There was a teacher named Anjali in a primary school. She was the class teacher of class 5. She had a habit of saying "Love you all" as soon as she entered the class.
But she knew that she was not speaking the truth. She did not love all the children in the class equally. There was a child in the class whom she did not like at all. His name was Raju. Raju used to come to school in a dirty state. His hair was messed up, the laces of his shoes were open, there were dirt marks on the collar of his shirt. Even while studying, his attention was somewhere else. When Madam scolded him, he would look at her in surprise, but it was clear from his blank eyes that despite being physically present in the class, Raju was mentally absent i.e. (Present Body Affliction Mind). Slowly Madam started hating Raju. As soon as he entered the class, Raju would become the target of criticism from Madam. All the bad examples were given in the name of Raju. The children would laugh at him and Madam would get satisfaction by insulting him. However, Raju never replied to anything.
Madam thought he was like a lifeless stone which had no soul inside it. In response to every scolding, sarcasm and punishment, he would just look at her with his eyes empty of emotions and bow his head. Madam had now started hating him seriously.
The first semester ended and the stage of making progress report came, then Madam wrote all these bad things in Raju's progress report. The progress report used to go to the head master before showing it to the parents. When he saw Raju's progress report, he called Madam. "Madam, Raju's progress should also be written in the progress report. Whatever you have written, Raju's father will be completely disappointed with it." Madam said, "I am sorry, but Raju is a very rude and useless child. I don't think I can write anything about his progress." Madam said this in a disgusted tone and left the place. The school was closed for the day.
The next day the head master had an idea and he asked the peon to put Raju's progress report of previous years on Madam's desk. The next day when Madam entered the class, she saw the report. When she looked back, she found that it was Raju's report. "Madam thought that Raju must have done the same thing in previous classes too." She thought and opened the report of class 3. After reading the comments in the report, her surprise knew no bounds when she saw that the report was full of praises for him. "I have never seen a child as intelligent as Raju." "He is a very sensitive child and is very attached to his friends and teacher." "It was written
Raju has secured the first position in the last semester as well." Madam opened the class 4 report in a state of uncertainty. "Raju has been greatly affected by his mother's illness. His attention is getting diverted from studies." "Raju's mother has been diagnosed with last stage cancer. There is no one else to take care of him at home. This has had a deep impact on his studies." "It was written
Below the head master wrote that Raju's mother has died and with her the brightness and radiance of Raju's life has also died. He has to be saved...before it is too late." Reading this, a terrible burden overtook Madam's mind. With trembling hands, she closed the progress report. Tears started falling from Madam's eyes one after the other. Madam wiped her tears with her saree.
The next day when Madam entered the class, she repeated her traditional phrase "I love you all" as per her habit. But she knew that she was lying even today. Because the love she was feeling in her heart for Raju, a child with tangled hair sitting in the same class, was more than for any other child sitting in the class.
During the study, she fired a question at Raju as usual and Raju bowed his head as usual. When for some time he did not hear any scolding from Madam or laughter from his classmates, he raised his head in surprise and looked at Madam. Unexpectedly, there was no wrinkle on her forehead today, she was smiling. She called Raju to her and told him the answer to the question and asked him to repeat it forcefully. After three or four requests, Raju finally spoke. As soon as he answered, Madam not only clapped herself happily but also made all the children clap.
Then this became a routine. Madam would tell the answer to every question herself and then praise him a lot. Every good example started being given because of Raju. Gradually the old Raju came out of the grave of silence. Now Madam did not need to tell the answer along with the question. He used to impress everyone by giving the answer without any error every day and also used to surprise everyone by asking new questions.
His hair was now somewhat neat, his clothes were also quite clean which he had probably started washing himself. Soon the year ended and Raju passed class 5th securing second position, meaning he was now ready for admission in another school.
At the farewell ceremony of class 5th, all the children brought beautiful gifts for madam and a pile of them was placed on madam's table. Among these beautifully packed gifts, there was also a gift wrapped in an old newspaper in a very bad manner. The children were laughing on seeing it. It did not take long for anyone to know that this gift must have been brought by Raju. Madam quickly took out Raju's gift from this small mountain of gifts. When she opened it, she found a half-used bottle of perfume used by women and a big bracelet worn on one hand, most of the beads of which had fallen off. Miss quietly sprayed this perfume on herself and wore the bracelet on her hand. All the children were surprised to see this scene. Even Raju himself. Finally Raju could not hold himself back and came and stood near the teacher.
After some time he said to the teacher, "Today you smell like my mother." Hearing this, tears came in the eyes of the teacher and she hugged Raju.
Raju was now going to another school. Raju had taken admission in another school. Time started passing. Days turn into weeks,weeks into months and months into years. It doesn't take long.
But at the end of every year, the teacher would regularly receive a letter from Raju in which it was written that "This year I met many new teachers. But there was no teacher like you."
Then Raju's studies ended and the series of letters also ended. Many years passed and the teacher retired. One day Madam received a letter from Raju in her mail which read:
"I am getting married at the end of this month and I cannot think of marriage without you. One more thing.. I have met a lot of people in my life. There is no one like you........... Yours Doctor Raju
Along with the letter, the flight ticket was also present in the envelope.
Madam could not stop herself at all. She took permission from her husband and left for Raju's city. On the wedding day, when she reached the wedding venue, it was a little late.
She thought that the ceremony must have ended.. but her surprise knew no bounds when she saw that the big doctors of the city, businessmen and even the Panditji who was conducting the wedding were tired. She wondered who was left to come.. but Raju was waiting for her arrival by staring at the gate instead of the wedding mandap. Then everyone saw that as soon as an old woman entered the gate, Raju rushed towards her and took her hand. He grabbed the bracelet in which he was wearing the bangle till now and took him straight to the stage.
Raju held the mike in his hand and said something like this "Friends you all always used to ask me about my mother and I used to promise you all that I will introduce you all to her soon. Look carefully, this is my lovely mother, she is the best in the world, this is my mother, this is my mother.
Read more : - Love on a Train
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