A New Beginning

It was June 1, 2000. The school reopening day of the academic year 2000-2001. Secretly, I was glad to meet my crush, Deeksha after a two months gap. It was the longest wait of my life. We both studied in class XII-A Biology stream. Dressed in her new sky-blue color pinafore and white Ribbon on both sides of her long hair made her look gorgeous. We both were in love with standard IX, which made our school life ecstatic.

Entered Mr. Sadagopal, with a long cane and two volumes of Zoology book. “Good morning sir” we all shouted at the top of our voice with excitement. He was the class teacher for us for that academic year. A well experienced and a student-friendly teacher. I headed the class in my academic ranks during my XIth. Honestly, I took more effort to impress Deeksha as well, which made me Topper. She was good at Dancing & singing. The main reason which made my interest turn towards her was her pitched voice.

    

Oct -2 was a holiday due to Gandhi Jayanthi. Obviously, we were not relieved from our tuition classes as we were preparing for our Board exams. We both joined the tuition classes for Maths, Physics, and Chemistry. After Chemistry classes we both planned to move to the ‘Our Lady of Bon voyage’ church to spend some quality time. In those days we had no cafeteria to enjoy a date. We can meet only in churches and temples during the prayer services. After classes, I took her at the back of my bicycle and fled fast to church. Though she was a Hindu by birth, she offered to enter the church for me and only because it was me. After a quick prayer, we both sat on the bench under the Spruce tree, straight opposite to the seashore, to talk and chat with. That’s where the tragedy arrived. My father who has arrived with candles in his hand for the Monday prayer at ‘Our Lady of Bon Voyage’ church caught hold of us. I was left helpless. In fear, I even though to jump into the ocean on seeing my dad’s cherry red eyes with anger. He spoke nothing and ordered me to go home immediately.

Now, both the families knew the matter and we both were used as the football for the premier league match with our parents as the main players. We were strictly instructed not to converse and our teachers were informed of this matter by Deeksha’s parents. After a week, I found a letter in my school bag and I opened it. And the following statements were written, 

“Baby, I was beaten black and blue after that incident. I also can’t speak with you as there are spies roaming around us. Let us not talk with each other. I know it’s hard. Still, Let’s stay away.

 -Deeksha”. 

        

Unable to understand whether it was a short break or a complete break up I was messed up. I used to take my old NOKIA and search our old messages and weep like a child. “I Love you so much. Please don’t reply. I’ll be deleting this message because It’s my mother’s mobile”, those memories welled my eyes. And somehow January arrived. Though I was in a pang I managed to study my syllabus cautiously to grab the MBBS seat which was my dream. I also prepared for the TNPCEE Exam which was the MBBS entrance exam then.

 May 27, 2001, was the day of the result of the Board exam. As soon as the marks were displayed on the notice board, I looked for the scroll number (1080723), and the total marks were written 901/1200. Yes, it was Deeksha’s mark. Then I search for (1080654) and found 1110/1200. “Thank God! I headed my class again”, I thought. I understood that though I suffered a breakup, I had made up my mind to work well. 

June 15, 2001, was the day of MBBS counseling at Madras. From Tuticorin, I took the pearly city express and reached Madras Central. Along with my dad and mom, I waited at the counseling hall till evening. Finally, I missed my ambitious MBBS by just 0.5% under my category. At that very young age that hurt me more than break up.  

       

I stayed mum at home and thoughts kept on scrolling on what to do next. At the same time, I have applied for B.V.Sc., B.E., and B.F.Sc., courses in those respective universities. At the time of the interview, they rejected me in some of the colleges and I rejected some because I disliked it. All my classmates have completed their one month of college life and were preparing for their first internal exam. I, a school topper was left helpless still applying and writing entrance exams. Since I was from the fisherman community of Tuticorin, I wished to join a Bachelor of Fisheries Science in my own native place. ‘Man proposes but God disposes of’. 12 students were selected under the fisherman ward category and I stood there as the 13th member, missing the seat. That was more than a heart attack for me. I was broken to that extend that I even prayed to the Lord so that I should perish soon for, I am a useless asshole. I cursed myself for my fate.

       

July 26, 2000. That day was the flag hoisting ceremony of the feast of ‘Our Lady of The Snow’. That year was too special for the people of Tuticorin because they were celebrating the feast with a golden car ceremony of ‘The Lady of The Snow’. The 53 feet tall golden car with the powerful holy statue of the lady was the supreme beauty of that festival. When all my friends were planning to take leave from their college for the festival, I was at my home so freely eating my favorite idly and spicy fish curry, because I have not joined any college yet.

          

Only those days taught me that people who go to college were really blessed than the people sitting in their homes and pestering their parents still like me. I began my novena to the lady which people consider the most powerful prayer which will make all their dreams come true.

           

July 30, 2001. I entered the home tired and weak and my mom treated me with a cup of hot coffee and handover a newspaper and instructed me to go through the page number 8. I was a poor reader those days, one who was a zero in news. By afternoon, I took the newspaper and opened page 8. There displayed a large image of Shahrukh Khan. I began reading the article. There written, “Shahrukh Khan, was the topper of is school. He was good at learning English and all his friends xeroxed his notes for learning for the exam. When the final exam result arrived, he headed the first in all subjects but to everyone’s astonishment, he scored very low grade in English, which was even lower than the student who borrowed his notes. He has rejected seats in all top colleges and finally on his way back home he saw a college of his local area and he entered and met the college Principal. The Principal, on seeing the marks, was astonished. He wished to give him a seat, but with one condition that he won’t join any other institution after this. And after three years of education, Shahrukh khan came out as the gold medallist of that university. The institution received- a special attention after his remarkable work”. That story lit my day that brought a great self-confidence in my heart. I took him as my inspiration because I was in the same condition he suffered.

 After a week, on Aug 6th was the day of release of the rank list for the ICAR-UG ‘All India Fisheries Entrance Exam’. That was my final and last belief. Around 3 pm the result was released and I was there at 5th ranking. “Thank God, I’ll get a seat by your grace”, my heart thanked God. I received my B.F.sc., (Bachelor of Fisheries Science ) at the college of Mangalore, Karnataka which was the very first Fisheries college established in India. I felt like a cat in a fish shop. Those were the days of hardship in my family. Hearing the fee for the college and further money I'll want to get prepared for the hostel was unaffordable. That moment my mom, even without my knowledge sold her two pairs of gold bangles and came home with money. Noticing her hands, I enquired about her Bangles. My mom with a smile on her face revealed, " Dear son, nothing to do with gold. Education is the only treasure. Get prepared for college life. Money matters nothing".

 I made my way to Karnataka. A new life, and a new beginning. I used to come and visit Tuticorin during my vacation on festival holidays. Those holidays made me think, “When I was a child I celebrated festivals on holidays and now I am enjoying holidays on festivals”. Then I owned a moped. I used to go past Deeksha’s house and some days I happened to see her playing in the veranda with her dog named ‘kutta’. kutta was her life. I even tried to call her up, but she refused to talk and I met with a block. I earned a chance to meet her one day in the mall with my school batchmates. They all made us talk for a while. Deeksha revealed that she is now dating someone in her college and that’s why she has ignored me. She introduced the character of her new boyfriend to be more caring than me. That stabbed my heart wide open. I came home depressed. Noticing my situation my mom took the effort to know the sadness crushing my heart. I cried out the pain to her. Like every other parent, she didn’t react, instead of understood my heart and convinced me. She made me understand the current situation of both of us and our immature age. No woman would have handled the situation that smooth and made a kid like me to easily get through it. She convinced me by making my favorite sweets . and after that incident, her separation didn’t hurt much like my days of hardship in joining college had made me worry even more. I again focused more studies, because I knew the value of my seat, that was the seat I received by waging the toughest war!

   

After 4 years of my studies, I graduated from ‘The University of Agricultural Sciences’ as the Silver medallist of the batch 2001. And a great honor of “Dr. C.M. Singh Memorial NABS AWARD” was awarded to me for my excellence. What Happiness is needed more than seeing our parents smile because of us? I was the happiest man of the Universe on that day. 

     

One woman broke my heart, not purposefully but eventually. Another wonder woman healed the scar caused by her. Life is simple as that.

Expect the unexpected. Excel in your endeavors. Everything happens for a reason. My mom is always a Wonderwoman.