Daayare dosti ke

Nai Umeed

Author's POV

In one of the affluent schools of the state the loud ringing of bell indicated the start of lunch break . Students like always were super excited for the break . Some started playing in groups instead of having their lunches first as they might have sneaked out on their lunches earlier in between classes, some were eating lunch together by forming small groups , some were trying to steal a bite from someone else's lunch , some were just laughing and some mock fighting . All in all the lunch break is a jolly affair with each kid being busy in his or her own world without giving a damn about the loners as all have someone or other in their peer group .

In between all this noise and chaos a tiny lone figure was sitting in the back garden of school where seldom anybody used to come . She didn't wished to be in anyone's company rather wanted to be alone . Earlier she saw all students busy in something or the other . What she didn't know that two souls were searching for her separately to spend their lunch break with her as it had been more then a week since their friend Nandini attended the school and now that she is here they wanted to spend some time with her .

One of them had many friends , not only in his section but also other sections of their class whereas other was an introvert and had no one to call as a friend except her of course . They were looking through kids loitering around restrooms in groups , gathering in small groups and having fun at different places like water dispensers for kids , staircases , corridors , everywhere and anywhere , except for the person they were looking out for. It seemed as if she hasn't attended school even today .

Nandini wasn't hungry yet her hands were clutching the lunch box which was packed for her in the morning for her by her Shri aunty . She had none to share her lunch break mischieves , she too wanted to be naughty , to play pranks on her friends , to be free a little of the burden of studies , although it had always been like this but today it seemed as if none care about her existence in this world . She had no real friends in school , according to her , all kids either used to keep distance from her or used to use her for some or other type of help in school work .

Rajiv and Sameer tried to ask to join her for lunch earlier , at the onset of lunch break but before they could grasp what she had replied she had sauntered out of the class room towards the back garden of school where it was very very rare for students to go . She wanted to run away from all the happiness and excitement and so she did it .

Earlier too she used to be alone in free time in school but it was only emotional loneliness atleast physically she was surrounded by kids. She was sitting alone trying to come to know of her fault for which her family didn't wanted her to be in their life . What's the problem if she is a girl . Both boys and girls are made by god and made similar to each other . Both girls and boys have two eyes , two ears , one nose , two arms, two legs , one heart and one mind . So why the difference and what's the difference ??

Her naive mind couldn't understand its the nature which has made the basic difference of strength , of temperament and of the way the humans made society to work as the patriarchal society all over the world . All over only male heirs are considered to carry forward the lineage except for a few exceptions which are just a handful .

With a silent and lone tear slipping out of her eye Nandini tore a small bite of the parantha and along with a bit of sweet lemon pickle she started having few bites of her lunch as in a few more minutes the lunch break would be over. She never realised when the break got over with amidst her sobs which broke as soon as she took a couple of bites and couldn't eat any further and hence was late for the fifth class of the day which was of social studies. Even Sameer and Rajiv got tired of searching for her in all possible places in school and their lunch break ended without them having a single drop of water . When they came back to class on first bell they were shocked on not finding Nandini in class too but they couldn't do anything now as it was social studies period and The teacher taking the class was Suhana Mam , someone from whom even the senior students were terrified .