The Dream Chaser

A girl named Savitri lived with her parents and a twin sister Gayatri in a village named Rajapuram of Rajasthan. Both the girls were good looking, humble, honest, hardworking and disciplined. They lived in a middle class family.

Savitri had intense love for literature. She ardently wanted to become an English lecturer. She wrote poems and stories. She was lurking crazily to get those published. Whilst Gayatri wanted to become a doctor. She possessed all those qualities which were needed for being a doctor. But she was not as determined as her sister Savitri.

The girls cleared their class 10 with good percentages. Those higher digits in their result sheet stimulated their dreams. But to their amusement destiny played a perplex game with them.

They were flabbergasted when they heard their father say, “O Meena! Teach your daughters household chores and all those necessary things required for a woman to run her house. They are mature now. If we keep the two of them in our house for a longer time people will start spitting at face. Let’s get relieved from this obligation. If I find any good match for these two, I’ll tie their knots without waiting any longer” addressing their mother.

Their mother nodded a yes. What else would be expected from a typical Indian wife except accepting her husband’s decision without any resistance? Shattering all the dreams and hopes and with a heavy heart against their will even the girls nodded a YES just the way their mother did.

Suitors came with proposals of marriage. A well settled merchant was selected for Gayatri and an army cop for savitri. Marriage date was fixed.

On the day of marriage, the girls were draped in red sarees. Gayatri’s marriage rituals were done. Next was Savitri. But the bride was missing. Frantic search started off for her. By the evening someone found that she ran away. The news spread like a fire forest throughout the village. Her father cursed her and the village people back bited about them.

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PRESENT

(Interview of an author)

Interviewer: “Mam, your book ‘DREAMS TO DIE FOR’ is being loved by the readers. It has caused a storm of happiness in the literary world. How do you feel?”

Interviewee: “It feels so good. Actually it isn’t my first book but yes it is the best book I have written till date. The feelings I experienced were so real and not fictionalized.”

Interviewer: “What does it deal with? Can you please elaborate that content?”

Interviewee; “Hopes, dreams, destiny and chasing dreams.”

“It’s the story of a girl who was forced to marry at the age when she was meant to complete her higher education. When she had dreams, hopes and aspirations in her heart. But the power within her was very much enlightened.

At the day of her marriage she did not tie a knot with her husband to be but she tied with her dreams. She chose to run away. Ignoring what people would say of her. She knew a different lifestyle was waiting for her.

She sold the jewelry she was wearing. With that money she embarked onto the journey of her dreams.

She used that money as entry fees for a G.K. Quiz. She was the winner. She got a hefty sum as a cash prize. She started part times jobs. She got admitted in a literature college through loans and scholarships. The difficult tests and times got over. Later she achieved her goals for which she chose to run away. She became an English professor in a big university as well as a well renowned author.

In her journey of life, she co incidentally met the same man whom her father had selected as her husband to be. He proposed her saying that he loved her truly. There was no other girl in his life either before he met or after she left him. He told her that she was the only girl whom his heart belonged to. She was sorry for running away. She accepted the proposal. She narrated her full story to him. Next was a happy married life.

She could have called her father the best in the world for as he had chosen the best life partner for her but he wasn’t good enough for that, he had not cared for her daughter’s dreams.”

Interviewer: “You said that you felt realistic while writing the book and not fictionalized. So does that imply that it is based on real life events, doesn’t it? And if it is so then who is that girl? ”

Interviewee: “Yes. It is based on real life. That girl is- ME.”

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The interview was going live on the radio. Savitri's parents were hearing that. They felt guilty for their deeds.

Savitri's father promptly took out on old dusty telephone dairy and searched for the army man's number. He called him and asked him for his address. The very next day the couple went off to their daughter's place.

Her parents were happy to see her sound & safe and successful & satisfied. They were proud to be parent to such a popular author.

Savitri went to the cupboard, took the jewelry and handed it to her mother.

"But haven't you sold it?"asked her mother.

She was perplexed."I brought it back with my first salary"

"We heard everything on the radio" said her mother.

She hopefully turned to her father. Fearless she was. Confidence in her voice. She spoke,"Father, I had two dreams-

One that I saw in my sleep with closed eyes, which showed me the typical life of a women. Probably a nightmare.

Another which was a reality-to-be which I saw with open eyes. Which was alive in my heart and fancied me "her voice grew grave". I accomplished whatever I wished for. But Gayatri! She wanted to become a doctor. Let her be. She has the potential. Do not curb it. I know she is in a turmoil suppressing her dreams. We women can handle both the kitchen and career. Marriage is no boulder for us. Talk to her husband."

After taking morals from her daughter's success story, savitri's father founded a committee that helped daughters like savitri to accomplish their dreams and console their fathers like he had been in the past.