SUCHITRA

Suchitra was very much happy that she is going to see her lovable brother and her family after a long time. She was doing her master degree in one of the prestigious institute of America. Her family is staying in India. A few days back she got her master degree and was ready to fly back to India. She loves her brother very much. He was her friend, companion and everything for her. He was her best friend than anyone. So she is very eager to see him back after this long gap. She boarded the plane to India. She was sitting in the plane and all her old and beautiful memories of her brother are flying in her mind.
Around 18 years back, it was May 25.
Kishore was in a sound sleep. His mother shouted at him to wake up, as it was too late. He pleaded his mother, “Mummy, today is Sunday. Please let me to sleep for some more time at least today” Then he suddenly realized that it was his friend’s birthday. He suddenly woke up and sent her a birthday message. A few days back they had fought with each other, and he decided not to talk with her unless she comes forward to talk first. Even then he decided to give her a wonderful gift for that birthday. And he hopes that at least after seeing that wonderful gift, she might come forward and speak to him. He always wants to spend his and his friend’s birthday in an orphanage. So he thought of spending that day too in an orphanage along with those special children. He decided to buy a lot of gifts and sweets for those children. He thought of singing a birthday song for her along with those children. The wishes from those special children will surely be a wonderful gift for her.
Kishore got ready within an hour. As he decided, he bought all the gifts and sweets for those children and went to the orphanage. The children were eagerly waiting for him. He distributed the sweets and gifts among the children. He could see the children enjoying the new toys and gifts. It gives him a great satisfaction. He too was enjoying with those children. Had his friend not fought with him, he would have brought her too to the orphanage. But he was the first one who started the fight. But he was not ready to talk with her first. He was really enjoying that day with those little children. He was playing with them, all those chubby, chubby games. He asked them to sing and dance. Each of the children showed their individual talents. He admired them all. He too accepts what Aamir said in his film ‘Taare Zameen Paar’ that every child is superior in his own talents. He feels what he said was really true.
Kishore was feeling himself as a child when he was with those children. It was time for lunch. He has decided to provide the lunch for those children. He asked all children to come for lunch and started to distribute the lunch. Every child was enjoying their day with Kishore, except a single girl who always kept herself away from everyone. He was having an eye on the girl from the morning. She always opts to be alone. When everyone was eating, she was sitting in a corner and was looking at the sky. He asked one of the orphanage in-charge about the girl and why she is always alone. She told him that the little girl came to the orphanage only a few days back. She lost her family in an accident and was brought to this orphanage by the police department. From the day she came here, she keeps herself away from everyone. She never mingles with any child. She always hesitates to eat. She always uses to sit in some corner and use to look up at the sky.
Kishore was eagerly looking at her. She is a small pretty girl. She might be of age five. He went to her and stand in front of her. Without willing to see him, she shifts to the next pillar and continued to see the sky. He followed her. He sat in front of her. She was not willing to see him. She continues to see the sky. He asks her “What is you name?” He did not get any response. He added “See what I have bought for you” and he showed her a handful of chocolates. She saw his hands and got interested towards the chocolates, after all she is a small child. He knows all children will love chocolates. When she was about to take the chocolate, he took off his hand without allowing her to take any. “Only if you tell me your name, I will give you chocolates”, he said. The little girl muttered “My name is Suchitra”. ”Oh, what a sweet name you have. This little sweet Suchitra surely deserves the chocolates” and he gave the handful of chocolates to her. She was very happy with those chocolates. She added with her pleasant voice “You know my father use to get me a lot of chocolates daily when he comes from his office. I love those chocolates. And my mum use to scold me for eating lot of chocolates.” Kishore asked her with a soft voice “Where are your father and mother now?” She told him, “Police uncle told me that they were dead and they won’t come back to me. He told me, here after I have to be in this place only. But I don’t like this place. I have to go back to my mummy.” Tears rolled down her cheeks. He could not control her. She was crying. He told her that he will give her more chocolates if she stops crying. Even then she didn’t stop crying. After a long trouble he made her to calm down. He then made her to eat the lunch. He himself feed her. He told many stories for her. She became his favourite child. He notes her that she always looks up to the sky and search for something in the sky. He once asked her “what are you looking at the sky?” She said “I am looking for stars in the sky. He exclaimed “Stars! But you could see the stars only at the night. You cant see them during daytime” She said “Ya that is what I am waiting for. I am waiting for the stars to appear in the sky.” He asked her “But why are you looking for stars, what is special in them” She said “My mother use to tell me, If some one dies they will go to the sky as a star. Since my mother and father are dead they will be there one among the stars. So I am searching for them. I want to tell them to come back or else I too want to go with them.” He saw her with a sad look and hugged her. Now he was about to cry seeing the little girl’s situation. He controlled himself.
Kishore spent the rest of the day with Suchitra alone. She attracted him a lot, with her sweet voice, with her childish talks. Whenever she calls him as brother, he forgets himself. She uses to talk a lot. She uses to tell him a big story for every question he asks. He asks her “Which class are you studying?” She told “I am studying in a U.K.G. in Vidya Mandir. Do you know brother, I have lot of friends their in my school. I use to get the first rank. And I am the class leader there. Everyday my father use to take me to school and my mother use to come in the evening to take back from my school. All teachers like me a lot. I too like them. I use to play, study, sing, dance and paint in the school. My class teacher use to complain to my mother that I am the most mischievous girl in the class. Will my mother come back to me?” This sudden question from her made him feel that how much she loves her mother and father. From her talk he understood that she must be the only child in their home. He understood that she really misses her parents a lot. He however consoled her saying that her mother will surely come back.
It was time for him to leave. He could not leave her. She attracted him so much. Even the orphanage in-charge was surprised with the little girl’s closeness with him. She has never been as close as this with anyone in the orphanage. But however he has to leave. So he decided to take depart from them. He told bye to everyone. Everyone sent him with a smiling face. But Suchitra alone was not ready to leave him. Again she went to a corner and made herself alone. Both of them waved their hands without the heart to leave each of them.
Kishore was thinking of the small girl all his way back. He feels really pity for her. He feels such a small girl shouldn’t have got into such a bad situation. He came back to his home. He was explaining all his experience with those children to their family members. He also explained about Suchitra. Everyone feel pity for her. He was then held up with his usual busy work. That night when he sees the stars in the night, he was thinking of what she says about the stars and laughs to himself. He then sent a mail to his friend, that day’s birthday baby, about how he spends her birthday. He attached all the photos he took with those children. He also attached the birthday song they sung. He told her that the wishes of those small children will always be with her. He hopes that she will at least talk to him after seeing that mail. Then next day, as soon as he woke up, Suchitra was the first one to come into his mind. He decided to leave all his usual work apart and to spend that whole day with her.
Kishore went to the orphanage. As soon as Suchitra saw him she ran and hugged him. He understand that not only he, she too was thinking of him only. He asked the orphanage in-charge permission and took her outside. He took her to ice cream parlour, shopping mall, exhibition and all the places she asks him. He was enjoying her company. She too was enjoying his company the most. At last she asks him to take her to her house. He was shocked. But due to her compulsion, he enquired about the address from the orphanage and took her to the house. As soon as she reached the house, she ran inside with tons of happiness in her face. But to her surprise she found some one else in their house. Her happy face crumbled into pieces.
She started to cry asking for her mother and father. He at last however consoled her and took her to his house. He introduced her to all her family members. Initially she was hesitating to mingle with them, but later she started to play with them too. She enjoyed her day. He feels that after a long time she must be enjoying her life. He doesn’t want to make her cry again. He doesn’t want her to feel the loneliness again.
He decided not to send her back to the orphanage. He talked with his parent about his idea of adopting her. Though they initially denied, later they too agreed to his decision.
Suchitra will now be one among the member of kishore’s family. They have decided to adopt this little child and give her a new life.
Kishore along with his parent took her to orphanage and told them about their decision. They readily agreed to their decision, since Suchitra was also interested in staying with them. They finished all the formality and took her along with them.

Coming back to the present

The plane landed in India. Suchitra came back to present from her dream world. And she was happy that she is going to see her family after a long time. She wanted to say tons and tons of thanks to her brother kishore. But she doesn’t want to say those in words. She just wants to show them with her love and care for their family.
To the surprise, even today the date is 25 May. It was the luckiest day in her life. It was the day; she met her brother for the first time in her life. She also knows that it was his brother’s friend’s birthday. He uses to celebrate this day, every year in some orphanage.This time she too will accompany her brother.



P.S.: I gave the name of the story as ‘Suchitra’, because it was the name I selected for my sister, when we planned to adopt a child. But unfortunately, the plan of adoption was dropped.
P.P.S.: The story is the mixture of real and imaginary incidents.





------ Vinoth Dinakar.