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Battle for My Identity
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Publishing-in-support-of,
EDUCREATION PUBLISHING
RZ 94, Sector - 6, Dwarka, New Delhi - 110075 Shubham Vihar, Mangla, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh - 495001
Website: www.educreation.in __________________________________________________
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ISBN: 978-1-61813-503-2
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The opinions/ contents expressed in this book are solely of the author and do not represent the opinions/ standings/ thoughts of Educreation.
Printed in India
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iii
Battle For My
Identity
By
Shikha Verma
EDUCREATION PUBLISHING (Since 2011)
www.educreation.in
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Prolouge
p „Yup! Today I can very proudly say that my victory
brought laurels to the country. Thank you.‟ I ended my
brief interview at Delhi airport.
„Saima!Saima!Saima I could heard with
combination of whistles and crowd had gone rabid for
my autograph.
„Saima‟ autograph please. ‟A cute girl rushed
towards me.
I penned my autograph on her notepad.
„Thank you Saima‟ little girl said with a glee.
„Miss Saima! exit way is over here‟ I walked with a
security volunteer.
„Welcome! my darling.‟ Here she was my best
friend Noorie.
She was waiting with her metallic black „Indica.‟ I
walked right way with her. It was the end of month May.
Temprature was at its peak. Heat was completely
exhausting. I took out my hanker chief from my sling
bag and wiped the sweat of my forehead.
After a minute I was inside the Noorie‟s car. You
feel like heaven when you are in front of air condition
after being completely attacked by scorching heat.
„So my darling! Finally you won the medal. „How
are you feeling after your victory?‟She asked.
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vi
„Yeah! Feeling like sovereign of the world.‟ At last
! I achieved what I wanted to.‟
„Your flight for Bhopal is tomorrow morning.'
Noorie said. „We will chit chat a lot today.‟
„Why not dear? I don‟t require any invitation for
that. Do I?‟ I asked.
„No my darling . We must also have a dinner
together.‟ She said.
„So what would you like to have for dinner?' She
asked.
"Chole Bhature, Veg Biryani, Raita, Panner kofta.
Long list dear."
"No problem dear." We laughed.
She knows how foodie I am.
I saw her intense eyes. She had been very close to
me since my childhood.
We drove 5 kms on the national highway Delhi to
reach her house in „Anand Vihar‟ at Apsara apartments.
Guard saluted as the campus gates opened. Her flat was
in the fifteenth floor.
We sat in the living room. „Wow! What a beautiful
house,‟I said. Imported centre table in between a cushy
chocolaty brown velvet sofa catched my attention. We
chit chat for a few minutes and then proceeded for
dinner party. She served me the veg biryani.
„Thank you.‟
„Your husband?‟
„He is out for some business meetings.‟
„Ohk .‟ We smiled.
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vii
„You broke up with Irfan. Heard some stuffs. ‟ She
was curious.
„Yes.‟
„What?‟ she said. „We know each other for since
our childhood but you never told about your breakup.‟
She served raita.
„Well‟ I myself was impatiently waiting to tell you
about my breakup.
I took a sip of tomato soup. Memories of bitter past
life ruined the taste of soup. I coughed.
My face expression turned painful. I couldn‟t sip
soup anymore.
„You okay?‟ Noorie asked.
I shook my head.
„You want something?‟
"No." I said.
„I am sorry if hurt you ?‟She apologized.
„No, not at all.‟ My eyes full of tears.
„Are you okay generally?‟
I looked at her and shruuged my shoulders.
Let me begin with my childhood.
P
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Battle for My Identity
My Childhood _______________________________________________________
„Noorie, ready na?‟
„What if we would be caught?‟ she said.
„Chuuuuup.......‟
„God will punish us if we lie to our parents and
teachers. It‟s wrong we should not do it. Abba will beat
me if he come to know about this.‟
„Look I have planned everything. I‟ve brought extra
puri-aloo for you also. After first period we will bunk
our school. Then we will rush to bus stand. See I have
brought money for both of us.‟ I showed my little pink
purse consisting of 1rs.-2rs. Coins. I put my schoolbag
on my lap, unzipped the front flap and took out my blue
bobby print pantie and showed her.
„Everything is prepared. All we have to do is to
reach our destination.‟
„Hawww you brought pantie in your bag?‟
„What would I wear while returning? Can‟t wear the wet
one or should I come without wearing?‟
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Battle for My Identity
„Chiiiiiiiiiiii you are not a good girl .I am
accompanying you just because I am your friend.‟ She
stared at me.
„If I wear the wet pantie my mother would know,‟ I
scowled.
Triiiiiiiiiiiiingggggggggg first period bell rang.
„Come let‟s move.‟ I holded her hand and steeped
forward.
„Hey! Where are you both going? Not done maths
homework?‟Razia my another classmate asked.
„Na....Noo.......we are going to washroom.‟ I lied.
„Then what‟s your schoolbag doing in your
hand?‟She inquired.
„Mind your own business you idiot.‟ I got irritated.
„Hey she will complaint.‟ Noorie feared.
„No, she will not.‟
We rushed to the Bhopal bus station and within few
minutes we boarded the bus.
I clambered with a fat lady to get window seat.
I opened my tiffin box.
„Let‟s eat poori and aalu.‟ I said as i put the morsel
in my mouth.
„Swimming is your favourite?‟Noorie shrugged.
„Yup.‟ I spoke with my mouth stuffed.
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Battle for My Identity
„That‟s why you took such a big pace? she
whispered. „I think you must tell your parents about your
swimming love.‟
„I told them once and tried to convince but they say
swimming is not good for our community. It‟s not
acceptable by our society. Girls are supposed to be at
home not in the water.‟ I wailed.
„Hmmmmmmmmmmm.‟ She muttered.
After a journey of an hour we reached our
destination „Women‟s swimming club‟ Bhopal in Shanti
Nagar.
„Are you sure this is the place?‟Noorie inquired.
„Yes. Look at this.‟ I showed her a paper cutting
which had the advertisement of state level swimmimng
competiton at „women‟s swimmimg club‟ Durg.
„I want to participate in the competition.‟ I said to
volunteer.
„Okay, register your name go to room no.5.‟She
said.
I walked to room no.5 along with Noorie and
inquired for the registrartion.
“Registration fees is 100 Rs.” said volunteer.
“But I don‟t have 100Rs. I only have 25Rs.” I took
out coins from my purse and showed her.
“Then you cannot participate in the competition.”
She said without looking at me.
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Battle for My Identity
“Please, let me participate we are very poor. I don‟t
get much money. What I could manage I brought.” I
requested her.
“Look you tiny tot this is not a joke its state level
competition, swimming competition. You got my point.”
She stared.
“I am a very good swimmer I bet I will win the
competition if you will allow me to participate.”
“Rule are rules which cannot be broken.” She
shouted.
“Saima, let‟s go.” Noorie was frightened.
I started crying .
“Saima dear please don‟t cry.” She consoled me.
“What kind of nonsense is this?” The volunteer
again shouted.
“Mam please let me participate.” I pleaded.
“Ohk I can allow you to participate but only in one
condition. You can‟t pay money but you will have to pay
in other form.”
“Means?” I couldn‟t understood.
“You‟ll have to broom the entire club after this
competition. Are you ready?”
I thought for a while and then agreed, “ohkkkk
mam.”
“Are you mad Saima? Look at the club it's so big
consisting of sooo many rooms.” Noorie said.
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Battle for My Identity
“I can do anything for this competition.”
„Competition will start after an hour. Chief guest had
already arrived. Go and change.‟
Another volunteer informed. „All participants are
in the next room, room no. 6.‟
We went to room no.6. A medium sized room,
whitewashed with cream colour, was full of participants.
Perhaps they all were of my age and belonged to very
rich family.
„Ewwwwwwwww, look at these two pastoral girls.‟
A girl welcomed us with a lousy comment.
I took out my tounge and jeered her.
A women dressed in a white and red bordered kosa sari
came to us and asked,
„Hmmmmmmmmm, what do you want?‟
„Madam Ji, I want to participate in the swimming
competition.‟
„HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.‟ Cacophony of laughters
spread in the room.
„It‟s a state level competition not joke.‟ She said.
„I know.‟
„You both want to participate in the competition.?‟
She inquired.
„No, only me.‟ I said with confidence.
„Ohk then go and change. Changing room is that
side.‟ She pointed to washroom in left corner of the
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Battle for My Identity
room and walked away.
„Hey! Rustic girl do you have your swimming
costume with you? This navy blue uniform tunik will not
do?‟ A girl in pink swimming costume asked me.
„What is this swimmimg costume?‟ I asked as I was
unbeknown with swimmimg costume.
„You don‟t know swimmimg costume? Your coach
didn‟t tell you?‟
„What is coach?‟ I again questioned.
„Oh! God you are a fool. Don‟t even know who is
coach? Who taught you swimming?‟
„No, one actually we don‟t have bathroom in our
house so we go to nearby catchment basin for bathing.‟
„Yukkkkkkk you don‟t have bathroom in your
house.‟ She averred and walked away. I steeped towards
changing room.
Stuffs like swimming costumes were unconversant
for me. I wanted to participate in the competition
because of chance to get cash prize as we were very poor
and a chance to get cash prize was the way I could help
my parents.
I wore an old half pant and tore t- shirt of my elder
brother the same costume I used to wore everyday when
I went for bathing in the catchment basin.
“Saima just look at all these girls they look very
beautifull and rich.” Said Noorie.
“I don‟t care. I just want to participate in the
competition. You know we are very poor. Abba needs a
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Battle for My Identity
bicycle. The old one is in very pathetic condition now. If
I will win the money I he can manage to buy a new one
for him.
“Ohk dear all the best.” Noorie hugged me.
I took a deep breathe.
„All the participants are requested to assemble near
the swimmimng pool.‟ Volunteers announced in the
mike. Initially swimming was not my passion but was
my need. When I reached the pool cacophony of
laughters entered my ears because of my costume but I
didn‟t bother. I was calm, waited for the whistle to blew
and after whistle jumped into the pool.
Swimming pool was bit different from the
catchment basin of my village. We were more than
fifteen participants. I swam with full confidence and
won the competition. Everyone was shocked to see my
performance. As a reward I got the cash prize and lots of
plaudits from the chief guest.
I was saved from the brooming work as I paid the
rest 75Rs. from my winning prize. After we won the
competition we were offered the lunch in the club‟s
dinning hall. It was a huge dinning hall with many
dinning tables. The lunch was delicious. In my entire life
I had not eaten such lavish lunch. The plate served to me
had pooris, chana masala, malai kofta, veg pulav, dal fry,
cucumber raita, green salad, two gulabjamuns.
„Saima, we shall leave now.‟ Noorie wailed.
„Okey dear,‟
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Battle for My Identity
We boarded the bus for my village and reached by
5pm.
I was very happy at my victory and thanked Norrie
for accompanying me and helping me in making my
plan successful.
“Thank you Noorie I love you.”
“I love you too dear.” She hugged me.
I walked towards my home.
„Where were you Saima?‟ Abba screamed as I
reached the house in a voice loud enough to make me
shiver.
I worriedly peeped into my mother‟s eyes who was
standing besides abba.
„Tell me, you idiot where were you?‟ After a pause
of five seconds he again screamed.
I broke into tears.
„Tell me, otherwise I am going to kill you?‟ He
slapped me twice.
I cried out loudly.
„Saima, beta tell abba why you bunked your school?‟
My mother tried to protect me.
„Aammi, I had gone to „Women‟s swimming club
Bhopal‟ to participate in the swimming competition.‟ I
continued to sniffle.
„Swimmimng competition????????????????????‟
He screamed again in shock.
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Battle for My Identity
„Abba I wanted to help you financially, I won the
competition and got the cash prize also.‟ I managed to
speak.
„You, idiot you participated in the swimming
competition. Oh! God.‟ He breathed deeply and said
again, „ from tomorrow don‟t you even dare to step out
of this house without my permission.‟ He stared at me.
“But Abba I like swimming and swimming is not a
bad thing.”
I got two more slaps on my left cheek.
„Take care of her.‟ Abba ordered to ammi.
P
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Battle for My Identity
After the swimming competition
_______________________________________________________
Irfan my close friend offered me besan laddoos next day
in the school.
„Laddoos for me?‟ I said.
„Yes for you. I know you are sad. Uncle scolded
you badly, forget it by the way congrulations you won
the state level swimmimng competition.‟ He said with a
glee.
„What congrulations? Because of her I was scolded
by abba. Now I am never going to go with her
anywhere.‟ Noorie looked at me.
„But how did your parents know about all this?‟
Irfan interrupted.
„Dubey sir saw both of us in the bus station and
complained to our parents.‟ Noorie said.
„I am sorry because of me you were scolded.‟ I said
to Noorie and passed the box of laddoos to her.
„You know, I don‟t like besan laddoos.‟ She
reminded.
2
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Battle for My Identity
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