I know many were bit upset but thats the reality.... Here I update the next one not to hold you all too much.
But, as I mentioned I will be busy with my upcoming meetings and reviews so kindly bear with my delays... but.... for sure I will update the next parts maybe late nights or by the weekend. Thanks for understanding...............
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Chapter 4 B
Saplings contd….
Hers
Gaziabad….
This goes behind long years….
She was in her 8th std… wanted to study well, fly high…
Born in a poor family, her mother Ahalya worked in the Guest House which welcomed many rich and government officials during their holidays and business visits.
She was middle aged frail and used to take care of everything right from cooking till managing the rooms.
Her husband…… rather the father of her daughter a man who wanted her for his physical needs, seldom realized she was a living being, had a heart which was weak. He was after her earnings but never had a sweet talk or feelings to his daughter…..
Chakor… called her mom she was feeling very weak… holding her heart, she was palpitating… Maai… the little one ran she did not know much but all she knew was her mom is not well and the one fathered her did not bother about her. Chakor please can you just sweep the rooms today, kaaka has not come (he was there to do the top work) and I need to prepare the food for the guests.
Haan Maai,I will do that and go to school she said…. she ran she when she came across the father and she just ignored him though she did not understand much but knew he wanted mom’s earnings and scolded her for falling sick and was cursing that she gave birth to a daughter….
He shouted…what happened to you? Always falling sick? You are of no use to me…
Ahalya grined in pain holding her chest but quickly gulped some warm water with ajwain thinking it is gastric and coiled for sometime and got up to do her work. Her health was becoming weak…
It was the guesthouse which Pankaj Khatri stayed during his travel to Delhi. He was always taken care of by Ahalya. It was a rainy day when Pankaj was returning back when his car got punctured. He was walking towards the Guest House while his driver was trying to fix the car. The lights were so glaring that heskid over a stone and was about to fall on to the road which saw a speeding lorry coming towards him. Ahalya who was going out for errands saw him and quickly pulled him to the side of the road and in due course she got hurt in her hip.
They both managed to get up and she helped him while herself limped to the Guest House. The doctor was called who treated Pankaj and saw Ahalya. He was the local Dr and asked Ahalya how she was and why she has not come to the dispensary for checkups. She smiled. Pankaj thanked her for her selfless act in saving his life staking hers. She just smiled again and walked to mind her work.
Pankaj asked the dr. about Ahalya when he was given the shocking news that she is a severe heart patient and has terrible blocks and was not taking care due to her economical condition and her husband was too bad.
Pankaj called Ahalya and told that he will take care of her medical treatment while she refused saying that will add to the woes as her husband will suspect and harm her more. All she requested with folded hands was the following:
Saab I don’t want anything but if you feel like please help my daughter who wants to study… He immediately accepted and said he will take care of her studies personally and sponsored Chakor’s education and promised not to reveal himself due to the fear that the father might harm them both.
He went off to Aligarh and as there was no need he did not visit Ghaziabad after that as he was getting his work done over mails and phones with the advance of technology,least he realized that she was counting her last days. But, he ensured Chakor’s education was taken care and was very happy in monitoring her progress.
Chakor was sponsored privately and she never knew who it was though she would always get a bookmark every year at the end of the academics with a sword drawn on it and a small lock drawn below. The little girl was greedy to study but at the sametime was hit with the cruel reality of her ruthless father and the way her mother was ignored, treated badly. How are you making your daughter study?Where from you are getting the money? He would beat her. She would refuse saying anything other that an NGO from Delhi was sponsoring. He went there but could not get any info.
Ahalya’s health deteriorated terribly. She could not go to work nor get up from her bed and she was admitted to the local municipal hospital which seldom had any facility to treat her cardiac problem. The doctor there tried his best but could not help much.
Chakor passed her 12th in flying colours… she came running home to see her mother who had been discharged as there was no use being in the hospital. Maai I passed I have come first in the district. I want to become a Doctor. I will treat you Mai. I will save you mai…. The girl was all happy…Ahalya was in pain… she ran to her and took her in her arms, maai maai please look at me. She saw her mother in excruciating pain. She said Chakor please I am going to die but please promise me that you will study well, donot leave your studies. He will take care of your studies… for your sponsor is……. She could not talk more she held her chest, laying her head on Chakor’s lap. Maaaaaaai , she held in her hands her wrist, slowly realized the pulse was going down and finally stopped, completely..
She saw her mother’s heart stop beating, that heart which beat for her, which wanted her to fly high… stopped its rhythm as it succumbed to the pain.
She froze….Everything went past in a jiffy.. She went to her school office which asked her to sign the MBBS entrance form. She pleaded them to say who was her sponsor. They could not as the sponsor would pay the fees for the whole term in one shot and never gave any details. The father who had left them away and went off not to return but came back once after her death. Chakor refused to see him for she hated him, hated the only man she had known who was cruel to her mother, left her to die, shunned the responsibility to take care of them.
On knowing about Ahalya’s death through the Municipal doctor, Pankaj wanted to meet Chakor but he got the information that the estranged father was troubling the school to know about Chakor’s Sponsor.
Fearing he might trouble him and Chakor he refrained from coming in the forefront.
The school authorities too were not able to contact Pankaj, as they did not have his name but only the book mark which will be dropped in the school post box addressed to her.
She filled the form……
First name : Ms. Chakor
Sur Name: Not Applicable (Ms.Ahalya… the college refused initially so she gave her mothers name but still they debated as she said she has no father and does not want to have any surname…). After much deliberation, they accepted her without a surname as she had topped the district and the women rights groups raised flag.
Institution : AIIMS, Delhi
Course : MBBS.
Her college fees for the four years along with her hostel fees was paid in one shot by Pankaj.
She studied well, studied with a zeal, with that rage. She topped in every subject, raised a wall around her. Forgot social life and all she was friendly was with her books, her thesis, submitting papers…. End of every year she would get the chart paper bookmark with the sword drawn with a small lock beneath. (this was drawn personally by Pankaj)
It was her fourth year, she stood first in AIIMS. She wanted to pursue her MS in Cardiology and Cardiac surgery.
That time came that shock… her fees to enroll into her MS was not paid. That year she did not get her book mark too… She could not understand what happened to her sponsor. She did not know whom to approach too. The institution told that the sponsor has not sent any information or book mark.
She was shocked, frozen, somebody who was taking the responsibility of educating her has stopped suddenly without giving a reason. But, being the topper from the same institution and based on her credits she was offered scholarship and she started her classes and taking classes for her juniors in the evening to manage her living expense along with her specialization.
She qualified as a Cardiac Surgeon with flying colours.
It was a gala function with all the family members of the students to see their wards take that prestigious scroll of certificate, but for one. She was alone all alone….with no one to applaud her or smile when she took that certificate..
The college Registrar read the name.
Dr. Chakor…. Hereby conferred the Masters in Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery. Gold medalist.
She walked up to the stage with her plain face…. Holding the book mark to herself, talking to the sword… thank you for bringing me to this level. I don’t know who you are but I thank you from my heart for making me fly this high. I cannot blame you for not sponsoring me for this too but I would have been happy if you had made me knows the reason as to why you suddenly shunned the responsibility.
Holding the certificate she remembered her Mother, looked up with tears in her eyes and spoke to herself, Mai…I promise that I will do my best to serve those poor who are treated at the Govt.hospitals.. To the best of my service I will not allow a heart to stop for lack of medical care….
She was offered in many private hospitals but she choose to work in the district and municipal hospitals. It was not a bed of roses as she was tossed due to the political and bureaucratic pressures of resisting to manipulating reports, voicing out when she finds wrong doings or raise against wrong treatments. The result was her change of locations within four years to six places but she did not bother about anything.
She drew her walls around so that none could approach her, she never wanted to tag anybody’s name along with her. She was Dr. Chakor without any surname…….and wanted to remain that way…. The only person who was with her was Dr. Tanu…………………………..(but not even Tanu know about her past)
She cried….I don’t trust men, especially those who run away from responsibility…. Those who breaks the trust….
Both the hurt souls looked at each other……………..slowly realizing the past years of agony….
They both sat quiet trying to understand how they had been tangled into.
Coming to their senses, unknowingly both extended their hands when for the first time their hands met.
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The Sword around his neck………… the sword and the lock in her bookmark
Had destiny bookmarked them to lock ?
She saw his ruffled uniform to see that scar on his side in the ribs…
So its this she said…. the powder but how can they do this?
Its money and psychic pleasure that they will make anyone do anything?
He walked into the den …… while the two were getting their senses….. she opened her eyes…..
I am sorry he said……………. he smiled……..I trust you………when you trust someone you don’t question them!!!
They hugged.
Oh NO…………………The Devil is he the son……………………………
Bring him to us and the officer should bring him …………………..
She cried………. kill me…………I dont want to be your weakness…….
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Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
