Magic Of Life

It was my first visit to the world-wide renowned temple, the one and only, the Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri on 21st September 2016. I am 19 years old now and pursuing my final year of graduation. I belong to Odisha but never visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri yet. We the people of Odisha not only think that Jagannath is our Lord but also we treat him as our family member. We love him to call 'Kalia'. At any occasion, we first worship to Lord Jagannath. He is my best friend. Lord Jagannath lives in our hearts and beats with every breath of us.

We believe that no one can visit Lord Jagannath without his will. To visit the Lord Jagannath Temple was my dream from class - VIII which came true now. This trip to Puri was all of a sudden that I never expected.

It was night around 9:10 PM. Our internal exam was postponed that day. My friend Anshuman called and said, "We are going to Puri tonight. Do you come with us ?" I said yes without thinking. I thought it's Jagannath's will. Including me, we were ten friends. They all were my college friends. We left from Bhadrak railway station at 12:15 AM and reached at Puri at 5:35 AM in the morning.

Then we first went to the Puri sea beach and enjoyed our morning bath there for three hours. Then having a bath we went to worship to the Lord Jagannath Temple. And what I will say more about the laudatory works of the temple and the Lord Jagannath, all know its Kudos well. After worshipping we returned to Puri Railway Station at 1:00 PM, but it was too late. There was no train for Bhadrak. Finally, at 5:30 PM we got into the Puri - Durg Express, but it was not going to the Bhadrak Railway Station. So we halted at Cuttack Railway Station at 7:30 PM which comes between them. Then we had to catch the Puri - Howrah Super Fast Express at 10:25 PM to reach Bhadrak. We all had been tired. So we all took rest in the waiting room for three long hours.

"Ohhhhhh! This waiting no one can tolerate."

And then finally the railway announcement happened.

" Your attention, please. Train number 18425, Puri - Howrah Super Fast Express will shortly arrive on platform number - 1."

My ears pleased.

We all ran to platform number - 1 and after a few minutes, the train came. We all sat in the first general boggy. My friend sat inside, but I stood at the door. Many other passengers joggled me and sat inside. In this joggling, my eyes fell on a young man who stood on the platform in front of the door. He also got into the same boggy. Standing near to me at the door he told the joggling passengers to go inside.

He wore a white cap upside down, a red-blue mixed shining jean pant with a lengthy red color shirt, some bracelets on his left-hand wrist, two chains around his neck and also had a bag upside down on his chest. He had also a stylish haircut and an attracting beard. In complete he was a stylish and rocking young fellow.

At first, I thought him as a Bengali because the train was going to West Bengal and also he called some passengers " O .. Dada, O .. Dada". But my thought was proved wrong when he talked with another passenger in the Urdu language. So I thought of him as a Muslim.

Meantime the train left the Cuttack Railway Station. That young man and I sat together at the door of the boggy.

He and I were enjoying the passing cool air, the half-bright moon in the sky and the tranquil night. After some time we started the conversation.

" Where are you going? ", I asked.

" I am going to Balasore.", he replied.

Balesore is the native district of Bhadrak district. So I confirmed that he is not a Bengali.

" Where do you live in Balesore? ", I asked.

"At Motiganj " he said.

I knew about that place because I went there to give the JEE exam. So we talked about that place.

We were talking with each other in the Hindi language, but suddenly he got a phone call and talked in Odia. So again I was proved wrong.

So I asked, " Are you an Odia? "

He replied yes.

Then I laughed a little and said, " Why are you talking with me in Hindi if you are an Odia."

"It's because you first talked with me in Hindi and so I ", he told.

Again I laughed at my confusion. Then we continued to talk in Odia.

I asked his name.

"I am Rohit", he replied.

"Nice name, where had you been to ?" , I asked.

He told, " I went to Cuttack to attend a dance program."

" What do you do? ", I enquired.

" I am a dancer", Rohit Bhai told.

I said, " Oh ! That's why you were shaking your head and hands on the platform listening to your headphone. "

He smiled and said yes.

Our conversation went on. Suddenly his phone rang and he talked on the phone for some time. While he was locking his phone my eyes fell upon the wallpaper of the mobile. A photo of him and another guy seemed to like him was in that wallpaper.

So I asked, " Is he your brother ?"

"No, he is my best friend. Actually I have no brother," he replied.

Then I asked him about his family.

" I have a younger sister and my mother in my family", he told.

" And your father? ", I asked.

"He is no more," he told.

" I am so sorry", I said.

He told, " It's okay."

Then also he asked me about my studies and my family. Our conversation continued deeper.

In a very short time, we could know many things about each other's life that perhaps even our old friends won't know. In this short span of life, sometimes we meet very few people who conquer our heart at once and lives in our heart forever. Only you can win someone with your good behavior. Our meeting was unexpected and we became closer as we knew each other before.

"Yes, it is right. Life is like a mirror. If you will smile at it, it will smile at you obviously."

We were just like a mirror and an object. So we became brothers and more than a friend.

It was about 11:15 PM. The train was going very fast and carved it's the way through the mountains disrupting the tranquility of the night. Except as all other passengers were catnapping, but we continued our gossip.

I didn't know that from where those words came to my mind then. Casually I asked, " Rohit Bhai, why did you become a dancer? "

He laughed a little. But that smile was not merely a smile. That was telling so much that I could feel. As if it was a beam of hidden light in a murky night.

And then he said,

                         " Then I was 16 years old and studied in class - X. And what I will say about my dance. It's the best gift ever given by God to me. Without dance, I can never live. All the girls in my school were mad about my dance. In every program which was arranged in our school and locality, I took part and won prizes. My sweet mom always encouraged me and all of my friends also. I was poor in the study because I couldn't focus on any other things than dance.

Everything was going right until that day.

That morning brought me darkness instead of sunshine.

My father was a big boozer. Every day he took rum. Due to heavy drinkings, he suffered from many diseases. Again and again he was hospitalized, but still, he couldn't leave his bad habit. Every time my mom and I made him understand that not to drink at all, but he didn't listen to us.

Except for my Papa and Mom, there are three sisters of mine in our family. We were very happy and everything in my life was going perfect.

And one day, I was in school. Suddenly sir came to me and said that my father has been hospitalized. I ran to the hospital. He was alright. I came with Papa home and again I requested Papa not to drink rum anymore. But the next day evening was very bad for us. Papa fell ill again and suffered from a severe unknown fever. We hospitalized Papa again that evening. The doctor whispered my Mom something that I could hardly listen to. Again and again, I looked towards my Papa.

All night we all were in the hospital. That night Papa called me and I went to him. He held my hand tightly. His eyes were full of tears. I couldn't stop my tears from seeing him.

He said, " Don't cry. Man doesn't cry. Be a man from a boy. From now you are the head of the family. Look at your Mom and sisters. You have to make them happy. You have to take my place and don't be like me. Promise me not to drink rum. I tried my best to leave my bad habit, but I couldn't. I have nothing to give you to make your future. I have no bank balance for your sisters' marriage. But still, you have to fulfill all their needings and desires because from now you took my place. I am sorry, Babu. I am sorry."

" Why are you saying like this, Papa? We all are with you. Nothing will happen to you." , I said.

I sat beside Papa. I didn't know when I slept. And the very next morning when I woke up after listening to my mother's shouting, I saw my Mom was crying her heart out and beating her head on my father's chest. Papa was no more.

From that day my life changed. That sunrise became sunset for my life. My study was stopped from class - X due to financial problems. It says, "money can't buy happiness." But that time money did it. Life grabbed everything from me. But also it says, " While there is a will, there is a way." I never stopped. I didn't give an opportunity to life to defeat me.

And what then! There was the only thing in my mind that I had to earn money for my family and I had to do my sisters' marriage. I had no idea what to do. My Mom said to me to keep faith in God and to go ahead. She always encouraged me. She believed in me and made my self-confidence high. I left my studies. My dream to become a dancer seemed to disappear somewhere.

I started to work at a builder's company whose construction work was going on near to our city. Sunita Madam was the head of that construction company. She liked me very much due to my hard-working, punctuality and honesty. She made me supervisor after five years. After a few years, my two elder sisters got married.

I left my dream but never forgot about it. I found a chance to chase it. After my sisters' marriage, I left the job and opened a dance school near FM college. And nowadays I teach my students there and also I am learning to dance and give an audition to take part in a dance program to reach my goal. One day I will become a great dancer.

Today I went to Cuttack because my students took part in a dance program and I came to encourage them. "

Hearing such type of self-confident respond from Rohit Bhai, I thought all of our youngsters should be like him as a person of strong desire.

Then I asked him, " Who gave you name Rohit ."

"I have named myself Rohit", he said.

I astonished and smiled.

Then I asked, "Why? "

He said, " Actually I am the biggest fan of dancing superstar Hrithik Roshan. I liked his fabulous dance in Crazy-4 movie very much and always did that dance steps. And from then I named myself Rohit. "

Listening to his words I was thinking that he was a guy of great personality.

Among many austerities of his life, he never forgets his dream. He is chasing his dream now and one day he will become ' one of a kind '.

Rohit Bhai and I continued our conversation. The train went on towards its destination.

It was about 1:00 AM. The train reached the Bhadrak Railway Station.

My all friends got down and at last, I got down saying to him, "Bye, Rohit Bhai, See you soon."

" Okay. We will meet soon.", he said.

Then after some time the train left and gave me a story to tell you.

My friends went to the college hostel. I came alone on my bicycle enjoying the calm night and my solo cycle ride. That dark, tranquil and scary night, the lonesome lying canal road, the yelping of jackals from the farthest jungle, the mellow wind coming from the paddy fields by the canal and my heart's beats said to me,

           " Our life always goes through highs and lows. We have to live through them and face every murk of lows strongly and have to become ' one of a kind ' . And also we have to understand and accept it that life is not a jackpot that can be won by lucky draw. We can only fulfill our ambition by doing hard work and keeping the focus on it every time. Every time we have to do something for our goal. And also we have to remember the one and only truth that actually there is no magic in real life. These are only our hard struggles that enrich our potential to reach us at our ambition. And at last the people who have never seen the austerity, hard work and perseverance behind the success call it " MAGIC OF LIFE". "