17 Elephants

Circa 1980, Aanayootoor, Kerala.

The day Lakshmikutty and Narayani gave birth, Shankaran became a father of two baby elephants. Vincent, who holds responsibility of Shankaran was the dearest mahout in Aanaveedu stable that housed 17 elephants. A count that cannot be altered.

Early members of Aanaveedu family had comitted themselves to be the guardian of 17 elephants in tribute to the herd that saved their kin from dacoits during one of their expedition in forest. Whenever an elephant breaths its last, after 7 days of mourning, youngest baby elephant would be inducted into the stable. One baby elephant other than the 17 were kept in reserve within the compound of Aanaveedu.

Every year, in the month of August, 2 days after full moon all elephants along with members of Aanaveedu came together and paid their respects to the herd of 17 and their ancestors who encountered dacoits and came out successfully finding cure to a disease that prolonged to alienate humans in the village. Paintings and carvings in their temple complex dates the story to atleast 200 years, which also mentions the incident to have garnered respects of native villagers for aanaveedu family in that time.

Unchained elephants with no burdened decoration or any mahout steering them with their pointed sticks and pure sheer of watching the jumbos rallying in honor along with respects for the family who once saved their village was a treat for hundred's of villagers who gathered every year.

Vincent, the chief mahout of stable grew through ranks when his father Mathai was still the chief mahout. It was Shankaran's love for vincent that influenced Balan to appoint him as the chief. Balan was the head of trustees who had charge of stable management. With the birth of two baby elephants when Aanayootoor rejoiced, reasons were many. Two baby elephants being born on the same day and them being the kins of stable's favourite trio Shankaran, Narayani and Lakshmikutty were top of it. Everyone who visited the stable never missed an oppurtunity to witness Narayani and Lakshmikutty taking turns to steer the herd whenever they went for a walk in Aanaveedu's huge coconut farm inspite of being the youngest in the herd.

Happiness was short-lived as soon as tradition came into discussion. There were two baby elephants now and they could house only one. Vincent had to choose. Both of them belonging to Shankaran made the choice tougher for vincent. During the naming ceremony, with elephants trumpeting in the background and gathered villagers rejoicing baby elephant's coming to life, vincent named them Julie and Sara. Narayani's baby will be Julie and Lakshmikutty's baby, Sara.

None among the gathered, even for a moment thought about next day, which would be the last for one of them in this stable. Julie and Sara soon went back to their stables after the ceremony. Vincent followed them with teared eyes. Balan and others from the family could do nothing to console him. Mathai, who no longer worked in the stable tried comforting his son, but failed. Vincent along with his family spent the entire night in his mahout shed looking at the trio celebrating the day like another day with their babies.

Nila and Shanku, named after the trio were mischievous enough to not listen to their father's warning of not nearing the stable. Vincent fell asleep in some time and taking advantage of the opportunity Nila with her younger brother crawled to the stable. Not a lot of people were allowed near the babies when Shankaran was around because of his over possessiveness over baby elephant's.

Before Nila could hush her brother, shanku caressed sara over her back and accidentally touched Shankaran's trunk. Perplexed shankaran reacted swiftly by curling his trunk with a sudden trumpet roar scaring shanku and nila. Vincent was too far to reach both of them. His wife readily bent on her knees and pleaded lord to spare her children. Before anything could happen Narayani forced her trunk over Shankaran's and kept him calm signalling no harm from the children. Few minutes later emotions unfolded as shankaran pushed sara towards the door where shanku can caress her more closely. Lakshmikutty exhaled like an unrythemic saxophone and they turned around for the kids to play with sara and julie.

5 minutes of horror scared every other person who witnessed the situation. But, a new bond unflurred there between Nila, Shanku, Julie and Sara.

Balan who walked to the mahout shed, hinted on the decision of retaining Julie in stable.

With this decision Sara could spent only one year in this stable, murmured Vincent to his wife. Neeli comforted him and they forced themselves to sleep worried about decision they have to make on the next day.

Chuckles, murmers and broken trumpet sound filled the night as Julie, Nila, Sara and Shanku bonded for life..

Raju, Suren and Sulaiman woke up in the early hours  next day and prepared themselves for the daily routine. They began with walking elephants from the stable to nearby pond where they'll have their regular bath. Vincent woke up late that day after spending a restless night fighting within himself about the decision he had to take. Shanku and Julie who were already awake accompanied baby elephants to the pond. Vincent woke up to see a family of seven walking down the lane with Narayani, Lakshmi flanking the sides while sara walked next to nila and shanku walked with julie. Shankaran followed slowly guarding the herd from behind. 

From Balan's hint in the previous night, Vincent realised, Julie which was born first would be retained in the stable while it would be Sara walking out of the compound.

As the sun rose above those dense coconut leaves, an idea finally dawned. Vincent conveyed the thought to his wife and his wife nodded in affermation. They left home, directing raju to be around the babies until he comes back. Neeli instructed Nila and Shanku to be home at the earliest for them to get ready to school and accompanied Vincent.

Trustees of Aanaveedu were coming together that day to select the 18th elephant that would be retained in compound. Balan waited until all mahouts were free. Vincent unflurred a neatly folded check shirt and wore it with his favourite white dhoti bordered with narrow black strip stitched with thread. Neeli held his hands firmly and shook it once, nodding her head with her eyelashes closed. Mathai, sitting in an arm chair never interfered in any of this while Vincent left the house as a confident young man. 

Meeting convined when all of them breaked the day to rest. As soon as Balan pronounced, Julie will stay. With no time spared, Vincent came forward to say, he will take care of Sara. Fellow mahouts clapped with joy. Balan did not react, neither did any of the trustees. Before anyone could speak, vincent agreed to pay the amount that they expect to get from the sale. Assuming, trust would have come to a consensus to sell Sara. 

Aanaveedu cannot sell any of its elephant unless wealth dwindles below prescribed threshold and thats a mandate, one of the trustees explained. 

Balan, other trustees and mahouts unanimously agreed to Vincent's proposal. Committee's alternate plan was never told in that meeting and soon later everyone behaved like handing over to Vincent was their alternate plan. Mahouts returned back to rest as their meeting was about to end. Few decisions were made after they left. Some were pronounced loud, some written in papers. Cancelling the proposal of handing over sara to forest department and retaining her until she's 1 year old were among them.

Elephants in the stable exhaled a puff of cool breeze one after the other as they tore down chunk of coconut leaves and stuffed into their mouth. Their wagging tail were in rythm with their fanning ears and they moved their legs in sequence, left front, right back, right front and left back. Mahouts supervised their routine sitting at a distance, placing long sticks behind the fanning ears of an elephant. The sticks deonted mahouts assertion over elephants to keep them in control. Vincent from a long distance signalled for assistance to carry buckets filled with big rice balls that is to be fed for the elephants. As a chief mahout, he was in charge of preparing rice canons. Narayani and Lakshmikutty rumbled in excitement looking at Vincent walking towards them.

Sara and Julie never stopped playing throughout the day and Shankaran always accompanied them. He looked really tired with all running and chasing with the calfs. To see a eleven feet tall tusker helplessly trying to chase down calfs who took advantage of the gap between his legs, escaping Shankaran's trunk hold was a treat for residents of Aanaveedu. 

A perimeter was set close to the stable for calfs to play around within the compound. Trying to grip big inflated balls with their wobbling trunk was a challenge that gave them joy while their love for skating into the pond on their flat belly attracted onlookers. They ran around the perimeter with a shaky trunk, beginning to give out unsynchronized trumpet rumbles as days passed. Older elephants in the stable had slowed down. 

A year went by before they could realise. Julie and Sara were now 1 year old. Everyone in Aanaveedu had almost forgot, it was time for Sara to walk out. It was August again. All 18 elephants had completed their annual medical check ups and rejuvenating treatment. None of them had musth and were certified to be ok for their revered annual function. 

Neeli and her kids accompanied Vincent to Aanaveedu for preparation of the ceremony. Balan had invited them for lunch that day. Over the dining table they agreed upon walking Sara home once the ceremony is over. Senior members who had gathered for family lunch were not as excited as they used to be every year. 

It is the first time in my life time that I see an elephant having to be walked out of Aanaveedu, Paru amma mumbled. Everyone maintained absolute silence when the oldest member of Aanaveedu family spoke out. Neeli affirmed Paru amma, Sara will be taken good care of. Aanaveedu trust beleived, there could be no better person than Vincent and his family to take care of Sara, considering their long association with Mathai who chose to stay with the family inspite of being a intermediate graduate from Kerala University just for his love for elephants. 

Ceremony concluded with 17 Elephants trumpeting, looking at the sky with their stretched head. Tuskers came in full glory as people who gathered chanted "arpoo" while female Elephants trumpted at their highest pitch. Clueless Sara and Julie jumped in joy rumbling unevenly, raising their front foot causing a thud on the floor everytime they fell. Members of aanaveedu and the elephants picked garland from the floor placed infront of them and threw it to the sky marking end of ceremony tributing their ancestors. 

Balan threw his garland to the sky with full force and came down falling, breaking down like a child. Absolute silence followed as Vincent walked towards him. 

Everyone except Sara and Vincent paraded back to Aanaveedu post the ceremony. Some sense of understanding was evident with the behaviour of Shankaran, Narayani and Lakshmikutty which no one anticipated for, as they walked half way before pausing to look back once. Julie walked with the rest of family members behind 17 elephants symbolising next of kin.

As Neeli replaced Sulaiman and the kids replaced Vincent for Sara in no time their's became a family  of 6.  Mathai's age old tatchet hut had a door big enough to let the two year old Sara wander around in their large hall. For the first few days Shankaran ignored Vincent whenever he came into the stable and it took a lot of pacifying to win back his trust. Balan and trust members who once thought, Vincent is the best mahout they have ever had started going back on their thoughts as well being of elephants raised eyebrows of trustees. Julie adapted to a life without Sara in no time while their routine became monotonous. Aanaveedu was now just another stable. 

Aanayootoor came together every year for annual functions and the glory of Aanaveedu skyrocketed with incoming of radio in every household.

A large traditional pond that seperated Aanaveedu's compound from Vincent's land became a meeting point for Julie and Sara everyday as they walked for their regular bath. Elephants on the other side never forogt to sigh a trumpet as they saw sara sliding down through muddy slope to crash in the pond. One such day, when mahouts were busy collecting leaves for elephants, Suren, screamed with excitement alerting others to look towards the pond.

Sara followed by Nila and Shanku slid into the pond one after other and started swimming across like if they were in a competition. Julie joined them as they reached the other side. Four of them swam in tandem, back and forth until they were tired whilw their wagging trunk clinging on to each other explained their camaraderie making it a sight for all who gathered there.

Nila and Shanku spent many of their nights in the first two years sleeping with Sara inside their house. Vincent carried this regret of having had to seperate Sara from her family that he could not really deny his children investing on a habit that would soon become a problem when Sara grows bigger. Though balan contributed enough for vincent to set up a stable outside their house, it remained largely unoccupied. Mathai and Sara looked out for each other when Nila and Shanku were away for school and in the process he trained her to be comfortable in the stable whenever required.

Years went by and Julie was now considerabbly bigger for her age. With growing size of Sara, Vincent kept altering the width of his main door to accomodate Sara who kept sneaking in to play with his children. It took them six more years in total to realize, her limbs were shorter than it was supposed to be for an elephant of that size.

Diagonized with dwarfism, Sara became first of its kind within the sub-continent to be born with this attribute. They largely remained unbothered as it never caused any inconvenience to her though there were efforts from researchers to understand her gene. Vincent remembered the incomplete conversation he had with Balan and trustees in presence of mahouts where they announced their decision to retain Julie, but gave no importance as it did not make any difference to him. 

Life around Vincent changed as it progressed. Mathai who guarded their house sitting on a arm chair was now resting flat, 6 foot under the land they owned. Oldest elephant among 17 member herd, Kesavan, fell sick with only 3 months left for Anayootoor's annual ritual and stopped going to the pond for daily bath. Aanaveedu trust had to prepare themselves to induct their next elephant incase they fell short of number. Nila and Shanku were now grown-ups and confined their time playing with Sara in their place. They had developed a sense of interdependance, enough to have unspoken codes which only three of them shared.

Because Sara grew up along with two children who were kids then, their playfullness had inlfuenced her. Whereas, Julie who stood six foot tall grew up to become a calm elephant that flanked Shankaran in their herd walk to the pond. Neeli, meanwhile had to take up a job to support vincent and make ends meet.Though neeli discouraged her kids from entertaining sara inside the house owing to the constant repairs draining their savings, she often walked into her house witnessing playful Sara lying flat on her belly with her trunk rested on decorated wooden plank. She was loved like their own and her emotions connected with those in the family.

On a monsoon afternoon Vincent came home early with grief. Kesavan left Aanaveedu and Anayoottoor forever and events unfolded in his mind the same way as when he realised not 19 but only 18 could remain in Aanaveedu compound. Julie was next in kin destined to throw garland of tribute in the forthcoming festival and Sara would be re-inducted in place of Julie the day after. Emotions ran high that afternoon as Vincent caressed sara on her forehead thinking of a life without her in his living hall. Sara snapped his thoughts with a wild trumpet blow. This reaction was new, which had never happened. You can now understand humans better, Vincent mumbled.

Not knowing of anything that happened Nila and Shanku decided to walk Sara to the pond as they were assigned with  grabbing firewood. Neeli who came back from work accompanied Vincent to the pond after learning what has happened.

Sara wasn't so playful that evening and Vincent noticed that rightly. She tipped off and slid through mud unintentionally falling into the pond, she clearly had no mood to swim and so walked back to the land. Without realising what happened before they reached Shanku and Nila kept teasing Sara for the fall. They failed to notice her discomfort eventhough Neeli hushed them. She trumpeted in fury as she bled through her mouth. All of them panicked. It was a cut that caused the bleeding and Vincent cleaned it with his dhoti before he ran to grab the herbs to heal her.

Nila and Shanku's state of shock never faded as they looked at each other to confirm what they just experienced. A noise that sounded like trumpet was a clear communication to Nila and Shanku for their ignorance. They realised her complain about fading love for miserably mocking at someone's weakness.   They ran to Sara and hugged, apologizing for what just happened. Vincent who came back running from the house wrapped the wound with herbs that he brought running from the house. She cried and they did too. After resting for a whole while listening to whatever is going to happen the next day after full moon, they walked back together. 

Villagers were excited about Aanaveedu returning back to glory with likes of Julie becoming the star attraction in their stable and Sara's return.  Mathai's hatched tent would now remain silent all through the day and night with Sara getting inducted back into Aanaveedu's compound. But Sara would be back with her family where she belonged to.

Circa 1989, August 19th

Vincent, Neeli, Shanku and Nila walked Sara into the compound of Aanaveedu with trumpetting chimes of the entire herd. Lakshmikutty and Narayani flanked the family in both sides as they walked in. Aanaveedu trust conferred the family with previlige to live within the compound and access to better education and facilities as a honor for taking care of Sara with delight and to prevent another family from tearing up.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Places or people mentioned in the place do not exist. 

Internet and Our Contribution to Civilization:

Internet initiated an impeccable revolution, became mainstream and in no time went on to become the biggest known revolution of our times. I will not argue if someone said, it is the internet that made our life span look shorter than before. Through ages, there have been remarkable contributions by our predecessors to this civilization and it is widely believed that those have helped in the betterment of human life on earth culturally and economically. This article will be focused on interpreting two major contributions and its evolution through the years and how much cultural change has happened during the course of time.

 Contribution to lifestyle:

Though it was in 1672 that the first steam-powered vehicle was designed, it took two hundred years of evolution, for cars to become commercially available. When it was only officiated journals that carried reports and studies, it is to be seen that merits and demerits of any innovation were a matter of debate even then. Vehicles thronged the roads in early twentieth century and by 1940's there were more than a million cars in Los Angeles alone. It took so many years for discussions of new entrant into the list of air pollution contributors to became prominent. Discreet availability of reports in public access could be considered as one of the main reasons. Automobile, as stated in Smithsonian magazine article was the one that was widely discussed. 

Even when scepticism and relative botheration about a new technology which despite being exceptional prevailed, most concerns were about the safety of pedestrians and commuters. Vehicles and engines bettered the speed of commute and enabled more time for people to come out productive, while people kept adapting to new ways that kept them busy. There were multiple other inventions and innovations during these bygone centuries which have enabled a better lifestyle for human beings who lived in those times and for the ones who came after. Most of them were materialistic, which eventually got blended as a part of civilization. 

 From Noise to Voice:

Early known mode of communication humans in prehistoric era practised was through noise. As I type through passages, it gets me thinking, how would they have conveyed so much just with noises. I then come up with only two possible options, maybe they discussed so less, or they seldom had much time or necessity to communicate. There are numerable study references that speak of human evolution with respect to communication and behaviour. Looking at it on a contextual level, what could be easily observed is that every generation as it progressed, have worked on the betterment of modes and means of communication. Easy commute and better culture which is largely celebrated now also can be seen as a result of this betterment. What that began as noises went on to become symbols and eventually, symbols had references. When references had to be largely explained they took forms and shapes, giving birth to alphabets.

With the beginning of modern era, refined dialects started gaining attention and beautiful languages took prominence. If there was a real-life Captain America or Wolverine, they could definitely share the excitement of witnessing it all. With over 6500 languages, human evolution has come a long way forward in 2020, as I write this. 

Was it just the language that got better along with time? No.

Voice of the voiceless started getting heard and numerous cultural evils were put to end as communication became better. It might not reflect directly with any factual backing, but to look at it bluntly. It was because Park Yeon-mi spoke in a language that the gathering in Ireland understood, the plight of North Koreans came into limelight. 

Culture and Humane values also have gotten refined over time fitting into rights and wrongs of demand, and that is why civilization is always believed to have moved forward. Same as how steam-powered vehicle designed in 1672 got refined over time to become solar-powered vehicles in 2020. Though the good and bad of its evolution were looked upon depending on an individual's convenience and conviction. Conclusions or bottom line of the demand were evaluated based on combined good and bad and its impact in the society.

 Our contribution to this civilization:

Internet is only 25 years old since commercialization and 37 years old since inception. Yet, we are far ahead and were quicker than our ancestors in understanding the merits and demerits of an invention. A mind-boggling 2.5 quintillion bytes of data is generated every day and sure has opened a lot of spectrum for the general audience. From making noises to call the nearest neighbour, to discussing lifestyle with a random American sitting in India, communication has invariably improved. 

From, "what do they have so much to talk", to "are they talking in the right way" culture has also improved alongside. If expressing emotions was the only objective of communicating better, expressing discomfort on objectionable references has become the new way forward.  

Political correctness is surely boring. It kills the joke, haunts freedom of speech and brings distress to many. If early 2010 saw discussions about what is right or wrong on the internet, this new age, which will probably be called "Internet era" in coming future has started discussing the right way to talk. Many people are already stressed and critical about this suggestion of Political correctness, looking at it as a bigoted demand. But what is the harm in considering it as a refining process of communication? 

The larger world never bothered about unequal treatment of women until people talked about it. When it was known, a lot started changing. Likewise, if a casual joke is hurting sentiments of another person and if people are talking about it, why wouldn't it be better to find a way to not do harm. That would also be a process of refining the way of communication. Showing our backs and upholding our ego to not listen might cost the happiness of a generation that is yet to come. If not us, someone else might, that would only delay the dawn of this new culture.

 We could be the generation who's entitled to begin the process.

A lot would have to be unlearned and unlearning is never easy. Any refining process begins with knowing the problem, followed by discussions and then accepting the need for implementation. Calling a short person, 'dwarf' and a big person, 'giant', be a literal translation which remained fair through ages. But if the person called so is feeling hurtful for being referred to their shape rather than their identity or name, shouldn't that be respected?

Unlearning and re-engineering isn't anything new. Menstrual period and Sex were two words considered most taboo, to be said in open public until recently.

Hasn't it changed? I could say, it began with unlearning of the taboo associated with it. 

With internet access reaching more than half of world population, everyone is exposed and accessible to any random person on earth. And so, opinions from a stranger is nothing new anymore. To change for good would be to talk better and find ways to communicate nicely. It would mean, to be politically correct while being critical. To be politically correct while being sarcastic. To be politically correct while being funny. Neither of which is easy nor familiar to this current generation, because we first have a lot to unlearn. But would sure be our contribution to civilization.

 

The Rider from India

On a busy Monday morning, people in Kochi were rushing to the office after spending their weekend in distant towns. Traffic were pouring into the city and it was only 9:00 AM when almost all traffic signals had added responsibility of not getting abused. Quite a site in automated traffic signals. There was hardly any space in already disoriented lanes. Road that were spacious enough for two cars at a time had three of them beautifully co-ordinated and arranged next to each other. This was not just it. There were four bikes next to a car, two in one row and two behind them fitting within the length of that car which stood beside. A crazy scene for any outsider. But everything happened like in a flow. Observing this traffic signal through areal cameras, once, a member of the team analysing traffic patterns for implementing better regulation and system came out in his article leaving a joking mention, Commuters in Kochi has telepathic abilities that helped them synchronise their movement. This surreal site was not a merit of just this city. Multiple Indian cities had these beautifully connected people on road synchronising their movement. With minimal mishaps, these areal videos and the members reference made to news multiple times.

Big needled clock in heart of city ticked 10:00 AM and towards the junction from an arm-road a 150-cc hero impulse roared in as it drifted with a 45^o lean. Honking never stopped and lights were still yellow turning red in a second. Extra bored engine gave it's thumping sound and increased throttle. Teens on the road clinging behind their parent jaw-dropped looking at this. Young crowd who were around never took their eyes off that drift, while a few of them were already scanning through the rider’s accessories and the motor machine. It was definitely a guy in his early 20’s, a young commuter who considers irresponsible driving a menace murmured to his wife who had her palms rested on his shoulders. Cops were alerted with this gathered attention and control rooms were on their job trying to stop that rider causing anything unfortunate. A few old people among that crowd panicked at the sound and drift while few of them sure had a smile. Probably remembering their daring past.

With half-faced mask and a frowning face, he cut through the traffic never loosening his gloved grip on accelerator. Those were his only accessories in this public certified death ride other than a kneecap which looked for namesake. He donned a graphic t-shirt that convincingly read “never stop, race to win”.  

Ah, first checkpoint. Cops ready with a hand signal trying to persuade him stop. The young boy shows no reverence. He is just 200 meters away from that blockade and unusually, the busy traffic sided for him. There was no way he’s negotiating that block and there he took a surprise slide to the left. Hopped on over the footpath and wheelied through those cops. It sure hurt their ego and there was going to be no remorse. They stopped looking at it like another young teen satisfying his adrenaline rush and passed on the communication of possible threat or smuggling that was happening. He continued on that footpath and jumped over a broken slab to make another perfect stunt landing.

Three minutes past, he was never in a mood to slow down. The biggest signal was near approaching and there was not enough space for him to make through it without getting caught. Crazy to be explained, he cut through 5 motorbikes in alternate positions and steadied through the extreme right. There was every possibility of him slipping in the opposite direction. Police set their trap very well. Another minute passed and he for once looked at his watch and the never stopping seconds needle. Nothing incites human-like time. The character he maintained all this while began fading and started making irregular advances.

Oh! That was a near miss, his first uncalculated slide happened a kilometre before the signal. A car sided to its right and with a little gap for him to forward, he was getting forced on to the edges of a median. Rider knows his job like no one. He scratched his footrest through the edges letting out a spark before escaping the narrowing gap. Delay of a second could have toppled him to the pit dug for erecting a transformer. With nowhere to go, police had sought the assistance of extra force and like something like this was never precedented in the city. A dramatic encounter unfolded in the signal as he did a stoppie dragging his bike to the cops on his front wheel and thumping his back wheel to the ground, finally to rest.

Alex, a documentary filmmaker from USA who had come to film a documentary about Kochi had already sought permissions for flying an areal camera and that luckily coincided with this day. The riders 45^o manoeuvre caught this mini flight with camera flying through the skies of Kochi and kept track of it until the race ended. A lot of questions remained, what happened at the signal took everyone by surprise and journalists had also taken up the coverage already. None had these visuals that Alex had. With the help of his assistant, they got to that police station to find out what all of this was about.

A 21-year-old lean physique teen was standing next to an officer as Alex walked into Kasaba Police station. Little known about regulations and rules in India he requested the officer to explain him, the procedures for bailing out. To establish his relationship with the teen, Alex blurted saying he was here to document a film on Kochi and this teen was selected to be a part of the project. He further explained seeing no reaction from the station house officer that the project would be stalled without him and his visa expires in a month. Assistant to Alex was surprised at this statement having known none of what he said was true. SHO finally gave in and agreed to let him go, but with a hefty fine for disturbing the traffic. He was finally let off after giving it in writing with a warning. Alex borne the cost and he walked out with that teen. As Alex introduced himself, the teen shook hands and smiled introducing him as Nivedh.  

A well-behaved young man is how Alex referred to Nivedh after talking to him briefly over a dining night in the luxurious five-star hotel restaurant. He was familiar with the hotel complex as he had interned there as a Bell boy. Something that struck positively between them was their passion for racing. Alex had already influenced Nivedh with his stories of being a racer prior to venturing with direction in an ad company. Nivedh was asked his time for an elaborate meeting as Alex had something in store for him. He was just hinted. You might race as the world watches you If that is what gives you pleasure.

8:00 AM: 50 minutes more for the race to begin.

Nivedh stood in a gallery looking at the cheering crowd. He had seen International cricket and Indian Superleague in JLN stadium back in Kochi. But to feel that tens in thousands were there to cheer for people including him, gave him the same rush that he got while chasing down streets of Kochi. There were no hoardings of him except the one having photos of all racers in it. He was known very little. Alex walked towards him from behind and stood next to him with folded hands.

Racing in Kochi risking your life and career for a Riding Jacket was all worth, Right? Alex asked in his American dialect. He was smiling all the time and was proud of where Nivedh has reached but never waited for an answer.

Nivedh looked to the next gallery where there were five people waving at him and celebrating in their folkway. He smiled at them and remembered the day when these five people put a bet on Nivedh to race a full 7 km in heavy traffic without getting caught in between but surrendering at the last with a stoppie, all for a branded Riding Jacket.  

He was so determined of having all his friends, around him when he raced in front of the world for the first time. Nothing of this would have happened if they did not bet him for a crazy task.

Only curious journalist among the lot approached Alex for a news bite about his rider. Even though Alex was still a popular name in Restricted Racing circuit no other journalist bothered to approach him as his rider was far less prominent. Alex was asked to elaborate on what he wanted from Nivedh to win this race. This was just a passing question for namesake coverage and not so intimidated with the question Alex responded, “If he has unlearned his techniques, he will win today”.  Indian rider in the USA mentored by founding member of that very Sport saying this was unusual. Finding essence in the plot with 40 minutes left for the race to start. The journalist requested Alex for a little interview not more than twenty minutes to tell Nivedh’s story

Alex sat down for a beer in the lounge to reminiscence and for the first time, he showed the 5-minute video he had shot in Kochi two years before featuring a daring race that once shook up an entire police force in the city. In awe, the reporter looked at the rider’s grip over his vehicle and speed he maintained throughout the video. He was mesmerised by the manoeuvre. But as the video ended, they glanced at each other for a brief ten seconds. The Journalist now completely understood why it was important for him to unlearn all the skills with no further explanation needed. They sipped a gulp from a large beer mug and curious about what transpired post the video journalist waited for Alex to narrate.

In Alex’s words:

I did not exactly expect him to turn up the next day post conversation we had in a restaurant after bailing him out. But, with his half face helmet and riding gloves, he surprised me in my hotel lobby the next day. I asked him if he is ready to believe me because the race I meant would have its own rules sometimes unconventional may it sound for a road rasher like him. He wasn’t that ambitious, just a boy with a passion for bikes but gifted with the best handling skills I’ve seen for a non-professional. He asked me just one thing then, and he asked me the same as this race was announced. I had to accommodate his friends during the discussion then, and now facilitate them to watch him race. That was all. Not at all an unreasonable demand. His persistence and respect for words that mattered, and I soon took him out.

We sat across a bench in marine walkway of Kochi, every third guy there knew him, and I noticed them calling him “Rider”. Well, so people know him and he’s talented. I began to brief, and I swear he understood only half of it.  I cut short and simply explained.

“You would have to race with riders across the world, the format needs you to be fast. It would need you to drift, slide and accelerate with obstacles all the way. Something you are used to. It must be simple for you if trained.”

He was excited and was about to agree with a yes. I stopped him there and continued

“But no traffic rules can be violated. You have designated areas to use your techniques. And that means, you would race under traffic guidelines of state that hosts the circuit. No overtaking, no speeding, no signal jumping and they all will be set dynamic”

I was busy shooting for a documentary and made sure he was by my side. Time after work, we would discuss and try to familiarize him with the race format. He was a quick learner and I was proud of him every single day. It was time for me to leave Kochi and I took him along. I promised his friends that I would make their Nivedh a racer and they would be called to see him race.

Niv was all mine now. I went back to racing after years just to train him. We trained for a record 2300 hours in the last 2 years doing 5 hours of track in a session. Rest of the days were us struggling to unlearn the chaotic driving he had trained himself with. He’d drift in junctions with open signals and lean in the curves. Our rules had it the opposite way. Traffic signals seldom bothered him, and we once ended up undoing our ties. I was about to send him back and one day I found him all alone in practice circuit trying to drift in the curves. I decided to take a second chance.

It was over 150 days into the training and we had quite developed a bond. Challenge remained. To be fast in a race is no big task. But to be slow when circuit demanded was an undying procedure. There were rubbles in track, and he cannot speed more than 15 kmph even if he has the good talent to negotiate them. There would be dummy traffic and even a single accident would remark for their disqualification. He struggled in slowing down. He has not let anyone slow him down ever in a race or a challenge unless he wanted to. Whenever there is a vehicle in the front with an indicator to divert, he had to follow them until they turn and can never overtake. This is something he never could do. It was more of his mental agility that I had to work upon. He sure enjoyed wheeling and stopping on the front tyre at designated areas but that challenged him was the necessity to maintain lap time.

They finished their beer mug and soon realised it was over 45 minutes since they started talking. The race had begun. Alex who wrote an episode in life of Nivedh-the rider from India was never there in stands when Niv accelerated for the first time through a waving checkered flag. They were ready for this since a long time and Niv heard his mentor for first time since the race began in his headphones.

Niv never wanted any guidance, he just needed to remember rules matter. The race was conducted in laps with recorded time. A rider who completes 5 laps in the shortest time with minimum violations wins. It was all a 7 days affair. There were 51 participants from Twenty-five countries and Niv being a sole representative of India. 

His manoeuvre in drifts attracted global attention while his untimely wheelie irked Alex. Niv was acting to crowd support and he was becoming himself back again. Alex did not interfere and as timings coincided, they shared glance while crossing a lap. Thanks to rubbles near the finish line. He had to slow, and could they meet. There was nothing much to be told, Niv got back in track. He had this luck of being the last contender and he knew exactly how much time he should beat.

Final Leg of race began, he had earned a comfortable lead over time. Results were certain, Niv- the amateur rider from India was winning that edition. Commentators were high on their pitch and spectators high on their toes. Dynamic decisions were made to open signals and traffic were to increase in the final lap. Any distraction could cost him his high-handedness on the race.

A car that was to take a left turn had its indicator on and there is nothing other than trailing that vehicle, Niv could do. He cannot accelerate more than 60 kmph leaving the signal. Rules were restricted with his thirst for victory on his head. Every other moment thought of deviating from rules to reach victory point flashed in his mind. He persisted and put extra effort for it all. 3 violations would make him disqualified and he already had his first. His lead time was closing in with 14^th Rider on the scoreboard. A wheelie on the rubbles was permitted, giving a buffer of 40+ seconds if opted for. Last hundred meters went on to be the greatest sporting moment in the history of Restricted Racing.

Niv was closing at 1:21:00, hundred meters away from finishing line and the leader board had a Serbian rider who finished the whole race in 1:21:37. Tension in the air was evident. Commentary box had gone silent. Alex and those 5 friends who knew he’d go for a wheelie kept their hope while few among the rest were already disappointed. Fifty meters more and as Niv touched the first rubble at 1:21:32 he went on to pop a wheelie. +40 seconds triggered, and the rider from India had who was considered irrelevant in this circuit had tens of thousands standing and cheering for him. He wheeled through the finishing line and took a full lap clocking his maximum speed before ending his first victory parade in a circuit.

Victory celebrations that followed were unprecedented and, in the corner, Alex gestured his thankfulness to the almighty looking above his head. A flock of migrating cranes that crossed the circuit brought smile and happiness to him.

Alex went on to be his mentor until he retired from sporting arena and Restricted Racing now had a champion in Niv.

Dear Billionaire friend,

How much am I worth, to you?

Let me begin, from the time your ancestors had any idea of my existence. If you would ask me to narrate of how it was before me, I would stammer, rather fumble. Like the culture you have now, I was a product of the same civilization. I was subtly considered to be a prodigy. Many of your ancestors liked me for the immense potential I possess that, I never became less important even as years moved ahead. Few of my contemporaries flourished with me while a lot of them perished. Times came and flew like in a time-lapse that you humans enjoy watching now. I often feared my value diminishing, where-in, never a moment did that happen.

There were multiple instances when, I personally wished, if my value perished or cease to flourish for a moment. A written text that I have come across about your ancestors, probably the one you never knew, described their habit of taking what they wanted, leaving back what others deserve to have. Since the day, I have come across you or anyone from your clan, never have I seen someone doing the same about me. You have held me tight, tighter than you have to hold your bloodline or your dear ones. I should be thankful to you and off-course, I am.

Engraved with ornamental designs and never rusting clothes, I've survived through wars, battles and famine. Maybe, Captain America was there all the time. I never knew that until you associated his fame with me.

You must be wondering, why would I tell all this to you. Let me explain with your life, instances where you have valued me much more than what I deserved. You've taken me for a ride, you don't seem to care or think. And when I say, you. It is not just you, I would want you to share this with your clan, your race, your species. In fact, I am happy about my existence because no one hates me for being me, no one wants to let go of me even where I am irrelevant. The only other thing I have seen you gripping on is your obsession on self.

The previous day, I had a dream. Well, things like that happen only in a dream, that I easily realized. It went like this.

Somewhere uphill, On a fine day, I woke up looking at a dark shield coloured in green. Houses I've stayed in were usually black, brown or blue, I perplexed of where I have woke up. For a change, I couldn't feel your fingers, but I was picked up in groups. There were hundreds of them. I looked around and most were in surprise. We got acquainted and soon realized we are family. Our happiness was short-lived. I was forced to slide through a plastic surface on to a wooden table and we were now grouped in ten. At the farthest distance, I could see one of my family in another group. I looked up to find a huge magnifying concave lens staring at our group and behind that lens was a huge black ball with moon-like white in the background. As the lens got closer ten of us in our group hugged each other. I was so petrified that I could feel adrenaline rush at that same moment. 

Finally, I felt a soft skin touching me that had a maze-like fingerprint. I was not round in shape anymore, I had no engravings on me. From the reflection on his lens, I could find, I was no more multi-coloured. I was oval, thin, white and light. There was a strange sign kept next to me and surprisingly, I could read. It read. Rice. In front of me was a long queue of people who seemed to be waiting to pocket me. Ugh, same again in a new form, I thought to myself. Two minutes into the thought, we were counted down to 8. Two of my friends were gone. I became nervous. Even when I have wanted to be valued less, I wanted to be in groups. Alone, was never my wish. Each person carried one of us and I was with one such person. Never have I been with a person for more than a day, but here. I stayed with him for more than a year. Whenever he needed something, he would give away a part of me not so precisely cut. My size, shape or texture never mattered anymore, I was just for namesake. A part of me was sad for being so devalued. While I was more than happy to realize, a little of me was enough now. I survived with him until he gave away the last piece of me. The trust and happiness he had added were so immense. 

The short-lived happiness ended soon as I woke up back in your hand. I found you happy and I thought something has changed. I soon realized that was just a hangover of my dream and had nothing to do with your happiness. Like always, your happiness was me fondling your fingers. I was with a different person when there were millions of your people drowning in floods, many people were voluntarily rushing towards him and he flaunted me as a token of gratitude. I hushed myself helplessly resting in his palms. I was happy about those who valued his life more than me, two months since then, I was with one of them and that person kissed me after snatching it from his mother, leaving her cry, ridiculing my feelings for him. Two days later, I luckily ended up being with that mother who was trashed. And to pacify her son, she gave me to him voluntarily.  I have now come to terms, you value me much more than I value myself, which I do not deserve or wish for.


With love,
Money

Happy newyear

Another year passes by. 

This year has been special like all the previous years i've lived in this planet earth. Years of memories has already faded away while a few are left behind in my thoughts as shards. None of it happened with a reason. In this hour of age, i realize, all that has happened was inevitable. There could have been no better alternate. If there was, i'd definitely had not come across all the people i met, all the stories i listened to, any of the experiences i had. Anything that remains relevant to me is due to the relevance it has in my life. May it be the memories i often recollect of my chemistry teacher who never wanted me in his class room or that of my father making me swirl in his belt for every other mischief i did.

Did that do any good to me?. 

I don't know yet. But it sure has changed me, moulded me to be a better person. 

The day when my maternal uncle told me of how his President asserted about conquering self when fever overpowers, flashes in front me, every time i get into any sort of addiction. To consider fever as an enemy when it is fully equiped to compromise my energy, and fight back as I wake up to say "No, you rule your body not any virus" sounded stupid for the first few years of putting it to practice. Few years down the line when cigarettes had taken over my habbits, bringing a pause to my yearly ritual of fasting for sabarimala, i raked back that thought of stupidity to understand its time i direct my body and bring it under control. From then on, every time i feel smoking addiction has taken over me, i decide to fast and complete the process of sabarimala pilgrimage. This continued to happen for few years until i realized how much deep of a thought had my uncle shared while i was still a teen. I have since successfuly balanced between my love for cigarettes and its addiction on me.

Family conversations has a great to offer. Being born to a family with bigger branches than a 300 year old baniyan tree, i've been fortunate to be a part of nitty gritty discussions of family politics. During one such discussion when i was old enough to be allowed to sit in the gathering i heard another brother of my mother consoling his extended family. 

"Doing is our preference, looking for gratitude isn't, do not be bothered if there is no one to look back at you when you need them by your side".

At that point i never thought that would recourse, nor would I remember any of that conversation. Five to ten years later when my friend asks, why don't you expect someone to be there whom you had helped, i proudly flaunt this quote and become their inspiration. Certain sentences had made my life simple and simpler. Also to add with that I remember is the conversation which led to someone from family gathering saying, 

if you were to know they'd have already said to you. If they don't, do not make them uncomfortable. 

Though I've failed this a multiple times, someday i can reassure of not putting you in an uncomfortable situation, I say to myself.

Friends, family and fellow humans. Do not do the mistake of wanting to keep everyone who you've picked up during the course of life along with you through your life span. If a tree were to do that, some day it would fall of its own weight uprooting the shrubs around. As seasons change, situations change, to which life has to adapt forcefully. Those leaves which has fallen early shall be around as a manure to the tree or any trees around in the forest of life. Friendship, love or relationship is not a part or package of commitment, but a reminder of gifted human emotions bestowed upon us. Greatest of them all is when i learned to not expect anything in return once i've done something for someone. 

A lot of shady character that got along me as i grew older, but not late to realize none of them was by influence of others but my incapability to stop exhilirating my mind from pleasure. Might be the life i saw of others during my travel through length and breadth of India or be the reality of life that hard struck in during some random boozed conversation I've had down the line. I do not want reasons, i do not want truth for it shall unfold if i had to know. To learn from faliure began the day i failed in my botany exam after my teacher ripped me apart for spoiling her impression on me. That was the last day i cried for failing in an exam. When my school principal, after multiple attempts to throw me out of the institution in the name of saving her school from poor results in board exam, said to my friend's father  "I expected more out of him". I gasped thinking, had i been a success in academics I'd never have enjoyed this recognition.

To offer seat in a public transport to any elder who's weak or to younger who deserves it, during my journey to college was the beginning of paying respect to fellow humans. Thought of my neighbour not having to give seat to elders were also equally justified to me. All it took were for themselves to elevate and be at a place where they ought to be. 

All these years what i had forgot is to celebrate my father as a hero. Unlike every other kid in my class, colleagues in office, actors on screen, on stage celebrating their father to be the first hero. None of what he did looked extraordinary to me until I started earning. I still remember writing 72,000 as annual income and living the life of elite at home. Not that my father had a lot of money, but he was capable enough to keep me away of his worries. When the whole class of mine went for excursions, I'd spend my day happily with my brothers playing cricket without even bothered of what i've missed. Later on when i recollect his stories that he has told, matching with those of what others from my family has told, i am certain. He's endured his life as a hero. To built a 1800 sq ft house in a stranger state seems bigger a task for me now. To fix a electronic device all by my own, now seems to demand much knowledge. To give up smoking for his and family's good, looks much of a sacrifice to me now.

After years of being at home taken care of by my mother. I never felt anything big of those women who claims to be a house wife. Life is so beautiful that it let's me revisit on all my perceptions or opinions that I've had or gained through the life i lived. In a matter of fact it is that let me decide to myself, being a human is greater than being a man of opinion. 

Never was I made to feel superior of being a man. Never was I made to feel inferior of a woman. But to grace what I have is what I embraced through her. Coming back from office, looking at my shady room, i get remined of her running around to keep things in places, which makes me realize how much it takes to be a responsible human. Nothing is normal to me now, from a insect that clears the decayed mess to the operator of earth mover who clears rumbles of landslides. Every action has its own reputation. 

Let me assert. Life's biggest reconciliation is by understanding the life on my own. 

People change and so should opinions.

 

 

In memory Of:

In memory of: Doggo! My Doggo!
Growing up with me since '96 to '09, when our first doggo friend left at the age of 13, i convinced myself. I made up my mind that i'll never be able to find love or friendship in any other. I cried, I cried like i am orphaned. I refused to bring any other doggo home.
3 months later,
Amma, came home, with a cute little pup. Wrapped in her saree, adorable with half opened eyes, lots of tick were falling. Amma was all smiles looking at me like she has found herself a life time pass to Guruvayoor. I paused. I couldn't accept. But, definitely couldn't refuse. I wasn't confused about if i should accept and pet. I was confused about what will i call it, how would i be comfortable in seeing anyone else in place of my beloved. In spite, I tried. Neither did any name strike my mind, nor could I call. For a few days from then i tapped the floor, made noises to get its attention. When it was all fine, after ample failed choices, in memory of our beloved buddy, we called it, Browny. Browny Jr, i said to myself looking at the grave where my friend was buried. Grandmother, one fine day at home exclaimed, ooh, its a female!. We were never bothered by her gender or had paid any attention to know it all these days until then. We had embraced her with love like she embraced us leaving her whole family behind somewhere. Briefing a little about where my Amma found her, she was one among the four pups who were left alone to survive in the corner of a temple wall during Margazhi month of Tamil calendar. Times passed and did years. We enjoyed her growing up with us and continued to love all that she did for attention. We stumbled mentally a little as we were put in a situation that we had to relocate 400 kms from home. It was my home, it was her home. None of us could leave her behind. We sure did not want her to be put in a cage, on a train, or be loaded in a truck. She's never traveled for long, and we knew she'll be stressed. We were concerned. After a lot of dilema about transporting her, 200 km away from home, with us, next to me in the last seat, looking at me with utmost innocence she was there. We rested occasionally for her to be relaxed. We let her breathe fresh air as we crossed state borders. She leaned on me when she felt scared, stressed. She'd occasionally scratch either of us to not let us sleep and keep her company. I am 28 years old and have grown older, she's too grown older with me in this world. She's with us strong, bold and furious at 10. Everytime, I look at her I see him in her, and now we love her and him equally. I sometimes feel, she proved me wrong.
No, the thought of a 18 yo that he would not, or could find love or friendship, in any other out of impulse emotion without knowing the future in store was proven wrong. If you are going through a tough breakup with strong feeling that you can't find a better person than the one you just missed or lost. No buddy, life has not ended for you yet. Sometimes its just us being insecure of the future than of the past.

Indian Elections- The one sided affair

Yes we have a clear mandate!

From Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, over 8040 people campaigned with lust for power, money, service, and victory. 545 among them now represent 134 crore people excluding immigrants and expats, while their service contributes to the welfare of any individual who finds solace in India. Data speaks that over 80 crore people opted to stay out of this humongous electoral process for very reasons known to them alone. 

Voices of karyakartas working for their representatives were heard loud than any sound of honking in immovable traffic. Cutouts and movie hero like posters and banners were seen clear than piling up plastic bags alongside the road.  Smell of sweat and perfume in the crowds undermined unscientifically erected exhausts from Industries and Sewer. Even the scorching heat of sun was toned down by them in air conditioned rooms in spite of their saliva drying up. All of it lasted for three long months. The most exhausting phase in any politicians life, may be.

"Who not in power matters" and not "Who is going to be in power". Our very essence of decoded democracy. Nothing has changed since Independence. Neither has the ruling party campaigning against opposition nor the Opposition charging ruling power of corruption and favorism. 

This season, it all started with defining terms and giving names. Between Chowkidar and Dynast, every individual among the 60 crores who contributed to this charming result favors either of it. And when I think of it, I am intrigued to introspect the issues that raked and shaken this election. 90% of accusation this time was against the ruling government while 10% of it was against the collective opposition. We are a country where 1000 episodes of a never ending serial can retain its TRP even when there is no thrill or purpose to it. And the strategy comes in handy for any healthy marketing campaign. If it were issues that influenced this election or the manifesto that was savored is still a question to introspect. 

While every political party, independents, designed their manifesto based on their political reasoning and ideology with the sole purpose to serve people. All of them represents a parent who is trying to differentiate their identical twins with a makeover. Any hypothesis has never been considered so seriously like the Election Manifesto in a civilized world. 

A mother offering lollipop to silence her inconsolable child in return for silence is what any election campaign has been about. All it matters in this law-governed country is if the lollipop is legal or illegal. For the child, all that matters indeed is the size of a lollipop and the amount of effort to eat the lollipop. 

                   Silence is the beginning of an end ...

Turned out that a politician needs accountability to the constitution and its voters. But, who dares to question the voters. 
Why shouldn't "we the voters" be equally questioned, why isn't "us the voters" questioned for our failed co-operation. Why shouldn't election grow up to become a two-sided affair?.


Through the trails of campaigning, hardly there were any reports about sitting lawmakers who questioned the public for irresponsibly dumping waste on roads stacked up in plastic bags. Answers were ready in case they were questioned, but they were nothing more than excuses to not let systematic approach take shape. Neither there were any reports of candidates asking the public to follow traffic rules and not to overload heavy vehicles to maintain roads properly. Nor were there any reports of lawmakers asking the public to not take earth and water for granted. If they dared question, they feared of backlash, they feared of counters, they feared of demands, they feared of promises. Previous season manifesto hypothesis of waste management, quality roads, environmental protection was never to be remembered. 

If this is the case of a sitting lawmaker, an aspiring lawmaker candidate can obviously never even think of questions. Their aspiration being, to win by luring voters. More promises, more, hypothesis, more allegations, were and have continued to be the drawn path of an electoral campaign.

One day, he/ she who dares questions the public shall be a promising lawmaker that constituency has ever seen.

The Truth that behold- Loners Introduction

#1




Unusually quiet for a season evening on the beach, alone in the farthest cliff from the shore. The lady who donned a yellow top and pale green pajamas sitting on the lone rock had no one around her but just her blue sandals which were placed one over the other diagonally. 


As I walked further close to her, zooming into her hands holding the 5-inch mobile phone had Instagram opened in it. I thought her to be like any other tourist who kept themselves busy capturing the sunset and waves into unmovable frames for to be never seen again. Things were different as I neared her stood next to her and peeked into her video player while she was playing all the recorded videos.


Living at a time, when most of the celebrities are busy flooding their Instagram posts with the mesmerizing yet creative rewind and boomerang filter, she was no other exception but a common individual who had no media frenzy or fan following for what she posted. But, nevertheless to say her creativeness knew no bounds and every video that she took with the rewind filter had motion sequences in reverse.


Always the curious me, inquisitive of knowing the story behind any incident that happens, had no difference to make even at the moment. Well, for reasons unknown, I never felt apprehensive to interfere with her privacy nor she looked concerned with my presence. Might be the loner wavelength set its sync between us. Excitedly, that I curled my legs to sit near her as she gave a space for me without no grin stare in her face. 


Minutes and hours have always played a great importance in all my previous stories or instances and the pattern repeated here as well on its own. Not long before the sun rose over our head to paint shadows of us sitting over the rock, that we had opened up on a lot of our travel diaries. 


All these time she had that one video of the waves that flushed back into the sea from the rocks as recorded with the reverse filter. In spite of noticing her eyes becoming moist at every now and then that the waves pulled back in the video, I refrained from not discussing on that. Interestingly to my surprise, staring into the video she mumbled


 " The concept of foam from waves that is flushed back into the water in the video is rather more beautiful than imagining my life when thought in reverse "


Not so late after the sunset that we could sit there, for the guards to whistle us out. All we had is a day long under the fading off sun and salty breeze. I guessed a story of misery yet to be unfolded, but I wanted to know what it was about for a lady to be shattered, every moment thinking about her past. 


It was her life in reverse that she saw all through the time looking at the screen. As this story continues to let me put all of them in place to understand what went wrong for a pretty and bold lady to have a shattered past that kept her eyes moist until she finished narrating the story. 

The truth that behold - Steffi mathew

#2

Being an achiever in academics was never an easy task for anyone of the sort. Being a lone daughter in the family where there was hardly anyone to ask anything other than the scorecards and acclaims of overachievements. Steffi Mathew, the only daughter of a successful entrepreneur and a highly ambitious bureaucrat, brought up with the mask of a conservative family, in the rural part of an urban town had nothing to know about what is yet to come, when she realized that she had qualified to the best college in the state.   

She had reasons to celebrate but had no one to share with. The very feeling of getting liberated from the limits of four closed walls and the medicated smell from the room of her ailing grandmother was more than to be said. When these were the reasons for her to celebrate, her mother found utmost happiness in boasting about her daughter's achievements, while she chose to ignore about the fact that her daughter will be away from her for the next four years.

Like any other teenager, even Steffi had a story of love to be said. She was sad enough to realize that her then boyfriend would never be available for her to see whenever she wished. Like, pleasure overshadows the pain, extreme excitement overshadows the sorrow as well. 

Admission process and induction were complete in the next three months. The classes were yet to begin and even before that she had made friends all around. Extremely pretty girl with her unique thick eyebrows which never had to be threaded also had an attractive smile that would never fade away from anyone that she made friends with. Steffi was experiencing a freedom that she had never seen before.

Excited about the hostel diaries of their seniors as narrated by her friends, all she hoped for is a good room partner. She was much nervous on the day of her hostel allotment than she was on the day when her results were published. Being the best college in the state, there was an inflow of students from different parts of the country and to her fortune, it was three girls from northern India who was destined to be her partners for that academic year. 

Difficulties in understanding the language and her craving to share about her haunting past were so evident in the first few months. She never opened up to them nor did she try to make friends with other fellow hoteliers. She found refuge in texting her fading away love interest whenever she felt low. College is the time when most of them try to find one person for themselves, nothing was different in case of him as well. He eventually had stopped talking and listening to Steffi as he had found someone more compatible in the place he went to. 

Her last source of refuge ended as he stopped texting back and she realized that it is her call to take the life forward either interestingly or sober. All she wanted to was to live a life to her heart's content and she forced herself to go with the flow of the stream. Six months had already passed. By then she had cultivated an image of a studious yet reserved girl even among the people who she made friends with before the classes commenced. 

Initiation of the big line of curve started the next day, and that first puff of cigarette she shared with her roommate was just the dot before the longest sentence which was yet to be written.

The truth that behold - The rebound

#3

One year in the campus, Steffi had already made her place in the hearts of teachers and her classmates who once thought her to be strange and reserved. Cigarette puffs that she took a year ago were no more clean of tobacco alone but were adulterated with marijuana as well. As the addicted sages usually say, "A narcotic bond is something more than the bond of a mothers milk".

Her life was the most suitable example in the whole of that campus. Exposure to addictive high and immense freedom took her away from the track she was in. She chooses to ignore and gave it up completely. Steffi, often referred to her friends that it was her haunting past or the boyfriend who gave up on her which kept her away from being normal again. 

Being a studious girl attracted many eyes on her since the results of her first semester were announced. Her persistence and consistency in the next two semesters in spite of giving into the world of addiction was the factor that found a unique place among her batch mates and seniors. Vivek had notably made moves to get into the good books of Steffi. Two years senior to her, Vivek was passing out from the college that year when they started knowing each other. Coming from a noble background as what he had explained, Vivek was notably a tech-savvy yet intelligent young man who was assured of a job by the pioneers in the industry for his expertise in hacking and networking.  

Impressed with his good looks and sizable knowledge in the curriculum, Steffi easily bonded with him in the last few days of his college life. It was mostly them in the college even when the classes were empty discussing the pitch and patches of what their lectures missed in the class.

Steffi's ability to grasp something out of the curriculum often surprised and impressed Vivek in turn. They shared everything from books to notes to drugs in the coming days. 

Vivek, being a loner from his childhood after losing his mother at the age of 5 and his father getting married to a widow had only a sister to look after him. Steffi's company garnered utmost care and affection for him to become obsessed with her presence. Whereas she who was recovering from the lost boyfriend found a shoulder to lean, in him. Little did she thought about knowing him nor did she make any efforts.

Anything that he said went down her throat without a hiccup and that was her trust for him. They spent days together in the campus and nights over phone calls. By the time that the year ended, Steffi had given in to addiction and the adulterated cigarettes were not a normal high. Fortunate to her at the moment of time, she had her closest circle who had profound knowledge about the availability of high dosage drugs in the market. Her hostel room became one another narcotic dump yard. 

It resembled nothing of a girls room anymore. Exams were the only thing that kept them serious since the third semester of that year. Steffi cleared the scholarship in the same year and her fees were never a burden anymore. Lots of cash, lots of drugs, lots of people around. She saw nothing but happiness in front of her. Her techie savvy friend was now more than a friend who she used to hang out with. They made financial transactions at times of need, they had no unshared passwords and they continued to live as one soul until Vivek graduated from the college.