Sample Copy. Not For Distribution. · 2016-11-21 · I took a sip of tomato soup. Memories of bitter past life ruined the taste of soup. I coughed. My face expression turned painful

Sample Copy. Not For Distribution.

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Battle for My Identity


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ISBN: 978-1-61813-503-2

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Printed in India


iii

Battle For My

Identity

By

Shikha Verma

EDUCREATION PUBLISHING (Since 2011)

www.educreation.in


iv


v

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.


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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„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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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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„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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„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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“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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“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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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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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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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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„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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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.

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Sample Copy. Not For Distribution. · 2016-11-21 · I took a sip of tomato soup. Memories of bitter past life ruined the taste of soup. I coughed. My face expression turned painful