Battle in Life

The girl's name was Aaradhya.  

When Aaradhya was six years old, an accident changed her life forever. But she doesn't remember that day. Whatever she knows today, she heard later from others.

   

That day, while riding on a scooter with her family, she suddenly lost consciousness. Everyone became frightened and rushed her to the hospital. Aaradhya was too young to understand what had happened. For her, it was just another forgotten day.  

   

But perhaps, that very day changed the course of her life forever.  

   

Months passed and life slowly returned to normal.  

   

Aaradhya laughed, played with her dolls, drew colorful pictures, and sang little songs in her sweet voice. Sometimes she would sit beside her mother and say proudly—  

   

"Mom, when I grow up, I will sing."  

   

Her mother would smile lovingly and reply—  

   

"My daughter will become a great artist one day."  

   

Everything seemed perfectly normal.  

   

But one afternoon, while feeding her lunch, Aaradhya's mother noticed something strange.  

   

Aaradhya was sitting silently.  

   

The spoon remained in front of her mouth, but she neither moved nor spoke. Her eyes were fixed on something invisible.  

   

Surprised, her mother called out—  

   

"Aaradhya!"  

   

No response.  

   

Ten or twelve seconds later, Aaradhya blinked and looked at her mother.  

   

"What happened, Mom?"  

   

Her mother stared at her in confusion.  

   

"Didn't you hear me?"  

   

"When?" Aaradhya asked innocently.  

   

Her mother didn't think much about it that day.  

   

But a few days later, it happened again.  

   

This time Aaradhya was playing happily.  

   

Suddenly, she stopped.  

   

Her toys remained scattered on the floor, while she stared blankly at one place.  

   

It terrified her mother and she ran to her.  

   

"Aaradhya!"  

   

After a few moments, she returned to normal.  

   

"What happened, Mom?" she asked with surprise.  

   

This time, a strange fear entered her mother's heart.  

   

That evening, when Aaradhya's father returned home, she told him everything.  

   

At first, he tried to reassure her.  

   

"Maybe she's just daydreaming."  

   

But Aaradhya's mother shook her head.  

   

"No, Shuvo. Something isn't right."  

   

Fear slowly began to grow inside their hearts.  

   

Neither of them could understand what was happening to their little girl.  

   

The next day, they visited a neurologist in Kolkata.  

   

Aaradhya sat quietly in the chair while the doctor listened carefully.  

   

After hearing everything, doctor smiled warmly and asked—  

   

"Do you go to school?"  

   

"Yes."  

   

"Which class?"  

   

"Class One."  

   

"What do you want to become when you grow up?"  

   

Without a second's hesitation, Aaradhya answered—  

   

"I want to sing."  

   

The doctor smiled.  

   

But moments later, his face became serious.  

   

"We need to do some tests."  

   

Her mother immediately became anxious.  

   

"Doctor… is something serious?"  

   

The doctor spoke calmly.  

   

"Let the reports come first. Then we will discuss everything."  

   

A few days later, they returned with the reports.  

   

The doctor remained silent for some time while examining them.  

   

The silence itself frightened Aaradhya's parents.  

   

Her mother asked nervously—  

   

"Doctor, please tell us something."  

   

The doctor slowly looked up and said—  

   

"There is no need to panic right now. But for better treatment, I would advise you to go to Vellore."  

   

"Vellore?" her mother repeated in surprise.  

   

Her father's face turned pale.  

   

In those days, going to Vellore was not a simple decision.  

   

Travel expenses, treatment costs, accommodation—everything seemed overwhelming.  

   

But do parents evere calculate such things when it comes to their child ?

Never. 

   

   

That night, a long discussion began at home.  

   

Her mother spoke firmly—  

   

"We will go."  

   

Her father take a deep breathe and said 

   

"Of course we will. We will do everything for our daughter."  

   

Then one day, her parents took her to Vellore with great hope. Everyone thought that maybe this time everything would be fine.  

   

Again the doctor.  

   

Again the report  

   

This time the doctor asked for an EEG.  

   

During EEG test a nurse gently applied a cold gel to her scalp and placed small wires one by one.

 Aaradhya asked in surprise— —"What are these?

" Her mother held her hand and said— —"Nothing,. 

There will be a little test." 

—"Will it hurt?" 

—"No." 

But Madhumita's own heart was trembling. The little girl lay still.

 Sometimes she was asked to close her eyes. 

Sometimes she was asked to turn on the light. 

Aaradhya did not feel good about anything. She just wanted to go home.

 A few days later, she was seen by the doctor again with the report. The doctor looked at the report and said — —"Seizure Disorder."

  Shuvo asked— —"Doctor, will she get better?"

 The doctor  said— —"Nothing can be said right now. Regular medication will continue."  

   

After the EEG report, doctor gave some medicine and said It must be taken on time.

Seven-year-old Aaradhya  took one medicine in the morning and one medicine at night.

 Her mother fed her on time. 

At first, everything seemed normal.

 But after a few months, the dose of the medicine was increased. The doctor said— —"Let's see, maybe this will give good results."

 Madhumita and Shuvo were hopeful. But within a few days, Aaradhya's body seemed to start protesting. 

One morning, she suddenly started vomiting. 

Mother thought it might be indigestion. 

But the vomiting didn't stop. 

 Aaradhya started to get weak. 

Her little face turned pale. 

She cried and said— —"Mom, I am not feeling well." 

Madhumita's chest shook.  Hearing everything, Shuvo take her to the hospital.

 After reaching the hospital, the doctors said to give her saline.

 Aaradhya was shaking with fear. —"No, I won't take the injection!" 

Mother hugged her. —"It will hurt a little. Then it will be fine." 

The nurse held her hand and inserted the needle.

 Aaradhya cried in pain. 

Madhumita's eyes also started to water.

 She turned her face away.

 She didn't want to cry in front of her daughter.

 That night, lying on the hospital bed, Aaradhya was looking at the saline bottle. Water was dripping down. She started counting. 

One... Two... Three... 

Then she didn't even know when she fell asleep.  

   Again came the doctors and endless tests—EEG, MRI, CT Scan. While other children spent their days playing and laughing, Aaradhya often found herself lying on hospital beds, counting the drops of saline.

But surprisingly, the little girl did not learn to give up.  

   

She continued her studies despite her ill health.  

   

Time passed.  

   

Aaradhya did her honors in Journalism and Mass Communication.  

   

Then she did Master of Hospital Administration  . 

   

 

Because of partial epilepsy, she would sometimes lose awareness for a few seconds, though she never collapsed to the ground.

For that reason finding a job became difficult for her.

She doesn't earn money.  

   

So in the eyes of many people in society, she is an "unemployed person".  

   

To many people, she is just a "patient".  

   

To many people, she is a "burden".  

   

 

   

In this world, people often do not value the beauty, talent, struggle or love of a person's mind.  

   

They value money.  

One day, a relative told her,  

   

"Nothing has happened in your life."  

   

Hearing this, Aaradhya felt hurt.  

   

Did nothing really happen?  

   

A girl who has fought with illness since childhood... Who has repeatedly slept in hospital beds... 

Who has completed her studies despite countless tests, medicines and hardships...  Who still loves music... 

Has nothing happened in her life?  

   

No.  

   

Aaradhya knows that she may not have worked in a big office.  

   

She may not have earned a lot of money.  

   

But she lives by fighting with herself every day.  

   

And there is no medal for that fight.  

   

   

 Yet that fight is the hardest.  

   

Even today, her body still hurts her sometimes.  

   

   

   

But Aaradhya  learned Rabindra Sangeet and Nazrul Geeti 

   

She won trophies for singing.  

   

And when the world wanted to recognize her as a "patient", she created another world for herself with her pen.  

   

In that world, words  became her friends.  

   

Stories are her companions.  

   

And no one takes pity on her there.  

   

She got certificates for writing.  

   

Aaradhya was a devotee.  

   

She loved Krishna.  

   

when her heart would break 

 the next moment, she looks up at the sky and smiles softly and says—  

   

"Krishna, I know You are here. I know You can hear the words hidden inside my heart."

"Please give me the strength to move forward."

Then she heard 

"I am always with you."

   

Then Aaradhya wiped away her tears and picked up her pen again.  

   

Because her story wasn't over yet.  

   

Her dream wasn't over yet.  

✍️ Atrayee Sarkar