romantic novel GANGA AND DEV part 2
Posted: 23 Jan 2017 18:16
‘maa....’ Dev stepped inside the home and called out his mother.
he could not see Savitri anywhere but Geeta maami was visible on the stairs.
‘...in the letter you had written that you will be the first to see me and see here ....everybody has seen me and you are disappeared’ Dev complained.
now Savitri was visible. She was wearing a nice red color saree. A mangalsutra and other gold ornaments was glittering in her neck. Gold bracelets with matching red colored bangles in the hand. Puja thali was litted with a lamp.
‘yes yes!.....see i am here!!’ Savitri smiled and stepped down stairs.
‘ ..i was just preparing pooja thali for you...son!.’ finally Savitri and Dev confronted each other.
Dev touched her feet. Savitri moved the pooja thali around Dev’s face and put a roli on his forehead. His face were shining with arti’s yellow light. Now aarti was completed. Savitri hugged Dev to her heart and for three long minutes she did not leave Dev.
‘ya! ya! ..i know you love me very much. But if you keep me hugging like this i will die of starving’ Dev joked.
Savitri wiped her tears and cleaned her eyes.
It was the night time. Dinner was prepared by the Dev’s loving caring Geeta maami. All members in the family gathered on the dining table. Food started as well.
‘Geeta!...bring the fish also’ Savitri asked. Dev had returned from Delhi so there was non-vegetarian food was prepared today. Chicken was spicy and juicy. Fish was quite good tasted dicto like butter. This special fish had a supply in Goshala from Andra Pradesh. A sweet water fish.
‘maami...i love you..
‘i must say food is good.!’ Dev praised food.
Savitri was pondering something and when Dev finished she started..
‘son!....why you live in Delhi??.....what is there son??’
‘whenever you come from Delhi you become so weak and thin’
‘now no more Dilli-villi now’ she disliked the idea of living in Delhi.
Dev listened.
‘son!.....i think Delhi is not suitable place to live. You know how much crime has increased in Delhi. Every day there are murders, pickpocketing, robberies....and see that road accidents...that happen each day’ Savitri was very worried.
‘ hunn!..’ Dev listened.
Few weeks ago a metro brigde was collapsed at kailash colony and many workers died in mishap. Savitri had seen the news on tv..so she was much bothered for Dev.
‘ok....tell me clearly....what you want to say maa??’ Dev asked.
Savitri started...
‘Betaa......i had talked your father’
‘he was saying that if you pursue a b.ed course here .....easily you can get a nice job in our very own Goshala.
‘you don’t need to go out of Goshala anymore’ Savitri said.
‘....and after that we will search a nice girl for you and will get you married’ Savitri told her blue print plan.
‘hey! hey! hey ma!.....course is ok but right now i don’t want to get married’ Dev shouted.
‘okk!...okk!...son you don’t get married but pursue this course’
‘...now tell me will you do it???’ Savitri asked with lot of love buttering him
‘ok...’ Dev finally got agreed.
After some weeks b.ed forms were applied. Dev filled the form. Went to Barabanki and took the entrance exam.
2 months later
shivalai
There was a very special kind of temple dedicated to Lord Shiv in the small place of Goshala. People called it ‘shivalai’ in local.
According to the mythology in the times of mahabharat when dishonest and crooked Kauravas decepted Pandavas in the poker game and expelled them from Hastinapur and punished them with agyatvas for twelve long years.
During their exile Pandavas travelled across India and reached the place that is now called Goshala. Now the eleven years were completed but one year was still remaining. For the pandavas it was utmost important to live without any recognition. So Bheem, Nakul, Shahdev, Yudhistir and Arjun along with Draupdi and Kunti built this temple of Lord Shiv which is now called the ‘Shivalai’ in Goshala.
They worshipped the Lord and asked boon not to be recognised by anyone.
Lord pleased and whole agyatwas fulfilled successfully. Pandavas retained their kingdom.
Some years ago a team of archeologist from Delhi came Goshala to explore the old but important monuments of ancient times and they discovered this mega temple of ‘Shivalai’.
In few times this developed into a most sacred place of Goshala and devotees turned to this temple to fulfil thier wishes. Whenever elections held politicians lined up to worship Shiv to win the elections. Whenever someone needed job he/she came to Shivalai to get the job.
And of course in our very own BHARATVARSHA when a married couple did not get a son after their many years old marriage eventually they turned to Shivalai to get a son.
Dev was a devotee of Lord from his childhood. He always cried to visit the temple whenever Savitri went to worship. I remembered.
Today he had came to secure a seat in B.ed exam.
He ran to the stairs and stepped one hundred fifty stairs of temple in one breath.
‘ahh....ooo....’ now he was panting. His breathes were running fast.
‘ohh!...son...what is so hurry??....take a rest then go to temple’ the old caretaker pujari of the temple said when he saw Dev. He knew Dev from his childhood.
‘no!....nothing panditji’
‘my result is just going to declare.......thatswhy i am feeling awkward. Like i am pregnant and soon going to give birth a baby. Now that miliion dollar question is wheather i will get a girl or a boy’ Dev said.
‘ha!....ha!....ha!.....Dev. You are very joking’
‘Son!....of course you will have a boy’ panditji assured him and smiled.
Dev sighed.
It was sharp 10’ O clock. Shrine was loaded with number of devotees. Dev bought a kit which contained milk, flowers, garland, belpatri and other things.
Dev entered the chambor. Put the milk on the cylinder shaped Lingam and offered flowers to lord.
‘hey!!.....Shiv!.....today my B.ed result is going to declare. Please get me a good rank yaar. If i failed in the entrance exam everybody will laugh on me’ Dev said. I saw.
When at evening result was declared Dev earned a very good rank plenty to get him a good college .
15 days later
Luck and Destiny
Kalicharan University, Lucknow.
month of July.
tip!..tip! of the rain.
dham! dham! of the clouds.
cham!..cham!. of the silver bracelet on the women’s feets running on the streets to save themself from rain.
..... and tam!..tam! of the running cars.
North Indian monsoon was in full swing. Dark serpant clouds surrounded all Lucknow sky and it rained its best. On the roads people were escaping to save them to wet but they were partially successful. And this was the most awaited day when it was the counselling day of Dev’s b.ed course.
Dev took an auto and reached the university.
All candidates’s were lined up with the umbrellas. Dev took the coupon. Waiting after two long hours now it was the moment when he was about to be called for counselling. Dev had locked five colleges.
‘Dev kashyap!’ peon called loudly.
‘yes sir!’ Dev adjusted his documents, holded his file tighty in his fist and enter the hall.
A big fat heavy bumped lady was the counsellor. She was wearing a salwar kurta but it consumed five times more cloth compare to a saree as i calculated. Her fingers were running on the keyboard of computer swiftly like we put butter on the bread with knife. I noticed.
Now Dev’s heart was beating very fast. It was the final time when that elderly aged women will tell him the college name where he has to study for a year to earn B.ed degree.
‘Mr. Dev you get..........Lal Bahadur Shastri Degree college, Raaniganj’ she told on the upper side of her spects.
suddenly Dev got a jolt.
‘no!..no! madam!....i don’t expect this college. I had filled Nandini nagar degree college that one which is in Nawabganj’ Dev yelled.
‘see....Mr. Dev....in the form you had written that you hold NCC certificate. But here you did not enclosed that copy so your five numbers has been deducted by the department. You rank is decreased to 39000 and now you get this college’ she told with lot of patience and released the breath.
‘madam!!!...’ Dev leaned on her and said
‘i am really sorry i forgot my cerificate!’ forgetful Dev said.
‘sir....i can understand you...but we have to follow rules. Now you have to study in this college for full...one year year!’ she told obligation.
Dev frowned.
‘...but madam...the place where you are sending me to study...there is only cows and baffoloes. How i will stay in that rustic place for a full long years??’ Dev asked.
‘sir!...i am afraid you have to see that cow dungs and all shit if you want to pursue this course the very this year’ she told the obligation.
Dev could not think what to do.
‘you...want it or not??...you have fiveminutes’ she asked in heavy voice.
‘O shit!!!....if i returned home without a college what mom will think...and rest of the family will certainly laugh on me’ Dev pondered.
‘ok...give me’ Dev agreed finally.
she pressed the enter button on computer...and a paper came out of the printer....
‘Lal Bahadur Shastri Degree College, Raaniganj, Goshala (UP)’ Dev read.
‘welcome!!....the hell of this Raaniganj...Dev!’ he congratulated to himself in annoyance. i observed.
Luck and Destiny are two different things. One can change his luck by his deeds..but destiny!......destiny is something which is called unchangeable.
Dev was completely ignorant that what was going to happen in his life. His life will never be the same again. Twin sister of Luck and Destiny were waiting eagerlessly for him..but he was unfamiliar to them.
I invisioned the future.
7 days later
class
This was a big rectangular shaped college, rural place so no shortage of land as in cities. Its main entrance gate was made with many semi circular designs all over like any temples entrance point.
Tall coconut similared palm trees were planted all over the college premises. There were many departments like Arts, science, commerce, agriculture , B.ped and B.ed department. All courses were mentioned on a wall. Dev read carefully.
‘excuse me!!’ a girl called him.
Dev turned back.
‘could you please tell me where B.ed class take place??’ she asked. A pink colored salwar suit on her body. She was short heighted. small face....single toned slimmed body....white complexion very much similar like old times actress sridevi.
Blue five petaled artificial tops on her ears. Dev gazed.
‘i too searching for that one’ Dev answered.
‘.......lets go together and find that’ she said
‘i am Dev....Dev Kashyap’ Dev introduced himself.
‘i am Gayatri Sahu’ Gayari told.
‘i have come from Lalitpur....some distance away from this place’ she told
‘ok!’ Dev nodded.
class started. It was a rumour that all new students will have to face ragging. So Gayatri was little afraid.
‘Dev.....can you please sit with me. If you will be together i could be saved from ragging??’ sridevi perplexed.
‘yaa!!’ Dev agreed.
Like we had expected no ragging happened. A circular was released in the college that if a student senior or junior is caught taking raaging a police complain will be filed against him in Raaniganj police station. So due to fear no ragging could take place.
It was sharp 10’ O clock in the morning and class started.
A long seven feeted nearly fourty year old man came to take our class at the first day. He had a formal white shirt and black pant on him.
‘so....you are here to become a teacher?....a relaxing chair sitting job under the fan.....nice salary......no hardwork.....is this all you are expecting??’ he asked seeing to the whole class. He was a quiet serious looking professor.
All student silent. no movement. all were just wanted to understand what kind of person he is?.
‘.....in whole Uttar pradesh five lacs candidates have done this course. They did not get the job. They got married and got children. Their children also completed this course but no job at cards’
‘what you say about it???’ he pointed his fingers to Dev.
Dev got up.
‘sirr......i have no idea about it’ Dev stammered.
‘sit down!!’ he said in tough voice like shut a door with heavy noise.
Dev sat down.
His personality matched mostly a villanious character. His eyes were red like he was addicted to some kind of drugs. Dev anticipated.
‘.....you girl!....can you manage fifty naughty small children who are completely uncontrollable and does not listen the teacher at any cost??’ he then pointed to Gayatri.
Gayatri stood up.
‘sir....i will try my best’ poor lean thin girl Gayatri hesitated and anyhow confronted the strict professor.
‘sit down!’ he shouted once again.
Gayatri took her seat.
‘....tomorrow when we will meet you must be gone through the first chapter’
‘any question???’ he asked threatening enough to fear all students.
‘..no sir!!!!’ all replied in one go.
‘listen Gayatri.....this is class....a jail or an army place. He will kill us if we bunked his class’ Dev discussed.
‘Devv....i think we need to focus more at his subjects. Otherwise he may fail us in the exams’ Gayatri wispered.
‘Yes’ Dev agreed.
Ganga
next day. Dev reached the college. He had reached some minutes earlier. No students had arrived by this time. He noticed a piece of paper on a desk
‘Ganga Modanwal’ was written on it when Dev read that piece of paper.
‘...perhaps a girl forgot his counselling letter’ Dev kept it with himself.
next day. In the class a girl was crying making a lot of noise. Round shaped true Indian shaped faced. Two gold earrings in both ears, big eyes, a gold small keel on nose. She was crying with hanky in her hands. It disturbed the entire class. She was wearing a black colored salwar suit.
Gayatri giggled when she observed her crying.
Dev took his seat next to Gayatri.
‘arrey... Gayatri...who is this girl??’ Dev asked.
‘....she is someone named..Ganga..as i know. Yesterday she came to college and lost her counselling letter somewhere and now the college administration are not listing her on the attendence register’ Gayatri told.
‘arey!..Gayatri...i have her counselling letter’
Dev took out the letter, went to Ganga and handed her over the letter.
‘dhanyawad..(thank you)’ she showed her gratitude in hindi.
In the class all boys were asked to get a white shirt pant and all girls were asked to come in sky blue colored saree.
One week later. Dev went to college in white shirt pant and all girls in faded sky blue colored saree. This decreased the amusement of the class as it looked so much conservative to wear dress all six days.
‘what the hell??.....’
‘I am twenty six and still i had to wear this bullshit dress??’
‘In mba i wore dress and see now i have to wear it once again??’....what the badluck???’ Dev got irritated.
There were total four compulsory papers in the course. Two were optional. Dev chose Geography and English. But there was a problem as all students belonged to the rural area so they avoided English and took other subject.
‘..excuse me....have somebody taken English here??’ Dev asked in the whole class.
luck by chance a women had choosen English. Her name was Sangeeta Dixit. She was wearing a green saree, mangalsutra in neck. Yellow sindoor in middle of her hairs.
‘Ohh....thank God!!’ Dev left a sigh of relief.
Dev introduced himself. Both filled the exam forms.
Mangal Pandey
As the class started days passed very quickly. Soon a new teacher joined the B.ed department. His name was Mangal Pandey.
no!..no! he was not any freedom fighter of 1857 who freed Indians from the clutches of Britishers. He was a very tall handsome man having wife and two sweet duaghters. He was the most liked teacher in the department. He never scolded students.
‘..see guys!....don’t make noise’
‘..If you want to talk .....mutely. Your voice should not go out of the class’
‘.....and if you want to have your tiffins you can have it simultaneously’ he would smile and say to students.
Mangal Pandey was seven feet long. Each day he wore different colorful sweater. All boys noticed his fashionable clothes as he entered the class. All boys and girls like him most and showed their respect by standing up to greet him.
Apart from the basic B.ed syllabus he discussed various topics like ‘moksha’, ‘liberation of the soul’ etc. He was always very receptive to gain the knowlege. He loved Dev very much and discussed many other things of higher knowlegede. I found.
‘sir!.....Dev want to sing a song for you’ naughty Gayatri got up and told.
‘Ohh....why not??’
‘you can sing a song for me!’ he nodded. .
Initially Dev shied but later on recited the song....
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
jaagey nagar saareey....
jaagay hai ghar sareey...
jaagaa hai ab har gaaoonnn...
jagey hai ped aur jaagi hai kaliyann....
aur jaagi hai pedonn ki chaaoonn....
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
A wave of clapping ran across the class for this song for Dev. I found.
‘see!....Gayatri my story is published in newspaper’ Dev was very happy. It was the first time when his story was published in a newspaper. Dev loved to write stories.
‘good!!...let’s go to Sangeeta and show her’
Sangeets read the story.
‘Devv....how you write stories???’ she asked.
‘..just like that’ Dev replied.
Chitra Rekha
A middle aged married teacher had joined the class.But all time morning to evening she was in disappointed mood. She loved all students and would always speak in very soft peacock voice. Her name was Chitra Rekha. She was very kind and gentle natured.
All students called her Rekha Madam. One day Dev could not stop himself and asked madam the very reason of her sad mood. Then she told the story.
Her husband was very nice with her before marriage. Two children one boy and were girl were born. After that his behaviour changed. He pointed out many lackings in madam and asked for divorce. Rekha madam cried a lot on the failure of her marriage. The court gave her daughter and son to her husband. Now Rekha madam was living at her father’s home with her daughter and she could hardly meet her son. She told all unpleasant things to Dev.
‘Madam behaviour is so good. She is like a doll. How her husband could give her divorce???’
‘Devv....why is this always happen to good person??’ I asked him.
‘.......perhaps the good persons are tested more in thier life. God take thier tests....’ Dev guessed.
‘Test??....this is bullshit!!. Why the good persons are tested??
why the bad persons are not tested in their life??’
‘....if one is good only good things should happened to him and if someone is bad only bad things should happen to him’ I raged.
A sharp tone of voice
Today Ganga had come. That very girl who was crying a lot on first day. She was speaking in very sharp voice. There were twenty girls in the class. All spoke in slow ‘Shudha Bhartiya Kanya’ tone. But Ganga’ voice was very sharp which was peircing the ear drums. Whenever she spoke it interrupted Dev’s concentration.
All the girls had accepted to wear saree but Ganga was opposing this rule. She was asking teacher to come in the salwar suit. But there were no sense of request in her voice. It seemed like she is not asking permission but declaring her decision to come in salwar suit. She asked a lot but was not given permission to come in salwar suit.
‘Gayatri....why is this Ganga speak so much louder??’
‘we are not dumb. Her voice pierce my ears....it disturbs me very much’Dev said.
‘arey Devv.....she is very quarelling natured girl’
‘yesterday when you had not come she was fighting with with teacher and asking to deduct the fees’
‘....Dev ....i think we should not talk her’ Gayatri sugested.
Dev went to Ganga.
‘Excuse me!...’ Dev called her.
‘..ohh...you are same buddy who returned my counselling letter.
....sorry..i forgot your name??’ Ganga tried to recall Dev’s name but coud not succeed.
‘Dev Kashyap...’ eventually Dev himself told his name.
‘Ohh....yes! yes!...i recalled’ she grinned.
‘In the class everybody is saying that see this girl. She is quit brave and ready to fight with teacher’ Dev said.
‘yes!...i am like that. And tell me Dev when college administration had taken one lakhs rupees from us, then why they are asking for extra twenty-five thousand’
‘...this is completely injustice ’
‘we must protest against it!!’ she said.
‘yes Ganga!...i agree you’ Dev shook his head.
He returned to Gayatri and forgot to tell Ganga to speak in gentle voice. I saw.
For some days she spoke in gentle voice but again she came in her natural tone of accent. Once again Dev could not concentrate.
he could not see Savitri anywhere but Geeta maami was visible on the stairs.
‘...in the letter you had written that you will be the first to see me and see here ....everybody has seen me and you are disappeared’ Dev complained.
now Savitri was visible. She was wearing a nice red color saree. A mangalsutra and other gold ornaments was glittering in her neck. Gold bracelets with matching red colored bangles in the hand. Puja thali was litted with a lamp.
‘yes yes!.....see i am here!!’ Savitri smiled and stepped down stairs.
‘ ..i was just preparing pooja thali for you...son!.’ finally Savitri and Dev confronted each other.
Dev touched her feet. Savitri moved the pooja thali around Dev’s face and put a roli on his forehead. His face were shining with arti’s yellow light. Now aarti was completed. Savitri hugged Dev to her heart and for three long minutes she did not leave Dev.
‘ya! ya! ..i know you love me very much. But if you keep me hugging like this i will die of starving’ Dev joked.
Savitri wiped her tears and cleaned her eyes.
It was the night time. Dinner was prepared by the Dev’s loving caring Geeta maami. All members in the family gathered on the dining table. Food started as well.
‘Geeta!...bring the fish also’ Savitri asked. Dev had returned from Delhi so there was non-vegetarian food was prepared today. Chicken was spicy and juicy. Fish was quite good tasted dicto like butter. This special fish had a supply in Goshala from Andra Pradesh. A sweet water fish.
‘maami...i love you..
‘i must say food is good.!’ Dev praised food.
Savitri was pondering something and when Dev finished she started..
‘son!....why you live in Delhi??.....what is there son??’
‘whenever you come from Delhi you become so weak and thin’
‘now no more Dilli-villi now’ she disliked the idea of living in Delhi.
Dev listened.
‘son!.....i think Delhi is not suitable place to live. You know how much crime has increased in Delhi. Every day there are murders, pickpocketing, robberies....and see that road accidents...that happen each day’ Savitri was very worried.
‘ hunn!..’ Dev listened.
Few weeks ago a metro brigde was collapsed at kailash colony and many workers died in mishap. Savitri had seen the news on tv..so she was much bothered for Dev.
‘ok....tell me clearly....what you want to say maa??’ Dev asked.
Savitri started...
‘Betaa......i had talked your father’
‘he was saying that if you pursue a b.ed course here .....easily you can get a nice job in our very own Goshala.
‘you don’t need to go out of Goshala anymore’ Savitri said.
‘....and after that we will search a nice girl for you and will get you married’ Savitri told her blue print plan.
‘hey! hey! hey ma!.....course is ok but right now i don’t want to get married’ Dev shouted.
‘okk!...okk!...son you don’t get married but pursue this course’
‘...now tell me will you do it???’ Savitri asked with lot of love buttering him
‘ok...’ Dev finally got agreed.
After some weeks b.ed forms were applied. Dev filled the form. Went to Barabanki and took the entrance exam.
2 months later
shivalai
There was a very special kind of temple dedicated to Lord Shiv in the small place of Goshala. People called it ‘shivalai’ in local.
According to the mythology in the times of mahabharat when dishonest and crooked Kauravas decepted Pandavas in the poker game and expelled them from Hastinapur and punished them with agyatvas for twelve long years.
During their exile Pandavas travelled across India and reached the place that is now called Goshala. Now the eleven years were completed but one year was still remaining. For the pandavas it was utmost important to live without any recognition. So Bheem, Nakul, Shahdev, Yudhistir and Arjun along with Draupdi and Kunti built this temple of Lord Shiv which is now called the ‘Shivalai’ in Goshala.
They worshipped the Lord and asked boon not to be recognised by anyone.
Lord pleased and whole agyatwas fulfilled successfully. Pandavas retained their kingdom.
Some years ago a team of archeologist from Delhi came Goshala to explore the old but important monuments of ancient times and they discovered this mega temple of ‘Shivalai’.
In few times this developed into a most sacred place of Goshala and devotees turned to this temple to fulfil thier wishes. Whenever elections held politicians lined up to worship Shiv to win the elections. Whenever someone needed job he/she came to Shivalai to get the job.
And of course in our very own BHARATVARSHA when a married couple did not get a son after their many years old marriage eventually they turned to Shivalai to get a son.
Dev was a devotee of Lord from his childhood. He always cried to visit the temple whenever Savitri went to worship. I remembered.
Today he had came to secure a seat in B.ed exam.
He ran to the stairs and stepped one hundred fifty stairs of temple in one breath.
‘ahh....ooo....’ now he was panting. His breathes were running fast.
‘ohh!...son...what is so hurry??....take a rest then go to temple’ the old caretaker pujari of the temple said when he saw Dev. He knew Dev from his childhood.
‘no!....nothing panditji’
‘my result is just going to declare.......thatswhy i am feeling awkward. Like i am pregnant and soon going to give birth a baby. Now that miliion dollar question is wheather i will get a girl or a boy’ Dev said.
‘ha!....ha!....ha!.....Dev. You are very joking’
‘Son!....of course you will have a boy’ panditji assured him and smiled.
Dev sighed.
It was sharp 10’ O clock. Shrine was loaded with number of devotees. Dev bought a kit which contained milk, flowers, garland, belpatri and other things.
Dev entered the chambor. Put the milk on the cylinder shaped Lingam and offered flowers to lord.
‘hey!!.....Shiv!.....today my B.ed result is going to declare. Please get me a good rank yaar. If i failed in the entrance exam everybody will laugh on me’ Dev said. I saw.
When at evening result was declared Dev earned a very good rank plenty to get him a good college .
15 days later
Luck and Destiny
Kalicharan University, Lucknow.
month of July.
tip!..tip! of the rain.
dham! dham! of the clouds.
cham!..cham!. of the silver bracelet on the women’s feets running on the streets to save themself from rain.
..... and tam!..tam! of the running cars.
North Indian monsoon was in full swing. Dark serpant clouds surrounded all Lucknow sky and it rained its best. On the roads people were escaping to save them to wet but they were partially successful. And this was the most awaited day when it was the counselling day of Dev’s b.ed course.
Dev took an auto and reached the university.
All candidates’s were lined up with the umbrellas. Dev took the coupon. Waiting after two long hours now it was the moment when he was about to be called for counselling. Dev had locked five colleges.
‘Dev kashyap!’ peon called loudly.
‘yes sir!’ Dev adjusted his documents, holded his file tighty in his fist and enter the hall.
A big fat heavy bumped lady was the counsellor. She was wearing a salwar kurta but it consumed five times more cloth compare to a saree as i calculated. Her fingers were running on the keyboard of computer swiftly like we put butter on the bread with knife. I noticed.
Now Dev’s heart was beating very fast. It was the final time when that elderly aged women will tell him the college name where he has to study for a year to earn B.ed degree.
‘Mr. Dev you get..........Lal Bahadur Shastri Degree college, Raaniganj’ she told on the upper side of her spects.
suddenly Dev got a jolt.
‘no!..no! madam!....i don’t expect this college. I had filled Nandini nagar degree college that one which is in Nawabganj’ Dev yelled.
‘see....Mr. Dev....in the form you had written that you hold NCC certificate. But here you did not enclosed that copy so your five numbers has been deducted by the department. You rank is decreased to 39000 and now you get this college’ she told with lot of patience and released the breath.
‘madam!!!...’ Dev leaned on her and said
‘i am really sorry i forgot my cerificate!’ forgetful Dev said.
‘sir....i can understand you...but we have to follow rules. Now you have to study in this college for full...one year year!’ she told obligation.
Dev frowned.
‘...but madam...the place where you are sending me to study...there is only cows and baffoloes. How i will stay in that rustic place for a full long years??’ Dev asked.
‘sir!...i am afraid you have to see that cow dungs and all shit if you want to pursue this course the very this year’ she told the obligation.
Dev could not think what to do.
‘you...want it or not??...you have fiveminutes’ she asked in heavy voice.
‘O shit!!!....if i returned home without a college what mom will think...and rest of the family will certainly laugh on me’ Dev pondered.
‘ok...give me’ Dev agreed finally.
she pressed the enter button on computer...and a paper came out of the printer....
‘Lal Bahadur Shastri Degree College, Raaniganj, Goshala (UP)’ Dev read.
‘welcome!!....the hell of this Raaniganj...Dev!’ he congratulated to himself in annoyance. i observed.
Luck and Destiny are two different things. One can change his luck by his deeds..but destiny!......destiny is something which is called unchangeable.
Dev was completely ignorant that what was going to happen in his life. His life will never be the same again. Twin sister of Luck and Destiny were waiting eagerlessly for him..but he was unfamiliar to them.
I invisioned the future.
7 days later
class
This was a big rectangular shaped college, rural place so no shortage of land as in cities. Its main entrance gate was made with many semi circular designs all over like any temples entrance point.
Tall coconut similared palm trees were planted all over the college premises. There were many departments like Arts, science, commerce, agriculture , B.ped and B.ed department. All courses were mentioned on a wall. Dev read carefully.
‘excuse me!!’ a girl called him.
Dev turned back.
‘could you please tell me where B.ed class take place??’ she asked. A pink colored salwar suit on her body. She was short heighted. small face....single toned slimmed body....white complexion very much similar like old times actress sridevi.
Blue five petaled artificial tops on her ears. Dev gazed.
‘i too searching for that one’ Dev answered.
‘.......lets go together and find that’ she said
‘i am Dev....Dev Kashyap’ Dev introduced himself.
‘i am Gayatri Sahu’ Gayari told.
‘i have come from Lalitpur....some distance away from this place’ she told
‘ok!’ Dev nodded.
class started. It was a rumour that all new students will have to face ragging. So Gayatri was little afraid.
‘Dev.....can you please sit with me. If you will be together i could be saved from ragging??’ sridevi perplexed.
‘yaa!!’ Dev agreed.
Like we had expected no ragging happened. A circular was released in the college that if a student senior or junior is caught taking raaging a police complain will be filed against him in Raaniganj police station. So due to fear no ragging could take place.
It was sharp 10’ O clock in the morning and class started.
A long seven feeted nearly fourty year old man came to take our class at the first day. He had a formal white shirt and black pant on him.
‘so....you are here to become a teacher?....a relaxing chair sitting job under the fan.....nice salary......no hardwork.....is this all you are expecting??’ he asked seeing to the whole class. He was a quiet serious looking professor.
All student silent. no movement. all were just wanted to understand what kind of person he is?.
‘.....in whole Uttar pradesh five lacs candidates have done this course. They did not get the job. They got married and got children. Their children also completed this course but no job at cards’
‘what you say about it???’ he pointed his fingers to Dev.
Dev got up.
‘sirr......i have no idea about it’ Dev stammered.
‘sit down!!’ he said in tough voice like shut a door with heavy noise.
Dev sat down.
His personality matched mostly a villanious character. His eyes were red like he was addicted to some kind of drugs. Dev anticipated.
‘.....you girl!....can you manage fifty naughty small children who are completely uncontrollable and does not listen the teacher at any cost??’ he then pointed to Gayatri.
Gayatri stood up.
‘sir....i will try my best’ poor lean thin girl Gayatri hesitated and anyhow confronted the strict professor.
‘sit down!’ he shouted once again.
Gayatri took her seat.
‘....tomorrow when we will meet you must be gone through the first chapter’
‘any question???’ he asked threatening enough to fear all students.
‘..no sir!!!!’ all replied in one go.
‘listen Gayatri.....this is class....a jail or an army place. He will kill us if we bunked his class’ Dev discussed.
‘Devv....i think we need to focus more at his subjects. Otherwise he may fail us in the exams’ Gayatri wispered.
‘Yes’ Dev agreed.
Ganga
next day. Dev reached the college. He had reached some minutes earlier. No students had arrived by this time. He noticed a piece of paper on a desk
‘Ganga Modanwal’ was written on it when Dev read that piece of paper.
‘...perhaps a girl forgot his counselling letter’ Dev kept it with himself.
next day. In the class a girl was crying making a lot of noise. Round shaped true Indian shaped faced. Two gold earrings in both ears, big eyes, a gold small keel on nose. She was crying with hanky in her hands. It disturbed the entire class. She was wearing a black colored salwar suit.
Gayatri giggled when she observed her crying.
Dev took his seat next to Gayatri.
‘arrey... Gayatri...who is this girl??’ Dev asked.
‘....she is someone named..Ganga..as i know. Yesterday she came to college and lost her counselling letter somewhere and now the college administration are not listing her on the attendence register’ Gayatri told.
‘arey!..Gayatri...i have her counselling letter’
Dev took out the letter, went to Ganga and handed her over the letter.
‘dhanyawad..(thank you)’ she showed her gratitude in hindi.
In the class all boys were asked to get a white shirt pant and all girls were asked to come in sky blue colored saree.
One week later. Dev went to college in white shirt pant and all girls in faded sky blue colored saree. This decreased the amusement of the class as it looked so much conservative to wear dress all six days.
‘what the hell??.....’
‘I am twenty six and still i had to wear this bullshit dress??’
‘In mba i wore dress and see now i have to wear it once again??’....what the badluck???’ Dev got irritated.
There were total four compulsory papers in the course. Two were optional. Dev chose Geography and English. But there was a problem as all students belonged to the rural area so they avoided English and took other subject.
‘..excuse me....have somebody taken English here??’ Dev asked in the whole class.
luck by chance a women had choosen English. Her name was Sangeeta Dixit. She was wearing a green saree, mangalsutra in neck. Yellow sindoor in middle of her hairs.
‘Ohh....thank God!!’ Dev left a sigh of relief.
Dev introduced himself. Both filled the exam forms.
Mangal Pandey
As the class started days passed very quickly. Soon a new teacher joined the B.ed department. His name was Mangal Pandey.
no!..no! he was not any freedom fighter of 1857 who freed Indians from the clutches of Britishers. He was a very tall handsome man having wife and two sweet duaghters. He was the most liked teacher in the department. He never scolded students.
‘..see guys!....don’t make noise’
‘..If you want to talk .....mutely. Your voice should not go out of the class’
‘.....and if you want to have your tiffins you can have it simultaneously’ he would smile and say to students.
Mangal Pandey was seven feet long. Each day he wore different colorful sweater. All boys noticed his fashionable clothes as he entered the class. All boys and girls like him most and showed their respect by standing up to greet him.
Apart from the basic B.ed syllabus he discussed various topics like ‘moksha’, ‘liberation of the soul’ etc. He was always very receptive to gain the knowlege. He loved Dev very much and discussed many other things of higher knowlegede. I found.
‘sir!.....Dev want to sing a song for you’ naughty Gayatri got up and told.
‘Ohh....why not??’
‘you can sing a song for me!’ he nodded. .
Initially Dev shied but later on recited the song....
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
jaagey nagar saareey....
jaagay hai ghar sareey...
jaagaa hai ab har gaaoonnn...
jagey hai ped aur jaagi hai kaliyann....
aur jaagi hai pedonn ki chaaoonn....
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
mangal! mangal! mangal! mangal!
mangal! mangal! hoooooo......
A wave of clapping ran across the class for this song for Dev. I found.
‘see!....Gayatri my story is published in newspaper’ Dev was very happy. It was the first time when his story was published in a newspaper. Dev loved to write stories.
‘good!!...let’s go to Sangeeta and show her’
Sangeets read the story.
‘Devv....how you write stories???’ she asked.
‘..just like that’ Dev replied.
Chitra Rekha
A middle aged married teacher had joined the class.But all time morning to evening she was in disappointed mood. She loved all students and would always speak in very soft peacock voice. Her name was Chitra Rekha. She was very kind and gentle natured.
All students called her Rekha Madam. One day Dev could not stop himself and asked madam the very reason of her sad mood. Then she told the story.
Her husband was very nice with her before marriage. Two children one boy and were girl were born. After that his behaviour changed. He pointed out many lackings in madam and asked for divorce. Rekha madam cried a lot on the failure of her marriage. The court gave her daughter and son to her husband. Now Rekha madam was living at her father’s home with her daughter and she could hardly meet her son. She told all unpleasant things to Dev.
‘Madam behaviour is so good. She is like a doll. How her husband could give her divorce???’
‘Devv....why is this always happen to good person??’ I asked him.
‘.......perhaps the good persons are tested more in thier life. God take thier tests....’ Dev guessed.
‘Test??....this is bullshit!!. Why the good persons are tested??
why the bad persons are not tested in their life??’
‘....if one is good only good things should happened to him and if someone is bad only bad things should happen to him’ I raged.
A sharp tone of voice
Today Ganga had come. That very girl who was crying a lot on first day. She was speaking in very sharp voice. There were twenty girls in the class. All spoke in slow ‘Shudha Bhartiya Kanya’ tone. But Ganga’ voice was very sharp which was peircing the ear drums. Whenever she spoke it interrupted Dev’s concentration.
All the girls had accepted to wear saree but Ganga was opposing this rule. She was asking teacher to come in the salwar suit. But there were no sense of request in her voice. It seemed like she is not asking permission but declaring her decision to come in salwar suit. She asked a lot but was not given permission to come in salwar suit.
‘Gayatri....why is this Ganga speak so much louder??’
‘we are not dumb. Her voice pierce my ears....it disturbs me very much’Dev said.
‘arey Devv.....she is very quarelling natured girl’
‘yesterday when you had not come she was fighting with with teacher and asking to deduct the fees’
‘....Dev ....i think we should not talk her’ Gayatri sugested.
Dev went to Ganga.
‘Excuse me!...’ Dev called her.
‘..ohh...you are same buddy who returned my counselling letter.
....sorry..i forgot your name??’ Ganga tried to recall Dev’s name but coud not succeed.
‘Dev Kashyap...’ eventually Dev himself told his name.
‘Ohh....yes! yes!...i recalled’ she grinned.
‘In the class everybody is saying that see this girl. She is quit brave and ready to fight with teacher’ Dev said.
‘yes!...i am like that. And tell me Dev when college administration had taken one lakhs rupees from us, then why they are asking for extra twenty-five thousand’
‘...this is completely injustice ’
‘we must protest against it!!’ she said.
‘yes Ganga!...i agree you’ Dev shook his head.
He returned to Gayatri and forgot to tell Ganga to speak in gentle voice. I saw.
For some days she spoke in gentle voice but again she came in her natural tone of accent. Once again Dev could not concentrate.