-
He who knows the alphas and betas of Life|Short Story |Life Blog
Short Story| Life Blog |He who knows the alphas and betas of Life
Beginning
All four were 3 pegs down, consciously or subconsciously having fun and in the midst of it suddenly one of them said, “Rajesh, why you teach the student this way?”
As usual in his jovial mood, Rajesh started laughing and asked “Which way?”
“I think I teach them, in the best possible way, I can. In the way in which they can understand the topic in full detail and which will help them clear the entrance exam. What’s wrong in that?”
To this, the head among them said, “Yes Rajesh, you are right. But this is creating an issue with the other faculties, who teaches them just up-to-the point, without any detail.”
“Students are comparing them with you and asking them to teach to your standards, which to some extent is becoming difficult to other teachers. So better we should have a uniform system of teaching standards”
……
Rajesh said “Do you know what are you people saying, you are saying me to change my way of teaching, not to teach them what I know and what I can explain them, just to make your other faculties comfortable?
The head replied “Rajesh, why don’t you understand? This variable teaching among the faculties in the same institution will hamper our brand and will affect our business. ”
“So what do you think? What you are asking me, won’t hamper the career the students, won’t affect them and make me feel guilty? Will it not cheating to me, if I agree to what you are saying” replied Rajesh.
The Head argued “Rajesh, every one of the department is in this favour but. “
”But not my conscience. I will better quit the job than to continue your way” replied Rajesh.
……
Hearing the word “QUIT”, everyone who was in a different world of their own suddenly came to their senses.
Another member said, “Are you guys mad? Let’s wind up for today, will have a discussion tomorrow”.
“No, the decision is fixed”, said Rajesh. I will teach my way”
“No Rajesh “, said the head,” You need to change”.
“NEVER,” said Rajesh
The next morning was a different morning for him.
Middle..
Rajesh: He Born and brought up in Delhi, graduated from NIT K, left his home a long time before he was even that much matured. With just his knowledge and an exceptional quality of sense of humour, he began his life himself. With long curls of hair, simple looks yet charming smile, with an idea of living life with peace and ease, he moved ahead, not on any desired way, but on the road which was ahead of him, irrespective of the idea of where it will lead.
An intelligent boy from a young age, Rajesh began to take personal coaching for students from the time when we were busy watching action movies and roaming here and there. By the time he entered college, he began his tuition classes for school children, with his NIT friends. His earning by himself paid for his daily expenses during college days.
He continued this way as he never thought what he had to do next. Living his life, enjoying with everyone who meets him and working on the task assigned to him. He too was a common person as others, but with a difference. Always stood up for what he thought is right, irrespective of the opposition. He walked along, fell many times in the midst of his beginning but without hesitation and without any doubt stood up again and continued in his journey. He completed his engineering and finally got placed in a firm.
……
As time passed and after changing various cities and various jobs, he got married to his long term love and then thought to get settled with his wife, here in Ahmedabad and so he landed here and started teaching Mathematics for entrance exams.
Don’t know it was God who favoured him by bringing him in the city of Ahmedabad or favoured the students here, but he was finally here in the city of Ahmedabad.
……….
And now, here he was this morning standing in a strange city, which accepted him, loved him, respected him but was not there for him at that time when he needed them. After 5 years in the city, he was there out of the job and thinking about what to do next. The only problem he felt was that he realized that what he only knew was Mathematics, how he lived his life was with Mathematics and what can make him take care of his family was also Mathematics, and so what he can only do was teach Mathematics, and the problem was the word “ONLY”.
When you are restricted to a single option, your scope gets limited, and so what he was searching was what can he do with Mathematics.
People say,
Life is difficult for us; it was even harsh to him
……..
We get sad when we get less material happiness compared to others, and there he was, who needed to fulfil his necessity for him and his family and even that thought to earn the necessity was seen difficult to him.
Many of us go to our parents and ask for money for anything that we want, and his parents were far away in a different city without any contact with him from many years, who didn’t even know what Rajesh was up to.
We find it embarrassing to speak to a stranger and there he was standing there in a strange city all alone, with his wife, asking the city now what? Thinking what next? As everything, every tie of past had ended and there was nothing he could have continued.
…….
We crave, we cry, we ask for whatever we want from everyone and there he was, whose crises, desires and wants only he knew, only he felt, and what the outside world saw was his smile and his reply to everyone “Move on, will do something.”
With his calmness, his composure, love for his work, love for each and every person associated with him, truthfulness to himself and others, he was not a man who was a part of the crowd, even in those harsh times. Even in such hard times, he was different from others. He was a shining moon, in the cluster of stars.
…….
He began to approach other institutes for work, but for every place either his level was too high for them, or theirs was too low for him. So with a smiling face, and a contended heart he returned back home. Months passed in planning what to do, but he was in a thought that something will happen. He continued his efforts, to try and implement, but as they say that certain phases of life are rough patches, travelling through them takes time, and the same was the phase he was passing through.
And so on
Then one day after two pegs down that night, suddenly he said: “Why don’t I start my own coaching classes”. That’s it. With the dreams of owning his own classes, he slept that night. Though the reality was not as easy as his last night’s thought, from the next day, he began to work in that direction. The next day, while searching for future prospects, he discussed his idea with people.
Some found it risky, to which he replied that “We have nothing to lose, and only to gain at this stage, so why not take this risk”
Many feared about profits, to which he replied, “Friend, we will have less food, but at least won’t die of hunger”
Some thought it won’t be able to compete in the market, where the big sharks had taken a major share already, to this he said “who wants to have competition with them, I want to just teach quality education and make my family and my students future better”
……..
To all the odds, he heard. To all fears he encountered, he just smiled on them.
And then one day, in a 2 room office, his dream began, he started his coaching classes.
He did branding? No.
Did he ask students, from his end? No.
He just started, informing all that he is ready to teach again on his own. And people started to come in, all those who knew him, not only as a tutor but also as a person.
With a chair by the side of the toilet, where he counselled the students coming to him, and a classroom where he took lectures, he began his journey again with a small bunch of students.
……..
With time, his name spread, people began to know that he is there still teaching, and his institute grew. He changed his office, not once but twice as the number of students continued to increase. And the thing that never changed was his humour. Whatever it was, his talks started with some humorous comment which made people around him laugh first and then the conversation would begin. He became the centre of attraction without moving from the very place where he actually stood.
And the time came when he again became the best of his field as he was back then and always was. The institute reached the heights in education, his students delivered the best results and his name was at the top.
But what was a uniqueness that made him different from other people?
…….
It was his persona. Students respected him for his teachings, but they loved him more for what a person he was. With his pure heart and his frankness with students, he became everybody’s friend cum teacher. Whenever anyone meets him, he was not only there for your doubts about career but he was there for doubts about life.
Students discussed with him their personal matters because he had formed such a trustworthy bond with them. Batches formed, students passed and went ahead to desired colleges, but not a single one of them forgot him. Whenever anyone got the chance to visit him, they surely did, and he was there to greet him with the same warmth and love.
Till this day
You go to him, and he will smile with you and crack jokes like a friend. You meet him seeking career advice and he will be your mentor, you ask him to doubt and he will be your teacher and Discuss personal matters and he will become your guardian.
He believed in the idea “To Act instead to react”, and said that instead of wasting time in criticizing our past, why not to look at our present and try for a better future, and so each bad past always was ignored. Taught the great principles of life in the simplest form.
“He sent many to the colleges where we learn the art to master in business and himself taught the art to master in personal life.”
Knowing him, you learn many things.
……
He believes whatever it is going on, it will be definitely better if not best someday.
Whatever you are going through personally, you don’t have the right to depress others with that as you owe some sense of happiness to others to. So irrespective of troubles keep smiling; troubles will end, but being depressed till the end of the troubles, eventually makes you lose your smile for at least that much time. You meet him any day, but you can never realize that whether he is going through tough times or not. He will always begin and end the meet with a laugh.
His ideas inspired people to live a better life.
Thoughts made many a better person.
His suggestions became a rule, which was unquestionably followed.
Trust on him, reached beyond par.
Whether it was education or personal issues he always guided as if we were someone his closed ones.
What would have had happened, if after quitting he would leave bewildered and confused only. Would he be able to reach this position where he reached? No.
….
He reached because he never stopped.
Reached because he had pure intentions,
He reached because he loved truly.
Reached because he was true to himself and to others.
He reached because of dared.
It has been more than 3 years, of his institute and you meet him today, and you will see that he is still the same. Any time surrounded by students, guiding them, solving their doubts, listening to their issues.
A teacher, a mentor, a guide, a friend, a philosopher and especially a true gentleman that’s how Shri. Rajesh Jha is described and he continues to live the life the way it should actually be lived.
—(@ ramta Jogi)
Short Story: Life Blog
***********************
Connect to us @
SUBSCRIBE us on Youtube
For more poetry, @ Ramta Jogi Poetry
-
The Accidental Roommate
Roommate : College Memories : Blog
The Beginning
On a random evening, when the leaves on the pathway were yet to be swept, the campus was peaceful and serene, yet to be disturbed by human intervention of the coming batch, I reached here. On the gate, I was welcomed by the security guards and checked my name in the list of new students that was put near the gate.
The registration of students and allotment of their rooms was due for the next day, so they made some temporary arrangement for those who arrived early.“There is another guy who has come this morning, he is staying in room number A-6. Should we allow you the next room or are you willing to share the room with him?” asked the security guard. Being new to the campus and afraid of being alone, I chose the latter option.
We were allotted separate rooms the next day but hoped to convince our respective roommates to swap. Call it misfortune of my good fortune, my roommate was not keen to shift (I guess he was a strong believer of Vastu-Shastra). The guy I stayed with on the first night, wasn’t allotted any roommate. As soon as I came to know this, irrespective of the several emails from the college authorities asking us not to change our allotted rooms, I picked up my luggage and shifted to his room.It was 2014 then, and it is 2016 now, the decision which was then an option, became a choice for me. This choice resulted in lots of memories, times of joy, laughter, arguments, smiles, stories of travel and a journey full of mouth-watering food. It happened accidentally, but we remained roommates for these years.
The mid-way
He had a personality that was in contrast to mine. Calm, composed, having an aura of solace around him. We began as roommates and eventually became companions, friends for a lifetime! Our arguments were usually replaced by understanding. Perhaps, when two persons with opposite personalities meet, a phase of the war is expected. But not here, at least one had a sense of acceptance and nature to forget the grudges and move on. This logic is not restricted to couples. This holds true for the parent-child relationship, or even for a simple friendship. In our case, he was the one who knew when to drop the matter and avoid further arguments.Though he was younger to me, I learnt several things from him. Whether it was his calmness, his profound understanding of things, or the time he dedicated to eating he did everything with ease, peace and patience. Sometimes I noticed that even after having such a laidback attitude, he enjoyed his life, whereas others panicked and ran around like madmen to complete their stuff.
The mid-way continued…
The first year passed, and without a second thought, we chose to be together in the second year as well. By this time we rarely needed words to express our feelings. Many times our silence was the answer, or laughter explained everything. To some extent our choices complemented. Whether it was having food at a particular joint or running back to our homes in whatever free time we could find, or keeping the room dark with fewer lights, we rarely debated or argued on it. It was understood what the other wanted or is comfortable with.
As the season of placements dawned upon us, we too ran the race. He got placed in a very reputed telecom company. Today, after two months of his selection, a mail from his recruiter came. They have given him a joining date from the next week. We were aware of this, but just the thought of him leaving in such a short time sent shivers down my body.
Relationships are described by a set of standard words and so is hatred. But in the midst of these extremes, what we tend to forget are those small, tiny, peaceful relations which we make in a short time and which stay with us for a lifetime.The Closing
My mornings for the next month won’t be the same again. The dependency on him for many things. Starting with making my laptop work, or waking me up early will all be shifted to my shoulders. I doubt that anyone else would be as concerned for my interview rejections as he was. I doubt that anyone makes insult me so much with the intention to work harder for my next interview. Maybe there will be no one in my room during exams to scold me and abuse me for not studying. The obsession that I have with my phone will irritate no one now. No one will ask me to “restrain from using the phone for a day” on his birthday as a gift.
I don’t feel like expressing my affection for my accidental roommate anymore. Maybe just a smile or a laugh while he goes will make him understand how I feel deep inside. But one thing is for sure; that the life we lived in the college campus will reside in our memories forever.
Good Luck Brother!Roommate : College Memories : Blog
For more such work follow Ramta Jogi
Connect to us @
SUBSCRIBE us on Youtube
-
Story: Wine & You
Her long hazel colored nails tinkled, as her wrist softly moved, touching the wine glass. Her fingers made their way towards her fountain pen placed on the bunch of papers, with her eyes still looking on the screen. Rough sheets of papers lay scattered all over the table. The tinkling sound drew her attention away from her laptop towards her glass of wine. With a soft gracious smile on her face, she finally grabbed the glass. Meanwhile, she also picked the pen which was kept open on the last draft of her first poem for editing.
Reading the final draft and sipping the last drop of her wine made her realize that it was the 4th glass she had that evening and now she was not in a stage to have any more. In trying to make herself comfortable and focusing on the poem, she found yet another correction, and this was, as per her understanding, the last one. The comma got replaced by a semicolon. She edited the same on her laptop.
Somehow she was done with the poem. The poem was ready from her end and she wanted some of her close friends to read and review it. But as the night and the heaviness of the content demanded, she opted for the 5th glass of wine again. The solitude of being alone at home was pleasing her. She stood by the window and it was getting cold. The touch of the cold breeze was making her happy. The wine was kinking in. Suddenly the face went low, a few tears dropped and she started watching the stars.
It was not only the wine that made her dull. It was Punit, in whose memories she was so absorbed that the tears came out. He came in her life as happiness to her existence. Her soul was at peace with her breaths, because of him. He made her look beautiful in her own eyes. He became her definition of love. But time and circumstances define the person you are and in no time, he left.
What went wrong or whose fault it was, were the questions that can be ignored when the end is not one she dreams off. He left, leaving her in search of the solitude she never wanted but is now all that she wants. She took to drinking. The girl whose love was defined by someone’s existence started living her life. Wine became a part of her. She had never drunk before Punit. Not even with her earlier boyfriends.
Slowly with wine came a time of self-realization. This leads to defining her in the smallest world of words. She started reading and playing with words.
Reliving the time with him, she tried to write. Pages after pages got lost in some corners of the room, making her realize how easy it was to live that life and how difficult it was getting to portray it on paper. Days passed and each rolled paper thrown in dustbin gave her a better meaning about herself.
Today, after filling the room with many such paper balls, she was finally with the draft of her first poem. The stars were now blinking at her, shinning and making her realize how beautiful she looks even without anyone praising her in the room. The darkness of night was no longer a sign of loneliness for her. It was peace and tranquility now. The process of writing about her life made her a better woman. She understood those aspects of life, which she never felt while living them. Words made her a better person. They made her love herself. Now, the 5th glass was supped. She smiled at the moon and thanked the stars for showing faith in her. She moved back to her laptop and titled her poem, “Wine and You” and sent it to her friends.
That night she was in love with her existence even more, in relation to no one else. Moving back towards the bed, she slept with utmost peace. The poem got appreciated published in International magazine and loved by all. Somehow, what the words in “Wine and you” did for her, was what the wine and the guy in her life were not able to do.
