Chapter 16

15. Saraswati Vandana

Class - VIII B

‘I also want to take part in the singing competition,’ she informed her squad leader.

His head lazily leaning on.his hand, Nishit tilted his face to look at her, disinterest written all over his face. Parvati Reddy, stood next to her as a moral support.

It was mid of January; almost a year had passed since she had joined the school. The guy still did not acknowledge her. 

‘You are taking the names for the competition to be held on Saraswati Puja, right?’

‘I am,’ he replied.

‘Can I represent the squad?’

‘Saroj has already volunteered.’

‘Oh,’ she said disappointingly. This was the only thing she excelled at and thought could give her some recognition. Apart from that, she really liked singing. In her previous school, the teachers will always seek her out to perform on any and every program. So widespread was her fame, that seniors and juniors knew her as ‘Atha swagatam, subh swagatam’ girl for at every program, she would be up on the dais, on the sides - wearing a plain sari with red border- singing the traditional welcome song, as the chief guest lighted the lamps.

‘But she’s a great voice. You should take her,’ Parvati recommended.

‘Told you. I have already taken the name.’

‘Take hers too. There’s no bar on the numbers you can send. The less deserving will be as it is weeded out in the first round.

‘Who told you there’s no bar? We can only send one name per section.’

‘Then send hers.’

‘She fumbled on stage the other day,’ he argued.

‘When?’ Kirti asked, miffed.

‘The poem.’

‘That was something else’

‘How? You’ll be again performing before a crowd. This time scores are at stake too.’

‘What scores?’

‘The squad which wins will get bonus ten marks added to their overall house score.’ It was only in this school that Kirti had been exposed to such Intra house competition. Such fierce at that.

‘Saroj has always been winning’

‘You haven’t tried Kirti yet.’ 

He shrugged.

He had his mind made up against her. Dispirited, she returned to her bench. But Parvati had not given up. 

‘Listen, let him say whatever. When Mridula comes and asks the leaders for the names, raise your hand and say you want to do it, too. Let her decide.’ Mridula Ma’am was their Hindi teacher and also in charge of Saraswati Puja celebrations.

XxxxxxX

‘What do you want to say Kirti?’ Kirti looked at Parvati who sat in the first bench of the second row. She was gesturing to her to speak.

‘Speak,’ Shivani Jaiswal pushed her as well. All the class students had turned to her. Her squad leader too. The attention was unnerving. Her cheeks felt too warm and her heart pumped blood like never ever. She liked the usual fade into the background routine.

‘Teacher, I also want to participate in the competition.’

‘You should have given your name to your leader. Which squad is yours? Green? Nishit?’

He stood up. ‘Tr, Saroj had already volunteered.’

Turning to Kirti, the teacher said, ‘You can participate next time.’

‘Tr, next year we will be in ninth.’ The competition was for up to eight standard students only.

She should have accepted and just sat down but something had forced her not to accept the defeat easily. Why was Saroj allowed when she had offered, and Kirti not? What was the criteria of accepting one and rejecting another? How can they know Saroj was better than her without even trying her. So she remained standing, looking expectantly at the teacher.

‘Do you really want to participate?’

‘I do’

‘Well then let’s do voting. Both the girls come and sing here and the class would vote. Saroj, do you have any problem?’

‘She could participate if she wants. I will back out,’ the girl offered.

‘I want to have a fair competition,’ Kirti said.

‘Tr, why should the whole class vote when the decision should be only green squad’s’ Nishit reasoned.

‘Fine, only green squad members get to vote. The rest of you silently listen. Come, Kirti, you start first.’

Kirti went to stand next to the teacher whose mild flowery fragrance filled Kirti’s nostrils. She faced the class. Parvati sitting right at front showed her a thumbs up.

‘Sarada Jagjananani, aayi sakal jagat ka harne bhaar,’ she started her prayer for the Goddess  Saraswati, her eyes closed and sang the first few lines of the prayer song. 

‘Okay, very good,’ Tr said.

‘When she opened her eyes, she saw some students snickering, some looking at her queerly.

‘Bollywood,’ Parvati was mouthing.

‘Come Saroj, your turn now.’

When Saroj came, she sang a very beautiful romantic song from Shahid Kapoor’s movie. 

‘Chot Dil Pe lagi...pyar hone laga…’

‘We had to sing Bollywood songs?’ She asked Shivani.

‘Duh’

She covered her face in her hands. She had lost her chance! Saroj had sang so beautifully and the song sure struck the chords of all these teenager’s hearts. Let’s accept defeat gracefully, Kirti. But who had Bollywood songs sung on Saraswati Puja.

‘Now, let’s vote.’ The teacher announced.

‘How do we judge two totally different genres?’

‘Nishit, stop nitpicking.’ 

‘Tr, our squad’s marks are at stake.’

‘You have heard the voice.’

 It’s a Bollywood song competition and we heard her sing a Bhajan.’ Kirti had never liked her squad leader this much before.

‘What do you want?’

‘Tell her to sing a Bollywood number so that we can have a fair competition.’

‘Come Kirti, do you know any Bollywood song?’ 

She nodded and hopped to the front. And chose the song that was always playing on B4U channel and one that was her father’s favorite.

‘Hmm...Hmm...Hoo..

Kissa Hum Likhenge

Dil-E-Beqarar Ka

Khat Mein Saja Ke

Phool Hum Pyaar Ka

Lavzoon Mein Likh Deingey

Apna Ye Haal-E-Dil

Dekhengey Kya Jawab

Aata Hai Phi Yaar Ka’

They had all put their heads down while the twelve greenies of VIII B had voted for or against. When she had put her head up, it was 4 against 8. She had won!

She had cleared subsequent rounds too that had taken place behind closed doors, in front of teachers. Tejas had participated too, representing the other section, but had been voted out. She thought he was angry with her when he didn’t come to greet her in the later days. But it seemed he had gone out for an inter school cricket match.

The final competition had taken place on the day of Basant Panchami.

Dressed in a yellow sari with stamped red border, she waited for her round. Her squad leader was dressed in a white kurta pajama, guitar hanging from his shoulder surrounded by little girls - part of a choir group - decked in pretty saris. Sometimes she pitied him. It seemed there was only one guitarist at the school. Primary, Secondary - all of the teachers summoned him when they needed one to play. There were harmonium and tabla students with him as well.

He had come to where the finalists waited and wished all of them luck. To her, he had said, ‘ Go get it, Greenie.’

Kehta Hai Ye Sajan

Kadmoon Mein Aapke

Lutaa Doon Apni Jaan

O, Dil Mein Hi Basaa Ke

Rakhna Tum Sadaa

Hum To Na Chodengey

Ye Saath Kabhi Dildar Ka

Green squad had gotten those bonus marks that year.

The next day when Kirti had carried the trophy to school, she had been congratulated by all her classmates, and had really felt proud and accepted.

‘Treat...treat,’ they had rallied. Before she could regret winning the competition, Nishit had entered the scene and they had turned on him. ‘Squad leader we need a treat! Treat, treat!’

His driver had dropped a huge black forest cake during the recess time the next day and all the housemates had feasted on it. 

She had too, for the first time, partaken in. Because she felt like she had earned it.

[NOCOPY]

[MEMBERSONLY]