. Now I again had
to manage the ticket for new destination. Any how, I managed to get to ticket
from Vadodra to dehradoon. Vadodra
was around 100 K.m. from my present
stay. So after binding up, yet again dreadful task was waiting for me. I had
the ticket of 3rd September.
On 2nd September’s night , I just walked to ATM
to ensure the balance in my account…and came with epiphany that I lost 2000 Rs!!!damn! a person who just earned rs. 8000 through his
teaching assistance ship of a month, has lost 25% of his income without being
assurance of the date that when he is going to get the some other one!!! I was
about to leave for new place and accommodation, fooding were hardly going to
help me in saving the rest one!!! So
this was the foremost problem which I faced before leaving the Gandhinagar.I
returned back to hostel..i still remember that I hardly had the nap over the
whole night. Next day was the Saturday and I reached the bank at 9:30 to ensure
that I must be the first one who’s problem should be taken in account by the
employee. Yes , they responded positively and started working over it. They
Tracked sequence of my withdraw and found that I with drew 2000 Rs. From a ATM
near to my hostel on Thursday night?? I was seriously amazed as I did not do
that!!! I told my ATM Password to 2 of my flat mates and they were the only one
who were knowing about this.One of them was in urgent need of money that too was
of Rs 1500, but he did this?? that was not the thing to digest for me. I just
keep remembering my Pantnagar days when between our pals, we usually remembered
the Others ATM pin than the our one but still everything was too clear for us.
But those golden days had gone and I need to get back to hell i.e. present
situation for me. So at around 2:p.m. I got the check from no due department of
rs 22000, but damn! I was in need of
cash right now , cheque was never going to take me out of hell. So overall, I
had rs 3000 as a cash. I told about this is to my family member later on at 2:00 p.m.
but as it was Saturday , so passing of closure time of bank did not let them
help me financially. After all my calculation I came to conclusion that It
might be sufficient for me if I deposit the check early at Monday morning. So
game was still in my hand . My train(no 12287, Kochuveli-ddn express) was at
21:52 p.m.in night from vadodara so I planned to leave my hostel at around 4:00
p.m I thought that at least while I will be finalizing the things, my flat
mates would get a auto for me to drop me
to the bus station, but they preferred to sleep or going to play football . It
hurt me but not in that amount to get me take out my tears which I had kept in
side of me after arriving in gandhinagar. I finally managed to book an auto at
rs. 110 .My room was at third floor.even at the date of arrival ,it took me
around 30 minutes to shift in room from ground floor. Auto driver was waiting
for me out side and continuously screaming that these delay going to cost him
more than the what he is going to get through this ferry but I being too busy
in carrying the luggage from top to bottom, refused to pay attention over it
and after half an hour, I finally came out. I left with no one with me to seeing me off. I was
out of campus. I was out of hell. Night was coming towards me.
I left the place at around 4:00 p.m.It took around one hour
to get me dropped to Bus station. Meanwhile in between all those times, I was
just thinking I am again going to face a
drop year now. This was the last thing , what I had ever wished at end
of my college and ultimately It happened. I was getting what I never wished to
have it, but I was happy. Coming out of that place was making me more pleasant
one than the thinking about what I actually I got. Between all those thoughts,
I forgot to notice Ahemdabad’s road side culture last time. Ahemdabad is
certainly a good city to live with some beautiful culture all around. At time, I
was bit curious to be the part of “garba” as it was due in coming weeks but this epiphany seriously did not let me
think anything but to come out of hell. Finally I arrived at bus station. But
here I had to pay for the time when i kept auto driver on hold. He dropped me
just at the gate and ticket counter was just on opposite side of that one of
busiest road of Ahemadabad. I had one trunk, one bag, three carton, one trolley
bag with me. It was certainly containing all my degree certificates, my all
necessary things of life. I could not dare to leave my luggage here and cross
the road to buy the ticket. So again I had to book a rickshaw wala to get me
dropped there . As he had to take whole circle he stuck to charge 50 rs. For it. I
tried hard to low it down but I surrendered finally. He dropped me there and
went back with jesting over me on my condition. Again where he dropped me and
where the ticket counter was , had a distance of around 50-60 mt. and I think
it was enough for stealing my things and as que was too long, it was not like
just to go, collect and comeback . So I had to again pick my luggage, bestow it
near counter and meanwhile keep eyes on other luggage. I did so and finally got
a ticket too. it was of Rs. 80 and that
was of ahemdabad to vadodara superfast bus service. I remained glued to my
luggage while waiting for bus to come at station. Bus came. I started to enter
there but the conductor came and told “ it is not allowed to travel with this
much of luggage in super fast bus . Maximum one bag is allowed and you are
carrying 6!!!! So you better stay here and wait for ordinary bus to come”. I
enquired “how much time the ordinary one would take to reach vadodara”?? He replied
“2.5 hours to 3 hours”!! It was already 5: 45 P.M. and an ordinary bus would
certainly take another 30 mins to 45 mins to be here,
that means I would be there at bus station around 9 to 9:30 p.m.
holy crap!! My train is at 9:50..no way I am not going to let this bus go anyhow.
As conductor was in full mood to not to help me, I noticed the driver to be
Shrewd one. I went to him and asked him to intervene, he told to do so but asked
something in return!! I offered him 100 rs. But then he asked same for
conductor , so I tepidly gave him Rs.100 more . I had not even sit on the bus
and still I had spent rs. 500. Tensions streak started coming on my forehead.
But any how I managed to sit in bus and started my journey. I was on a way to
Vadodara.!
“musibatein and khushiyan jab bhi aati hain , khub dher
saari aati hain.”- famous saying in
hindi, started proving true as I moved ahead. I asked to conductor that I had
to go to railway station then would it be alright to leave the bus at scheduled bus
station?? He replied negatively and told I would have to step down somewhere at middle to go to station. I again
asked him to tell me where I need to leave the bus to reach the station , this
time he replied positively. But as I entered in vadodara , it started raining
heavily. I prayed to god to stop this before conductor ask me to step down. But
God had been extremely reluctant towards me that year and this time, he did the
same. In fact at the time of my steeping down, clouds started roaring with
higher amplitude which was frightening me up to deep inside of my heart. But I
did not have any other way so stepped down on the road . Paying Rs.200 as bribe helped this time too as
conductor also stepped down to help me to take out my all luggage from the bus.
He helped but left me on the road in an open air atmosphere which was still
full with heavy rain.It was a feeling of getting lost in the world with no shelter. I was drenched so was my luggage. Thank god! I kept my certificates inside the trunk.
So this rain was not affecting those one. I sighed and started calling the auto
rickshaw. Mean while rain was continuously pouring me.after 5 minutes, 3 auto
rickhshaw came and looking at my condition they immediately realized that it is
a good chance to earn maximum from me.Station was just 5 K.m. but they asked
Rs. 200..i growled and told “go, I don’t
need your help”. This growling brought bit sense in them and one of them told
me that “come inside, i would drop you at Rs 110.”This amount was also not the
apt one but this continuous pouring did not let me to wait for another 10
minutes. I loaded the auto with my luggage and any how , I managed to sit at
remaining place. As I was going to board on the train which was scheduled to
reach ddn by 11:30 p.m. in the night so I had to have quick dinner before
boarding. I told this to auto driver and
asked him to drop me at hotel which is
very near to station. He did so. Dropped me at the restaurant which was just in
front of railway station. But again hotel manager did not allow me to come
inside with this amount of luggage. I
asked him the alternative and he told go to that paanwala and ask him to look
after the luggage till you finish your dinner. Pay him rs 10 for it. It was a
do or die situation for me as 21:52 was near now. I did same and any how finished
the dinner with bill of rs. 60. So over all I finished my dinner at 9:00 p.m.
and now its time to move ahead towards station.
Again same problem came to me that how to cross the this
busy road with this amount of luggage?? This time I had a option to have coolie
and I called so . He came and saw my no. of luggage. As my train was scheduled
to come on platform no- 3 which was on other side of entrance and with this
much luggage, he had to bring a trolley. He agreed to do so, I asked “how
much”??he told “300!!!”I looked at him disdained manner but that did not affect
him little bit. I told ”its too much” , he told “250 rs is quite genuine with
trolley and rs 50 for taking me to the way where police w’nt interrupt me.” I
told "why I need to run away from police??” he told with this much of luggage
,you should have payment for your luggage which I am sure you w’nt be having.”
He glittered with this sentence and I just could have the feeling that if you are
in need people seldom leave any opportunity to make benefit over it.i was just
remembering my departure from Pantnagar. Presence of Pals never let situation
to get this much hard for me. But again I was short with time span , I
surrendered again. He did so with jest on his face and I just had tears on my
eyes. This was the first time when I had been caught in such situation. Having
that much of luggage, had turned as a
sin for me. While walking through plate form ,
I just checked my ticket to confirm coach no.. It was
S3. Ok, then I just checked the stoppage time there in
vadodara.Departure: 21:52 p.m. , arrival
: 21:50 P.m.!!!! just 2 minutes of stoppage!!! Would I ‘ll be able to board
alone on train with this much of time span?? Certainly the answer was no with
having this much of luggage. I again caught in situation . I again had to talk
to that coolie and again he found it lucrative one for him and added additional
100 rs. I thought let fix him first and see if would get any other one I would
certainly let him go.
I finally reached at platform and stared enquiring about
the train. No one knowing this train which
was scheduled to arrive within few
minutes . I ran towards enquiry counter to enquire the position and
simultaneously messaged my friend to look at status at internet. I asked at enquiry counter about position. He
replied “no information!!!!” I asked “has it been canceled?” he told “no”. I
asked “when it is expected to come?” he replied “no information, at minimum
after 4 hours!!!” I was shocked !!
suddenly my friend messaged me “yr, days are certainly not in your favor, train
has caught in some heavy rainfall in south and its route has been largely
diverted..the only good thing for you is that it would certainly pass through
vadodara, but time is very uncertain one” I was shocked again , remembering
that what sin I had done in near past that god has turned this much ruthless
over me??i returned back to platform and found an empty bench to sit and put
my luggage near by it. I told to coolie that I would give you whole money till
you help me in boarding. He agreed with tepid response. I hardly cared for
this. Finally I had a seat after few so much rushed hours.
It was 10:00 p.m. and I preferred to have walk over platform with having sip of tea.
I interacted with some people , had a discussion till their train came and they
moved their ways.i called to home and told them about my situations. Gharwale
aapko kina pyaar kar sakte hain , iski koi limit ni hoti hai. My mother started
crying after seeing me trapped in that situation. My father who just came there
at home after having successive meetings ,all his tiredness flew off and he started talking me and emboldening
me to face conditions . He started to check his phone directory that if he
could find any contact in vadodara who can help me in the situation. My
sisters, leaving her preparation started
trying to give me courage n every possible way. At 11 :00 p.m., it got
clear that my train is not going to reach vadodara till morning.i told it to
everyone important for me, I stuck in situation. If I could not have that much of luggage , I could
have certainly gone to some hotel and have stay there for a night. But after
all hardship which I had to do for coming
here, it did not allow me to go back. Coolie
got back to me to have that money. I gave him his due till now that was rs.
300.Now I had Rs 2000 in my pocket and I
would certainly had to limit my expenses now as I had not even boarded to train
and had already spent Rs. 1000. At 11:30, my father called me as he finally
managed to get one contact, he was just going to call, but I made him to stop
as I did not want anyone to be waken up so late in night and had to come to me
without his wish. My father tried to convince me as I was in bit shortage of
money but I refused it in courteous way as all this was happening because of my
decisions and I would have to pay for it. I told them about my present status
to train and my mom started crying more heavily now. My father and sister consoled
her and I cut the phone. I asked the coolie if he could be here to help me in
boarding. He told, he will be here at my service but I would have to give 100
rs. right now!! I tried to contact another coolies but after seeing me old customer
of their partner , no one got interested over the deal. I gave him rs.100 and ensure that if train comes till 7:00 a.m. ,he will do the task. It had been
1:00 a.m. now. There at home, my family member divided duty among them and duty
was to call me at an hour interval to check me whether I am alright, so in
other words, they also refused to sleep properly if I am awake!!!at 2:00 a.m.
the shopkeeper who was the only source to have tea there, left and I was alone.
I sat back at bench, took out book of Fluid mechanics to pass my time with
it. I did so but for very short span of time.
Its 3:00 a.m. now. Just flashback of my undergrad days
started to come. It made me grin, it
made me cry , it made me to proud, it made me to be scapegoat. Just a Flashback
from 22nd july 2007 to 3rd September 2011!This flashback
continued up to 4:00 am then I had a nap. While sleeping , I kept each o my
hand over two cartoons, put my leg over trunk, locked trolley bag with my bench
and used another bag as my pillow. The cartoon which was left ,I kept it
between trunk and my bench. I slept up to 6 :30 till that coolie woke me up and
told me about his departure as his duty was only up to 6:00 am. And as there was no
signal of train to come, he told that he is going . I asked what about keeping
my luggage in train , he told that what can he do now as he waited for me. I looked at him in disgusting manner but that
did not help us in either way. He told “why don’t you book another coolie for
it??!!! “ I asked “ I would have to give
him another 100 rupess??” he said affirmatively and I surrendered again. New coolie
was fixed. I was just wondering that i had not even boarded on train and how
much more I would have to suffer before leaving this place. I again missed my
friend, but at second moment, came back to reality.I again had to wait ,wait
and wait.
Finally announcement was
made of arrival of my train. It arrived at 8:20 am. I boarded in 1 minute , gave
another 100 rs note to that coolie and moved ahead. While seating on my berth, I
just had one thought “what if vadodara could not have been on list of diverted route??!!!”
PS: Surprisingly train stayed there at station up to 15
minutes!! And after my arrival to ddn , I
checked my balance, and I found that lost 2000 rs . had been returned back!!! The guy who had this , must had got some heart to return. But if he could not
stolen that money , then that night could certainly had been bit different one.
