I guess it all boils down to this.This is not life emerging from an embryo ,this is shedding off the old skin to give way to a new shiny one .Sukanya ,was at that juncture in life.She wanted to #StartANewLife .Her parents ,her family ,her friends and the her love was all here.She had existed in this world for infinity .Now the eternal realm had no shadow outside it, for the limitless light was everywhere beyond it. She wanted to bask in that light,she wanted to discover a realm beyond!
With this resolve she told her parents she wanted to study at Delhi University .This was a bit of a setback for her parents.They had never allowed her to even travel alone .Move to a new big city,all on her own?A city with such high crime rates?This was all too much to handle!Yet ,they let her go as they had never left any stone unturned when it came to her education .
Sukanya’s grades were good and she got admission in a reputed college ,where she had sought.Her dad dropped her to college on the first day and told her to pave her way back to her uncle’s home ,where they were staying .Afterall,if she was going to stay in the city on her own ,this was a test she had to pass.
That day she learnt two most important lessons ; Networking-She spent the entire day figuring ,who stayed in the vicinity of her uncle’s residence.So she spent the whole day making friends and getting to know people.This was a great ice breaker.This was the quickest she had ever made friends.
To ask:You shouldn’t feel shy of asking questions.Ask anything from anyone.It felt strange to her in the beginning,but as she went on she realised ,if you do you generally get good solutions to problems and generally people are helpful .Of course, not everyone!
Next on her agenda was accommodation .While her dad put his foot down on not letting her stay in the hostel(it had a very notorious reputation),staying at her uncle’s was out of the question.So she in course of time,got to making friends with people who came from outside Delhi and figured out some good paying guest accommodation .Bindiya,from Bihar was staying in this two bedroom flat with three other girls and they were happy to accommodate her too.
While she was basking in this new found confidence ,she did not realise it came with it’s misgivings.She was still travelling from her Uncle’s place back and forth to the University,till her accommodation was fixed .She realised the city was not that easy .Delhi University ran D.U. Special buses .While they were convenient,she did not always manage to board one.There were a bunch of other students from the bus stop who would just ‘hitch’ a ride.They made her stand and stop cars and then 3-4 of them would hitch a ride to wherever the car went ,and then again hitch a ride from there to the university.At that age she did not realise the danger it posed.
She had weighed her options.She tried using the local buses,turns out they were worse.From the conductor brushing against her breasts on pretext of passing her the tickets to the guy standing next to her ,everyone seem to feel her .
If here you’re thinking this is moving onto a plot for another rape story ,sorry to disappoint .Sukanya learnt it the hard way,she started carrying a compass in her bag ,so that if anyone would come near her,they would get poked .It worked wonders and as expected no one ever complained,they just moved away.If someone stared at her she would stare them back to the point where their eyes would finally look away.
She also got cheated in her new life .Autorickshaws would take her through longer routes and charge her more.Her new found friends would take her to the canteen and when the bill arrived ,they would just say they forgot to get their wallet.Soon ,she realised the ways of this new life and learnt the routes.She started using google maps wherever possible and forgot to carry her wallet once or twice with the same friends .
Slowly,but steadily she gelled into her new life .The path was a bit broken but with her determination she paved her way through.This is where she belonged this was her new home.
“Sukanya,Sukanya!Why are you smiling in your sleep?”.Startled ,she got up .Her mind was now looming with only one question.
She thought do I want to start over?RESET MY LIFE :YES or NO?
p.s.Sukanya ,is a figment of my imagination,but yet so real.She is but a regular girl with big city dreams .A girl faces so many issues when she decides to leave her protected life at home and set out to achieve her dreams.But does that fear mean she should give up and go back? What would you have done?What is your story?Do share with us.On a lighter note,Sharing a video of housing which also believes in change. Change signifies that we’re moving forward, living better, and giving ourselves the chance to be the best we can possibly be.
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