by Atul Sharma
“Whenever and wherever the name of God is taken its Satsang,” replied Bauji.
It was the first day in the University and Raghav was excited not for any academic reasons but because he would meet Nandini.
‘‘What a beauty?’’ a boy said to his friend when Nandini arrived in the class.
“A bomb,” said the other boy on seeing the gorgeous Nandini who was looking stunning in salwar kameez.
“Hello Raghav! So you have reserved a seat for me as well,” Nandini said as she seated next to Raghav in the classroom.
“Hi Nandini! There is no need to reserve the first row seats in any class. Most of the students want to sit behind.”
“Good morning students! I am Prof. Chandan Bhatt and I’ll teach you Social Psychology. Let’s have introduction first.”
Nandini was the centre of attraction when she introduced herself.
“The word Psychology literally means study of the soul in ancient Greek language. It studies enduring patterns of behaviour, thought and emotions in individual and how human beings think and correlate,” the Professor explained.
“Let’s watch the University campus,” Nandini asked Raghav during a free period.
“Who all are there in your family?” asked Raghav.
“My papa Avinash Mehra, mumma Madhu and my younger brother Aman who studies in 11th standard.”
“Have you settled down in Shimla by now?”
“Yeah. Papa is already acquainted with this place while rest of us have come here for the first time. I like hilly areas. Shimla is a good place for me.”
“Your father is an archaeologist. What’s his work like?”
“Archaeologists study past human societies through surveyance, excavation and analysis of the material of the past,” explained Nandini.
“Tell me something about your family,” asked Nandini.
“My family consists of my grandfather, my parents and the people who work in our villa.”
“Villa! It means you have a big house with all the facilities and many employees.”
“Yeah,” said Raghav shyly as he was never boisterous about his wealth and property.
“How far is your home from here?” asked Nandini.
“It takes about half an hour from here.”
“What does your father do?” asked Nandini.
“We have a farmhouse and an apple orchard.”
“That’s good. I hope you’ll bring apples for me. It’s my favourite fruit,” said Nandini whose rosy cheeks were no less red than the Himalayan Royal apple.
“Sure, the apple season is nearby and you’ll get plenty to eat,” said Raghav.
“What do you want to do after completing the Post Graduation?” asked Nandini.
“I want to be a Psychoanalyst. I want to write some books too,” said Raghav. “What are your professional ambitions?” asked Raghav.
“I want to become a Professor of Psychology. I’ll do PhD first,” replied Nandini.
“This girl is so innocent inspite of being so beautiful and intelligent,” Raghav thought on his way back to home.
“I wanted to talk to you last evening but I didn’t have your contact number,” Nandini said to Raghav the next morning.
“What happened?” Raghav was surprised.
“I went to the market to buy a book of Clinical Psychology. I couldn’t decide which writer’s book to choose.”
“Arnab Sen’s book is the best,” answered Raghav.
“All right but give me your number first,” asked Nandini.
Raghav felt shy as it was for the first time that he was giving his contact number to any girl.
“What are you doing this Saturday?” asked Nandini.
“Nothing as such,” replied Raghav.
“Then show me the market of Shimla. I am new to this place,” requested Nandini.
“Fine, I’ll meet you near the Church at 11 in the morning on Saturday.”
“Maa, I am going to Shimla to buy some books. Don’t wait for me during lunch,” Raghav said covering the real reason of his visit to Shimla.
“You are looking like a model!” Raghav said when he saw Nandini who was at her glamorous best in jeans and top.
“Thanks for the compliment,” said an ever smiling Nandini.
Raghav felt butterflies in his stomach in walking besides a pretty damsel in the Mall road of Shimla.
“Why are you so quiet today?” asked Nandini.
“Nandini, there are many students in our class, including girls. Why are you so comfortable with me only?”
“Maybe because God has destined you to be my friend,” replied the bubbly girl.
“God is very benevolent on me then. Frankly speaking, all the boys in the class want to be your friend and everyone who sees you wants to talk to you. Still you have forwarded the hand of friendship towards me. I’ll try to be a long lasting friend,” said Raghav.
“Then let’s have the treat today itself,” said Nandini referring to the ‘Friendship Day’ which was on the next day.
“Which is your favourite eating place here?” asked Nandini.
“Mehfil Restaurant,” replied Raghav.
“I appreciate your choice. This place is perfect to dine and chat. Let’s sit in that corner near window.”
“You place the order. I am not good at it,” said Raghav.
“I’ll place the order and I’ll pay the bill too. It’s a friendship treat from me,” insisted Nandini.
“What are your hobbies?” asked Raghav.
“My favourite hobby is to do SMSes,” replied Nandini.
“Doing SMS!!! Very unique hobby. Good for time pass,” Raghav said in bewilderment.
“Unique like me, you know,” said Nandini in style.
“Who all are there in your message net?”
“My friends and relatives and from today you’ll also be in my hit list.”
“But don’t expect me to be as frequent as you in messaging. What else do you like?” asked Raghav.
“I like dancing. People say I am Madhuri Dixit in dancing. Do you dance?” asked Nandini.
“I am Sunny Deol in it,” replied Raghav making her laugh wholeheartedly.
“What do you like?” asked Nandini.
“I like music and going on long drives,” replied Raghav.
“Nandini, if you don’t mind can I ask you something?” Raghav asked as they relished the delicious south Indian food.
“Friends don’t need permission,” said Nandini.
“Do you have any friend? I mean boyfriend type,” Raghav asked hesitatingly.
“Raghav, you are a sweet nut. Seeing your expressions I thought that you’ll ask me the fundamental principles of Clinical Psychology,” laughed Nandini.
“I had friends in Delhi but very few boys were my friends. Sorry but boys follow girls for one reason only. Very few boys, like you, have the decency which girls like,” replied Nandini.
“You are so pretty. I thought that many boys would have proposed to you by now.”
“I don’t care about such things.”
“You are the first girl with whom I have come to a restaurant. I am very introvert.”
“Don’t tell me. Don’t you have girls in your friend circle? Anyways, I’ll not let you remain so now.”
“Nandini, thanks for the wonderful treat.”
“It’s my pleasure. I enjoyed roaming in the Mall with you.”
“Should I drop you near your home?” asked Raghav.
“Thanks. I’ll go down walking. We stay in the ASI estate, it’s nearby only.”
Raghav guessed it right when he received a message in his cell next morning. It was Nandini’s. The message read:
Msgs r nt 4 timepass. D silently say dat I’m thin
king of u now & making u think of me 4 a moment. Happy friendship day.
“Why didn’t you reply to my sms yesterday?” Nandini complained before the class on Monday.
“What can I do? I am not used to it,” Raghav answered innocently.
“Well, shake hands now,” asked Nandini.
“Why? Is it your birthday today?”
“No. My birthday falls on 15th July, it’s gone.”
“What’s the occasion then?”
“Buddhu, it was friendship day yesterday,” said Nandini.
“Fine but what’s the need to confine friendship to a single day only?” asked Raghav.
“Hello students! Cute bands!” said Prof. Kusum Verma on seeing friendship bands on the wrists of the students.
“Ma’am, let’s have a friendship class today,” said one of the students.
“Fine,” said Prof. Kusum who taught Counselling Psychology. “How’ll you define friendship?”
“It’s like heartbeat, necessary for our life,” said one student.
“Its a pious bond of understanding between each other,” said another.
“Its yaaran da tashion,” someone shouted.
“Ma’am, ask Raghav,” said Nandini pointing towards Raghav.
“What’s your view on friendship?” Prof. Kusum asked Raghav.
“Friendship is like standing on the wet cement. The longer you stay the harder to leave. And if you try to go, you can’t go without leaving your footprints,” Raghav said making everyone spellbound with his philosophical view.
“Amazing! You should have joined the Philosophy course instead,” Nandini appreciated him.
“And what’s the depth of friendship?” asked Prof. Kusum as she too was impressed with his view.
“It’s when your friend runs away with your lover and you still miss your friend,” said Raghav bringing the class to laughter.
“The more I listen to you, the more I want to talk to you,” Nandini told him after the class.
“Do you agree with my views?” asked Raghav.
“I trust you,” Nandini said with affection in her voice as well as in her eyes.
“Nandini, let’s go to the library,” Raghav suggested as he felt uncomfortable because some boys were staring at her in the garden.
“What happened?”
“I want to avoid these staring eyes,” said Raghav. I now feel that it’s really difficult for the girls to escape from such people.
“Raghav, they are just answering your question which you asked me at the Mall Road in Shimla.”
“Which question?”
“That why do I like your company more than anyone else. It is because a girl can always read a boy’s eyes,” said Nandini.
Nandini sends a sms to Raghav in the evening. There was no reply from Raghav. She sends another SMS in the night which read:
My hands nvr pain while typng msgs 4 u bt my heart pains wn there’s no reply frm u.
Now it was high time for Raghav to take interest in Nandini’s interest. He tried hard and sent one. He wrote:
Your smile adds to the glow of your face and soothes my heart. I wish you such smiling moments for all of your life.
Nandini was not just impressed but also happy that she had made Raghav to comply with her diktat. She called him immediately.
“Fantastic! I like it,” Nandini said over phone.
“So you made me obey to your command,” said Raghav.
“Well done my sweet friend. I am thrilled by your message. Pehli ball pe hi sixer maar diya, but in future try to message in short form as I do. Your neatly drafted message looked like a quotation printed on the front page of a literature book,” Nandini laughed loudly. “Anyways thanks for wishing me smiling moments and I’ll save your message for ever in my cell.”
“I’ll save you for ever in my heart,” Raghav said in a low tone as by now he was completely smitten by this charming princess.
Raghav could feel her blushes on the phone.
Some months later
“Raghav, you seem to be more interested in subjects like Parapsychology and Counselling Psychology,” said Nandini.
“These are two fields in Psychology that I want to excel,” replied Raghav.
“I like Social and Organisational Psychology along with Research Methodology,” Nandini said chewing her nails.
“Didn’t you have breakfast today?” asked Raghav.
“Why are you asking?”
“Because you are eating your nails, bad habit!”
“It happens unknowingly when I study or think much. Mumma says that I am a nail-eater from the age of six years.”
It was Prof. Kartiken’s class and the subject was Parapsychology.
“How many of you believe in life after death?” asked Prof. Kartiken.
Majority of the students raised their hands and Prof. Kartiken started his lecture.
“Our soul travels to another body after death and there is supposed to be a process in between as described by many people who had ‘Near Death Experiences’ (NDE). You can’t prove them but somehow you believe in it. I had a student two years back who narrated many things about his previous birth. He said that he got killed under a truck in his previous birth. He developed a fear from the trucks in this birth.”
“Sir, there are many ghost stories. But do some good souls also exist in the universe without taking human form,” asked Nandini.
“If ghosts exist then good souls must also exist. There can’t be one track theory.”
“Why these good souls wander?”
“Maybe because the kind of body or the environment they need in the human form is not available at that time.”
“Sir, some people try to appease or call these souls by methods like tantra or planchit etc.,” said one student.
“But this is not good. We should not interfere where we are not required to put our hand in. These souls are difficult to get away with,” said Prof. Kartiken.
“Who else exists along with us without letting us know about its presence?” asked one student.
“Hanumanji!” Raghav shouted suddenly although he realised that he shouldn’t have said it.
“Very funny,” said a student sarcastically.
“Have you met Him?” joked another student.
“Nandini, believe me, whatever I said is true. My grandfather says that Hanumanji lives on earth in His original form,” Raghav said on their way back after the class.
“I trust you,” replied Nandini. Believing in you is the most important thing for me.
“How’s your preparation for the exams?” asked Nandini.
“It’s good except in Theories and Systems of Psychology.”
“When’ll you do that?” Nandini scolded Raghav because she wanted him to excel in studies.
After the 1st year exams
“I want to meet you urgently,” Nandini said over phone one day.
“Come to Mehfil Restaurant in an hour,” said Raghav.
“Why you called me suddenly?”
“We haven’t met after the exams got over. I wanted to see my best friend,” said Nandini with warmth in her voice.
“Best Friend! I am honoured Ma’am but will you describe how I topped in your friendship exam.”
“I don’t know but I feel that you are the person with whom I can share my feelings. I value my friends more than I value my life. So when I say that you are my best friend, it’s as good as saying that you are my life,” Nandini said while holding Raghav’s hands for the first time.
Raghav was speechless. The feeling of holding Nandini’s hands and looking at her beautiful eyes was just sensational.
“Why are you sad?” asked Raghav.
“I am going to Delhi. My nanimaa is not keeping
well these days. I’ll be back in July.”
“It means that you won’t be here on my birthday on 25th June. Doesn’t matter, we’ll celebrate your birthday together on 15th July,” said Raghav. He didn’t show but he was sad to think that Nandini would be away for some time.
“I’ll leave now. Papa is at home today. If he sees me here with you he’ll be very angry.”
“Why?”
“He doesn’t like the modern culture of dating etc. But don’t misunderstand him. He’s gem of a person.”
“It seems a tough road ahead,” said Raghav. “So when’ll you invite me to your home?”
“Not in the near future but someday when there won’t be any restrictions on me,” replied Nandini.
“Nandini, I’ll miss you a lot.”
“I’ll miss you too Sweetu but I am happy that you have started doing SMSes. Keep in touch.”
“How would have been our lives without the cell phones! I really thank its inventor today,” Raghav said when they departed.
It was that time of the year when the villa awaited its guests. But it happened after a long time that except Kamal and Rajni no one came that year. Everyone got stuck in some work or the other. Vineet was fighting the Bar Council elections that year. He had no time to move out of Delhi. Naren’s family was jammed because of Parul’s studies. Aashish and Smriti were in U.S.A. Sushma’s parents had finalised a match for her. She was going to U.S.A to spend some time with Aashish and Smriti. Even the employees were missing the festivity of last year. Raghav was missing his relatives but he was missing Nandini more.
Kamal and Rajni arrived in the villa.
“It’s looking dull without everyone else,” said Rajni when they sat together.
“What a wonderful time it was last year!” said Kamal.
“First of all tell us about the boy and his family,” Vijay asked about Sushma’s bridegroom.”
“The boy’s name is Rohit. They have a small family – Rohit, his parents and his sister who’s married. They have a big sweets shop in Jalandhar,” explained Rajni.
“What’s Rohit’s qualification?” asked Bauji.
“He has done Post Graduation in Mathematics but he looks after the family business.”
“Has Sushma given her consent?” asked Neha.
“This is the problem we are facing now,” said Kamal.