Destiny

6. Dreaming 💭

Though Anupama would not admit it, Sumithra was right. Anupama had felt herself drawn to Anand ever since she saw him from the first floor of Dr Desai's house.

Vasumathi had spoken of Anand occasionally, and he had captured her heart the moment she set eyes on him.

As Mahashweta, when she had talked about love at first sight, she had been speaking from her own heart.

However, she was a practical girl, well aware of her situation. Given the difference in their backgrounds, she knew that it would be unrealistic on her part to dream of a life with Anand. She was the eldest daughter of a poor village schoolteacher, and destined to struggle all her life.

She was aware that Anand was favoured by Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth.

Though she herself had the blessings of Saraswathi, the goddess of learning, Anupama's life had never been an easy one.She also had no clue as to what Anand felt about her, and did not wish to end up with a broken heart.

Reaching out for a star in the sky would only lead to disappointment. This was the first time she had kept a secret from Sumi.

Anupama had always shared her thoughts and feelings with her. But, somehow, she was reluctant to breathe a word about her feelings for Anand. Anupama woke up early the next morning to prepare her notes.

Sumithra, who was still lying in bed, mumbled lazily,

'Anu, the play was just yesterday. But you're up so early as usual. You always work so hard. Don't you need a break?

'Sumi, if I don't work hard I will lose my scholarship and that will be the end of my career.'

Sumithra sat up hugging a pillow and said, 'Anu, you are completing your post-graduation this year. Why are you worried now?'

'Sumi, that is the very reason I'm worried. You know that from the first year of college till now, I have survived on scholarships. If I don't secure a good rank, I won't be able to do my PhD and I'd have to find a job.'

Sumithra was silent. It was true that Satish could not afford to pay for his daughter's education.

His wife Sarita, Anupama's stepmother, had told her husband categorically, 'Let us not educate her further. It might become difficult to find a husband for her. Besides, she will not support us. She has to marry and go to somebody else's house one day. 'Anupama had been devastated.

But, fortunately, she had won a scholarship and escaped from her stepmother's clutches. Sarita and her daughters, Diya and Riya, did not like Anupama. The main reason was that Anupama was very good-looking and her stepsisters were plain. Sheer jealousy prompted them to taunt Anupama by saying that just because she could write a few lines she was too proud of herself.

Satish was a timid man. He was completely subservient to his second wife's will, and was not in a position to help his eldest daughter as it was ultimately Sarita who made all the major decisions at home. But fate had been kind to Anupama. An endowment by a generous donor for educating a girl child from the village, stipulating that if she performed well she would get a stipend every year as long as she wished to study, had come to her rescue.

Anupama, who was in the final year of her MA, was still eligible for this scholarship. In four months, Sumithra and Anupama would go their separate ways. Sumithra would go back home and get married. Though her family was very well off and could afford to pay enough dowry, sadly her dark complexion would still pose a problem.

Sumithra would often tease Anupama, 'Anu, when I stand next to you, I could ward off the evil eye from you.' To which Anupama would say, 'Sumi, don't talk such rubbish! 'Over the next few days, Anupama exercised enormous self-control and banished 'Pundarika' from her mind, concentrating on her studies instead. KI