Kabhi to nazar milao

Mumbai

As Naina entered the gates of the huge building,  she was mesmerized by the sheer size of the place and the activity around her.  It was as if all the college going students of Ahmedabad had landed here...  or maybe more.  The place buzzed with beautiful girls in modern dresses and boys trying every trick to impress them.  None of them,  however,  could be called handsome,  according to her.  The only boy handsome in Naina's eyes was left far behind...  in Ahmedabad.  She closed her eyes and let out a sigh

'No Naina,  you have to stop thinking about him...  he is not even aware of your existence and you can see nothing beyond him. '

The tears again threatened to spill out. She swallowed hard to melt the lump in her throat. She and him...  could not even exist together in thoughts. Had he been here he would have been the center of attraction...  charming all the girls and making the guys jealous. And here she was...  nobody even looked at her twice...  dressed in a simple mehndi and pink printed suit with a pink dupatta,  her hair tied in a simple pony and her face devoid of any makeup.  In fact,  seeing the girls dressed up in bright coloured modern dresses,  she felt every bit of the behenji she was called in school.  However,  she could never think of trying to change her appearance,  her family would faint with shock.  Coming to Mumbai for studies was too much liberty given to her...  according to her taiji.

It was not easy to convince her family to send her to Mumbai for the degree. Her father, as always,  cribbed about the expenditure and Taiji was not ready to let her stay alone. 

'Padhai ke chakkar me ladki hath se nikal jaayegi...  kal ko kuch oonch neech ho gayi to kaun shaadi karega isse...  waise hi shakal soorat me kuch hai nahi...  aur na iske baap ke paas paisa hai...  aur phir padh likh ke konsa collector banana hai.' Taiji's rants did not deter her. 

And when chachaji was in full support of her,  she just turned a deaf ear to everyone else.  When Rakesh, her father, came to know that she was getting full scholarship as she was the topper of the entire state,  he agreed to let her go,  thinking that he will not have to pay the college fees in Ahmedabad. 

When she was packing with the help of Preeti,  chachaji came to her room and smiled warmly, placing a hand on her head, ' Naina beta,  waise to Mumbai me Phulla bua ka ghar hai par wo tumhare college se bohot door parega,  isliye maine tumhara hostel me registration karwa diya hai...  par tum weekends pe phulla bua ke ghar chali jaana...  unhe bhi achcha lagega aur tumhe bhi'. 

She nodded and smiled with moist eyes. 

Then, on an impulse, she hugged Anand and muttered, 'Thank you chachaji.'

Anand could also feel the heaviness in his heart 'Bachche apne maa baap ko thank you nahi kehte...  yeh to tumhari kabliyat hai jisne tumhe yeh mauka diya hai...  ab tumhe apne sapne sach karne ki raah pe chalna hai aur mujhe poora vishwas hai ki tum apna mukaam zaroor haasil karogi...  tum to mera abhimaan ho.'

Naina said a silent prayer in her mind thanking God for giving her Chachaji and chachiji. She did not have a proper family like other children but what she had  was no less than a blessing.

A loud noise from the parking area brought her back to present.  It seemed like a group of students were performing some stunts on their bikes.  Naina looked once in that direction and walked towards the registration counter to collect her id card and timetable. As she entered the classroom,  she looked around in wonder.  It was a huge room with big windows and high ceiling.  Dark wooden desks were placed neatly and the walls were painted white and beige.  Some students were sitting and chatting but most of the desks were vacant.  Naina chose to sit on the second desk in the first row from the door...  she had always been a first bencher in school but was a little hesitant today,  being in a totally new place and knowing absolutely no one.

Soon the room filled up and few minutes later the professor walked in.  As he started marking the attendance,  he stopped at the new name.

'Naina Agarwal...  achcha aap hain Gujarat state ki topper...  congratulations and welcome...  waise aap ek week late join kar rahi hain to aapko pehle ke notes baaki students se lene honge...  I'm sure aap jaldi hi sab cover kar lengi'. 

Naina stood up and answered softly 'Thank you sir,  I'm sorry for joining late,  mere forms aane me thoda time lag gaya...  par main missed lectures ka saara kaam jaldi kar lungi.'

The professor smiled in satisfaction and gestured her to sit. She listened with rapt attention for next one hour,  making notes in between. 

After the lecture,  the girl sitting on the first desk turned behind and looked at her with big round eyes, 'Tum poore state ki topper ho?  Kya baat hai yaar,  tum to bohot intelligent ho...  meri friend banogi?'

Naina smiled at the pretty girl looking at her in wonder and nodded, 'Zaroor banungi...  tum meri help karogi pehle ka kaam complete karne mein?'

The girl excitedly got up from her seat and moved towards her.

'Pakka...  I'm Sonali... Hi.' She said extending her hand towards Naina.

With a smile Naina shook her hand 'Naina Agarwal'. 

'Tumhara naam to sabko yaad rahega ab,'  Sonali beamed,  'Ek to topper upar se itna pyaara naam.'

Naina coloured in embarrassment.  No one had openly praised her like this before.  Sonali lent her notebook to Naina and asked her to accompany her to the canteen.  Naina could not afford to spend money like this. 

'Tum canteen jao,  main library jaakar kaam poora kar leti hun...  waise bhi mujhe bhook nahi hai. ' She walked towards the library,  armed with all the books.