FROM GLOOM TO GOLD

VILLAGE BOY’S FORTUNES IN HOSTEL

 

SHEIKH QAYOOM MADNI

As his name was announced for the Gold medal for Better performance in the academics, he began to remember the tough days in the hostel and hard dint he put in to reach to destiny.“As dawn approaches I will leave”, these were the thoughts making rounds in his mind all over the night. It was his first night in the College Hostel. He stayed up in the badly painted Room No. 786. Its walls were infested with guthka spat representing maps of world, tea thrown over the dark-white paint, and above all the nude pictures of the stars and models pasted over walls with vulgar names written over the naked parts. The men folk in the room were flamboyant hurling abuses to each other and enjoying. The room reverberated with pop music. They did everything- playing carom, cards, and what not.

Musadiq Tanveer was amazing in his studies. He passed the secondary examination with distinction making the family and villagers proud. Celebrations began in the remote village with people pouring in his house in large numbers to offer congratulations, “Mubarak Chu” (congratulations for performing well). For Musadiq’s village people the success has come as a blessing because it has been illiterate rotten for centuries. Few in the village had studied up-to the graduation; otherwise, dropout rate in the middle classes was alarming. The village was situated in a remote area in one of the Kashmir’s frontier district.

          Back to the Room no 786 the things began changing with the coming time. Musadiq was left surprised when the three boys in the room who were studying Computers began their work professionally. Each one took the separate corner and sometimes they collectively were trying to understand the incomprehensible topics. Musadiq was visualizing all this. He lied on the five feet bed with hard- wooden cover of bed striking with the backbone. He was recollecting how happier it has been among the family, mesmerizing with the younger cousins and sometimes beating them ruthlessly for studies. His mother would come into the room and inquire about the things before going to sleep. His sister would place tea-cattle and baked biscuits to sip tea whenever he feels exhaust. His father was sleeping in the next room snoring and seeing the Sons dream of achieving heights.

Musadiq as he landed in the new environment and now quiet began to remember the school days. His heart start beating hastily when the girl he loved and proposed in his 11^th class began to appear in his thoughts. She was a beautiful girl her silky long hair waving with her modest footsteps, her glowing eyes were catching the eye, her long pencil nose was like eagles beak making each one prey. She was shy and unable to express her love for Musadiq when he proposed her and unconsciously outwardly, she denied.

          Musadiq lost in the ghostly world. For he was not too much concerned left behind for he knew it was the tale of bygone days, however the things which stroked his mind most “what next”. As in the first instance he has planned to leave the hostel in the dawn, the different thoughts came to his mind that could he adjust the things. If he will turn back to home what will happen to his ailing mother and the hard labored father who each day finds his fortune in the farm lands ploughing and tilling soil earning bucks for his son to pursue education. However as things began changing in the 786 the Musadiq’s agitated mind began to relax. There was calmness in the room, with pop singers gone to sleep , the main  bulb of the room was shut-down and the nudity on walls no more visible. The three room buys were studying in the calm ness of night in their respective table lamps. The thought was not to disturb the guest. Musadiq as intelligent he was in grabbing things quickly he began to think that all his roommates were doing was giving him time to understand the situation and adjust himself.

          ‘Musadiq, how do you feel being here’, roommate Akram Mukarram who sat left corner in the room said. ‘Good, Go ….., Good’ Musadiq said hastily as he woke from the deep thoughts. ‘I think, you miss your family’, Akram said, smiling. ‘ Yes’, Musadiq. ‘  See brother, we are your seniors and had under gone the same thing like you, but we somehow managed and today we feel this Room as our Home and ourselves as family members and you are part of this family now’, Akram politely said as if he was offering family membership to Musadiq.

Musadiq changed his mind and convinced himself that he will stay for more days and if things will not get right will find an alternative. Back to his shoulders was the obligation to his villagers, family and of-course to himself. He had been a courageous guy, fighting the shackles of poverty and competing with the influential in the secondary school.

          Days passed he began to find his room partners men of caliber. They were all competitive only sometimes reckless. They were good guys accompanying the new guest each and everywhere to show him various facets of Hostel life. They began instructing Musadiq to carry up the hard work for they had found him man of potential and capability. They became instrumental in channelizing him to right direction for they were his seniors and obliged them.

          Musadiq surprised everyone when this village boy performed well in the city College and topping in his first year. Being the science student Hostel proved a better place to work day and night and his roommates a blessing from Almighty. He then consecutively topped the college in the next two years and found himself listed in the achievers list.

          Today as he is surrounded by the important dignitaries and has to receive the prestigious award, tears roll down from his cheeks. He remembers his roommates and aiming that they must have heard if not seeing that I am being rewarded.

Musadiq Clears his cheeks and stands up to receive the award from the Vice President of India. Clapping’s mark his path with the audience shouting ‘Musadiq…….Musadiq…’, he devotes this medal To Room Nom 786 and the roommates.