Result Day | Story on Poverty | Biprajit Datta Choudhury | twilight of poem
 |
| Result Day :: twilight of Poem |
Result Day
-Biprajit Datta Choudhury
Around midday there emerged a state of pandemonium in one of the tranquil and often unnoticed houses in Moapara village. People were coming to congratulate the only distinction holder in their village in this year’s state matriculation examination. People were surprised that Little Kanika, who they knew worked as a nanny to the local businessman, Mr Biswanath Neog’s young son had appeared for the examination and that too had managed to pass the same with flying colours. She was busy that day in the kitchen preparing some tea and rice cakes for the crowd of people who had come to congratulate her. They seated themselves in the courtyard itself as there was no other sitting arrangement. The village head was seated in a wooden chair brought on loan for the day from a nearby house. Kanika went around touching everyone’s feet as the cameraman from a local TV channel panned his camera, capturing every moment as Kanika’s mother hugged her tightly followed by the other villagers who happily blessed her and gifted her pens and books to aid in her higher studies. The cameraman took a few steps back to capture the backdrop of the mud house supported by bamboo shafts and a thatched roof where Kanika, her mother and two little brothers lived.The news channel was running a series on the success stories of students who had done exceptionally well in the board exams despite hailing from poor backgrounds. As soon as the opening shots of the news segment was done, the reporter came into the frame and started his narration.
‘Life often deals a difficult hand it is said. But what we make of it depends entirely on us. Overcoming the adversities and difficulties of life, and emerging triumphant in one’s endeavors is surely a story that is not only appreciable but also inspiring to us all. Such is the story of one girl Kanika Saikia who despite having faced immense difficulties in her studies and her personal life has managed to secure distinction with letter marks in five subjects in this year’s HSLC examination. It is worthwhile to mention that she is the only distinction holder from her village and has made her family and the whole of Moapara village immensely proud by her achievements. Let us go to Kanika now-‘ the reporter leaned the microphone towards Kanika who was standing beside him sheepishly lowering down her face, hands behind her back. She was a lean girl with a round face and a wheatish complexion. ‘So Kanika. Tell us how does it feel to have achieved such a glorious result and tell us what difficulties you faced while preparing for the exams?’
Her innocent eyes were like pools of despair as she looked to the camera. ‘It feels really good. I did not expect that I would get such good marks. I am really happy that I could make my mother proud-‘ then all of a sudden she broke down in tears and her voice became choked with emotion,’I am sorry. It is a little difficult for me to say-‘
The reporter hurriedly intervened.‘As you can see dear viewers, Kanika has become very emotional. The fruit of her dedication and strong will has brought tears to her eyes. As I have already said this journey was indeed very difficult for this poor girl. She lost her father at the age of twelve and since then she and her mother have had to look after the house. Financial constraints along with dearth of a proper educational atmosphere were among the few problems that posed as hurdles in her path. As we had shown before the interiors of her meager abode-the family only has two beds for furniture. No table no chairs. Kanika had to study on the bed or on the floor. Let us move to her mother for some more insight. We will come back to Kanika later.’
Kanika’s mother draped in a white saree looked not unlike her daughter. The pressures and struggles of a chaotic life showed in her face in the deep wrinkles around her eyes.
‘So here we have Kanika’s mother. Madam please tell us what do you do for a living and how hard it is raising a daughter and two sons all by yourself?’
Kanika’s mother looked meekly into the camera. ‘Well I work as a tea plucker in one of the nearby tea gardens and also work sometimes as a domestic cook. It has been really difficult because whatever I earn is mostly spent paying the bills. I wish I could have given my daughter a better life then maybe she could have done even better. But-‘ she broke off abruptly to look at her daughter who stood apart trying to mask her tears .’The past weeks have been difficult really because normally Kanika does the cooking and other chores of the house. But these past few weeks leading up to the exams I had to finish up my work early to come home and look after the boys.-’
‘’How old are the boys?’ the reporter interjected.
‘One is eight years old and the other is five.’
‘So it must have been very difficult these past few months. So are you proud of your daughter?’
‘Yes with all my heart. I feel happy that my daughter has secured such good marks even after me not being able to give all the amenities that as a parent I should have given to my child.’ She looked at Kanika again who stood at a corner of the courtyard turning away from them.
‘So what further plans do you have for her? Is she going to go for higher studies?’
A cloud seemed to come over her face. She replied after a long time but with a rueful conviction,’As you can see for yourself I do not have the amenities for supporting her higher studies. But if the government could offer some help I would be eternally grateful.’
‘Indeed we will request the government through our channel to lend support to your daughter for her further studies. Let us come back to Kanika.’ The reporter said swinging the microphone back to her ‘ So Kanika did you take any tuition for your preparation and how many hours did you study?’
‘No I studied myself. I studied for about six to seven hours a day.’
‘And how much help did you get from your school?’
‘I did not get much help. There are not many teachers in the school where I go to.Whatever I could I studied by myself. ’
‘And did you face any difficulty with any subject?’
‘I struggled with English and mathematics so I spent more time on these subjects.’
‘Yet you received letter marks in these subjects’ the reporter said with a smile.
Kanika replied with a faint smile that failed to alleviate the melancholy of her face. Her tear dried face looking a little puffed and red from the hot tears that scalded down the cheeks, felt not unlike a torn and battered flag fluttering non-chalantly in the middle of the battlefield.
‘And what plans do you have for the future? What stream do you want to pursue for your Higher secondary’
‘I am thinking of taking up Science.’
‘And what do you want to become later in your life?’
An errie silence followed . Kanika stared at the camera with a blank face. She felt in her heart that the question was meaningless.
‘Kanika?’
‘Yes.’ She said almost startled.
‘What do you want to be in your life when you grow up?’
‘A doctor. I want to become a doctor’ Came the instant disinterested reply.
‘Thank you Kanika. It was nice talking to you. So viewers as you can see-‘ The reporter broke off and continued his narration to the third wall.
Kanika eyes strayed off to her mother who was picking up the plates and cups scattered in the courtyard. The villagers had left. After spending sometime in distant thought, she rubbed her eyes and proceeded to help her mother do the dishes.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Post a Comment