Salim and Kayal #Watty's 2016 # YourStoryIndia #ProjectWomanUp

My Super Woman

Kayal's POV

Our seminar on Saturday was mind blowing. We had a Professor who explained that news can be divided into three categories. Truths – Cricket Scores, Football – scores etc. Half truths – Weather Report, Lies – Everything else. Everybody laughed at his observation. After the seminar when we were returning to our room, Sara said, "It was an amazing lecture."

Jaanu said, "I agree. Most of the Newspapers, TV Channels are biased. You can only know what they want you to know. Most of the atrocities committed to Dalits are never reported in Newspapers. Rarely when it is reported in News Channels, it is just for the sake of their TRP(Television rating points). They make an extremely sensitive issue into sensational news without bothering about ethics."

I said "True. But can we blame news agencies for everything? Our governments try very hard to suppress anything which is anti government. We need more space for campus politics, activism etc."

Jaanu said, "Politicians rule campus politics as well. Back home, Osmania University is the main reason for the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. But KCR (Honorable Chief Minister of Telangana State, which was bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh) has forgotten them, after getting his CM post."

Jaanu was among many thousands of people who were against the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh. Every time she talks about the bifurcation, she gets irritated. Somehow we diverted the topic to something else and settled in peace.

We planned our shopping trip for next morning. All of us had to buy some clothes for New Year. Then we wanted to buy our gifts for each other. I planned my budget for shopping. Yes, I don't step out without a budget for shopping and I have never spent an extra rupee from my budget. Sometimes, I try to cut down my expenses while shopping. Yes, I am a woman. Don't doubt that. It is just that I don't like money leaving my wallet.

Next morning all of us woke up earlier than our usual time and got ready. At first we planned to attack a mall. Shopping with Sara is a total pain. She would want to try each and every dress she likes. Jaanu and I were extremely tired after shopping with her. All of us got one saree (A type of Indian clothing) to wear on Fridays and one chudidhar(A type of Indian clothing) for ourselves. All of us got a cotton saree. Since we returned from Kerala all of us started wearing sarees on Friday and the tradition slowly spread to all the women in our class. Now our neighboring class has also started the tradition.

After that Jaanu and Sara wanted to buy accessories. I was waiting with their shopping bags and reading a novel when they shopped for accessories. After almost eternity they returned.

I first thought of buying gifts for Salim, John and Harneet for New Year. Then I thought instead of spending money on materialistic stuff which they may or may not like, I will put some effort in making some new dish which all of us can relish.

Instead of eating in a crowded mall, we decided to eat in a restaurant. We were walking in the narrow footpath while chatting about our New Year Plans. I was in the middle. Jaanu was to my right and Sara to my left.

Sara said, "Can we go out for New Year?"

Jaanu said, "Yes, but where?"

I said, "May be to some good Dhaba(Punjabi style restaurant)."

Sara said, "We can watch a movie before that".

Jaanu said, "Sounds gr..................."

Before I could comprehend what happened, I was thrown away in a wall, with my back taking the full force. My right hand was also bleeding. Sara was bleeding from her forehead near the footpath. Jaanu was nowhere to be seen. Only after few seconds when I managed to stand and few passerbies stopped, I saw Jaanu bleeding from her head. I walked towards her and wrapped her Dupatta around her head. Saara also came running with her bleeding forehead. A bus had hit us. Thankfully somebody called the ambulance. A Traffic Police Constable was fighting with the bus driver. Within few minutes when the ambulance arrived, Jaanu was carried inside followed by Sara and me. The Traffic Constable followed us in his bike. The nurse in the ambulance first attended Jaanu. My back was hurting very badly. But, Sara was bleeding. So, I told the nurse that I was trained in first aid and wrapped a bandage around Sara's forehead. I think it is an external cut. The nurse then tied a bandage around my right hand. Within few minutes we reached a Government hospital. Thankfully the Traffic Police had taken care of the legal formalities. Jaanu's head was seriously damaged. The Doctor who checked her said, "She is suffering from severe brain injury. We will have to operate her. We will try our level best. But her chance of survival is very less. You better call her parents."