A Midsummer's Love Tale

A Midsummer's Love Tale - Chapter Seventeen - The 'Legal Eagle'

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                                        A MIDSUMMER’S LOVE TALE          

                                            CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

                                                THE 'LEGAL EAGLE'

For the first few months I felt really bad that I had left my stint in journalism. The reason maybe anything, but I missed the hurly burly, the excitement of meeting the deadline, the covering of events, the interviews, and the seminars and symposiums where you get to meet so many different personalities.

 In fact whoever knew me was shocked as they didn’t want me out of this regal profession. All I could do was to manage a weak smile and tell them that I had switched over to the ‘legal profession’ now.

I had in fact built up quite a reputation after covering the elections of Amitabh and doing the ‘caste conversion’ story, as well my stint with the historical buildings of Allahabad, which included Anand Bhawan, the Museum, the Alfred Park, the Library Building, the Mayo Hall and countless other such places of interest.

 I had in fact done a report on the house of the celebrated Urdu poet, Firaq Gorakhpuri, as well as the nearby famous Khusroo Bagh, reportedly famous for the guavas of Allahabad.

I certainly missed all this as I enjoyed interacting with people and covering all these aspects from different walks of life.

 I recalled with fondness the interview with Amitabh more than anything else, as he spoke at length about the aspirations people had from him, and the love and warmth he had encountered at the airport as well as on the streets of Allahabad. The ‘Lambuji’ had really captured the imagination of the people of Prayag.

Talking of Prayag, it would be demeaning if I didn’t talk about the story I did on the Old Fort at Allahabad which now houses the Army Garrison and is bang next to the Sangam ghat.

The picturesque setting of the Fort is still fresh in my memory and the Old Banyan Undying Tree situated inside the premises is another attraction. The view it commands of the Ganges and the Yamuna rivers meeting together at the confluence called Sangam, with the invisible Saraswati flowing underneath is too romantic a tale to be missed.

Lakhs and lakhs of devotees converge on the banks of Ganges, where the make shift tent house township built every year is witness to the Magh Mela (held annually), the Ardh Kumbha(held every three years), and the Kumbha(held every six years). The Maha Kumbha is held once in 12 years and is no less than a celestial event.

All these aspects of this great and traditional city had been captured by me in my articles, and I would certainly miss all this.

Life has to go on but, you certainly miss something you have liked doing, and maybe would have liked to continue doing.

I had to leave all this behind, and ultimately I succeeded in doing just that.

 I joined a workaholic senior lawyer who believed in burning the midnight oil. He diligently sat till late in the night hours preparing his cases and gave me the not so enviable task of researching the case laws on the subject.

 I had to dive into numerous legal Digests to look up the Case Law on a particular subject, both for and against me.

 It was a ‘thankless’ job, but it gave me the impetus to be able to look up cases on any subject on my own. It left me feeling a lot more knowledgeable, and naturally confident in my outlook and approach. This confidence and knowledge gave me the necessary leap I required to handle cases independently.

I had started drafting my own cases but they were always subject to the trained eyes of my senior, which was good in a way, because he told me what to concentrate on, and what to leave out in a drafted matter.

I learnt to highlight my strongest points, and to tone down my weak ones. I was also taught one very important thing.

 Never conceal. Come clean!

There is a saying, come with clean hands, if you come with unclean hands, you will suffer. I imbibed that, and in my entire career never once did I conceal any small fact relating to the facts of the case. This, apart from giving me a sense of being one up and euphoria, kept me high on my confidence.

I was assisting my senior with all my ability but had not yet made my ‘maiden appearance’, or my ‘first argument’ as they call it. I was waiting for my opportunity and when it came, I was not found wanting.

 I was making ‘mentions’ for ‘Passovers’ in the Court rooms to fill up for my senior nearly every day, but a full-fledged argument completely on your own is every lawyer’s dream. 

 Without this, a young budding lawyer can never seek to address the Court in a full-fledged case.

The ‘mention’ is usually made for getting a particular case passed over, or a request to take it up after some time. Let me hasten to add that making ‘mentions’ before the Presiding Court is another step towards ‘opening’ up of a lawyer.

My first 'arguement' in the Court was a huge success and contrary to my beliefs a confidence and morale booster.

Who do you think I decided to share this wonderful news with?

You're bang on.........

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End of Chapter Seventeen - A Midsummer's Love Tale

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