hmm... I said with a low tone.
Oh! sorry she said
It's okay I said
"Wow you have a very big garden, I like it" she began running in the garden smelling each flower.
The garden was situated behind my villa with almost all types of variety plants you could find in the city.
'What does Ashrey mean' Jan asked pointing to a colourful big board hanging at the centre of the garden with word A-S-H-R-E-Y written in cezanne font.
"shelter" , I meant since I am giving shelter to various plants I tried to explain.
She hummed and continued to run from flower to flower as a honey bee does.
When once sit's in the garden the scent of sweet Flowers, the birds echo from time to time, the butterfly's dance, the colourful Flowers would make one forget all worries.
I sat down on the grass in the garden while Jhanavi was running in the garden, seeing her like that, I remembered the days when me and Jan used to go to the public park every day.
She would always turn excited when she saw plants,she loved spending time in the par.
She still continued her survey so I lied down on the grass.
I turned my head to the crimson coloured bleeding-heart flowers, I kept staring at them, as always they appeared new.
Every time I stared at them it would be like staring at the most beautiful sight on earth.
I know no one would say these words, except for me cause one wouldn't find anything special in them but still thy held a deep spot in my heart cause sunaina liked these flowers a lot and I liked sunaina a lot.
This proves the saying "when you start loving someone, all you like is what they like."
Who could have expected that the girl from then would still be remembered now.
...…..
11 years back
It was one of the reputed schools for plus one & two so we were all tensed whether we would get admission into it or not.
I and Jahnavi along with our fathers were seated in the reception hall waiting for our turns to take the interview.
We were made to write an entrance exam from which only the top 1,500 were allowed to take next level test.
"Dad, why are you making me join army" was the question which I asked my dad after the second level test.
It seemed more so like an army test rather than a test for admission into school.
I said army test cause the second level test was a 5k marathon. Being someone who had been to athletic nationals it was a piece of cake for me.
"No son, being one of reputed institutions expecting only the best students is reasonable"
I and Jan completed the first two level tests and were waiting for the third test which was an interview with the school staff. We were among the first batch to complete, there were two more batches left.
As we were waiting, "who is the principal here" came a loud shout from behind.
It was a man in black outfit, who was short but extremely fit with bulging muscles. He appeared as though he could beat anyone black and blue if they annoyed him. He was not a person to be trifled with.
Here sir, it's me, said a person who just appeared from the cabin in which the interview was taking place. " Do you have any problem?"
The principal was calm as he faced the short man this showed that the principal was quite bold and fearless.
"Our madam will not participate in the second level test" said the short man as though giving an order.
Is she handicapped? Asked the principal.
"What?...no…" Shouted the short man instantly.
The principal did not flinch seeing the short man's angry face instead he replied calmly "Then it's compulsory for her to participate."
"I don't want madam to get exhausted running 5k, what do you say, she is a national level sprinter so she will run 100 meters." The short man suggested, as though 5k and 100m didn't have much of difference.
The principal looked at the short man for some time then replied "sorry sir, rules can't be broken, you have to abide them.
The short man got angry "Do you know who she is…"
But before he could complete his sentence a sweet female voice interrupted him "Ranveer, let it be I'll participate ".
Everyone turned to look at the direction from which the voice came. It was a girl wearing a simple salwar kameez.
Beauty…. No, the word beauty wasn't enough to describe her beauty. Her dark eyes were like a black hole which would attract everything into it, her lips were as delicate as a petals of rose, her neck was seemed to be made of jade and her waist had the perfect curves, her long and slender legs could cause the down fall of an entire country.
Jan was a rare beauty, if she could lead to fight between men then this girl could cause a fight between kingdoms for her if it were the old days.
Looking at her led him to a state of saturation, where he was not able to peer anything around him. He couldn't take eyes off her.
what's happening to me, why am I not able to control myself, why was I being over emotional.
All thoughts were running in his head. He couldn't get off from his ethereal state where he was surrounded by no one except her, this sort of situation never occurred to him before.
Akhil, wappen? why are you staring at her like that? Jahnavi asked me bringing me back from my thoughts.
I shook my head "mmmhh… nothing"
Thanks.. I said
I Knew she hasn't left yet, hence I didn't dare look at her again.
My dad always had a good opinion on me and I didn't want it to be spoiled.
After some time all the commotion came to an end and the interview continued.
Soon, it was Jan's turn. She went into the cabin and 5 minutes later came back smiling.
Howassit? I asked
She raised her thumbs up as it to say that the interview went well.
It was now my turn.
I went into the cabin, the principal was seated in the middle, 2 men and 2 women were seated to his left and right respectively. They appeared as a perfect combo for an interview.
Take your seat, said the principal.
With a smile I sat down.
What's your name? Asked the women beside principal.
Varun mam I said.
What do you think bout India? Asked the corner lady.
'India…. Is a country with high expectations' I said
What do you mean? Asked the same lady
"When I was young I heard people around me saying India is a developing country, at that time I used to feel so proud. But…. Now I hear the same thing; INDIA-IS -DEVELOPING, will it never be developed? "
"The word (India is developing) is being passed down an inheritance. 16 years have passed but still the same words echo Now I feel shamed of it. That's why it is a country having lot of expectations" I said with a confident tone.
"So, India isn't developing at all" asked the principal.
No sir, India is developing but not to the extent which it had to. 73 years of independence we wanted ourselves free from the clutches of British, was India not being developed during their rule?
· 1813 Act & the Education.
· General Committee of Public Instruction, 1823.
· Lord Macaulay's Policy, 1835.
· Bombay Plan: A plan for the economic development of India.
· Wood's Dispatch, 1854
· Hunter Commission (1882-83)
· Sadler Commission
· Railways, telephone services and what not.
But we wanted to rule ourselves, what for?
when we cannot become a developed country even after being free isn't it like a bird in a cage wanting to be free but when it is free it doesn't want to fly."
lndia is developing but not to extend it should have been.
"what do you think is the cause for it?" Askedthe person behind principal.
"cause...you all sir" I said pointing at all of them
I continued "development can only happen when the one ruling us aim for development. But the one's above us aim for development, not of country but of themselves. Not to forget the one's to elect them were you all."
"what do you think we as citizens do?" The principal asked.
"sir, development is the improvement in the way of one's living. when each individual in the country plants a tree to him it may not make any difference but as a whole it means a lot."
"when each individual develops don't you think it will develop as a whole."
I meant to say you develop and the country develops.
claps..... all the five looked at each other and theh started clapping.
"well said, I like your boldness" the principal said showing his thumb to me.
thank you, sir I said.
"Do you know the student named Akhil" The principal asked.
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