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  ‘You are taking it the wrong way. It was not Raghu’s fault . . .’ Megha tried to pacify her.

  ‘I saw it myself. Don’t try to defend him.’

  ‘It was I who provoked him. I know you love dogs, I told him to do it to get your attention. I am sorry.’ Megha’s performance seemed to mollify Ruhi.

  Though not totally convinced, Ruhi trusted Megha after having spent so much time with her. Jai also pitched in. The three friends—Raghu, Jai and Megha—had an emotional connect difficult to put into words. They always stood up for one another. As everyone headed towards the canteen, Raghu caught up with Ruhi and apologized.

  ‘Sorry for the—’

  ‘It’s okay,’ Ruhi cut him short with a smile.

  A wave of relief washed over him. Not just that—her smile unleashed a multitude of emotions in Raghu. It was as if a cloud of innocent love had descended upon him unexpectedly. He was elated, and despite the heavy crowd in the canteen, he felt serene. The spell was broken only when he heard Jai ask, ‘Where is Chris? I tried calling him a couple of times but got no response.’

  ‘Where could he have gone that he can’t answer our calls?’ Raghu added.

  ‘Don’t tell me he has gone for a movie alone again,’ said Megha.

  ‘You are probably right,’ Raghu contemplated, and then looking towards Ruhi, added, ‘You know, he is kind of crazy. Whenever there’s a new SRK movie, he insists on watching it alone.’

  ‘And that too a matinee show! He buys multiple tickets to try and convince people that he is with a group and his friends are just about to arrive. He’s not creepy though, just an out-and-out movie buff.’

  ‘Stop bitching about him, he is very sweet. Always stands up for his friends when they need him. Also, there are perks of watching a movie alone; you don’t have to share your popcorn with anyone.’

  ‘True. And he never pretends to love something he secretly hates,’ Ruhi teased Raghu, as the friends continued bickering playfully. Spending time with friends is the greatest joy. Whether it is sharing a meal together or having a good conversation, there is nothing more fulfilling than being in the company of those you love. Whether or not a college is capable of providing you knowledge to last a lifetime, there is no doubt that it has the ability to provide friendships that will last forever.

  As the friends sat at a table, talking among themselves, a group of boys walked towards them menacingly and surrounded them. ‘You are Megha, right?’ one of the boys asked.

  ‘What’s your problem? Please stay away from us, Akhilesh,’ Jai said, intervening immediately.

  ‘I am not interested in talking to you. It’s better if you stay out of this. This is between me and Megha.’

  Jai’s hostile stance surprised Megha, as she had seen the two talking to each other around campus.

  ‘Yes, I am Megha,’ she replied politely.

  ‘Your Facebook post . . . it’s offensive. Delete it or else . . .’

  ‘Or else what?’ demanded Jai.

  ‘I told you to stay out of this.’

  Turning back to Megha, Akhilesh continued, ‘Megha, delete your post because the SCI is against it. Such sensitive issues shouldn’t be addressed by mere girls like you.’

  Angered by his words, Jai stood up and moved threateningly towards Akhilesh. Megha tried to calm him down—she didn’t want any drama. Akhilesh was an aggressive member of the SCI, the Student Council of India, which fought discrimination against students from south India.

  ‘You shouldn’t lie about MGU welcoming the culture of the south and our people wholeheartedly. It’s not true,’ Akhilesh continued his tirade.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ Megha was confused. Then Akhilesh flung a printout of her Facebook post on their table.

  It read,

  This year again during the admission process, we saw people rush to organize caste certificates. Once again the privileged classes in minority communities benefited unduly from caste-based reservation. Those below the poverty line, the lower income groups, are the ones who need help. Income-based reservation will solve our problems as then people from high-income groups will stop getting unnecessary benefits. As I state this, I should also say that our college welcomes students from all parts of India wholeheartedly, be it from the east or the south.

  ‘I don’t see anything wrong with it and it’s written on my profile. Who the hell asked you to go stalk my profile?’ Megha’s voice rose; she was finally riled up.

  ‘So you think there is no discrimination? Well then, I have something to confess. I genuinely like you. I’m not saying this to prove my point, but I truly love you and since we are studying in the same university, I don’t think you can doubt my abilities to excel in the future. Is my love enough to convince you to marry me sometime in the future?’

  Megha was shocked, and Jai and Raghu were furious.

  Akhilesh went on, ‘You won’t, right? Is it because I am from a different caste than yours? Or is it because I’m from the south? Or both? Only when this changes, and caste becomes meaningless, we can talk about the north welcoming the south and its culture.’

  ‘Megha, let’s leave. He is just frustrated because he does not have a girlfriend.’ Raghu motioned for the group to leave, afraid that Jai would not be able to control his anger much longer.

  The episode upset everyone. Hours later, even after Jai and Raghu had regained their composure, Megha was still fuming. The mood only lifted when Chris returned from his movie. Seeing his friends in their dejected state, he demanded to know what had happened. When Raghu narrated the incident, he reacted rather calmly.

  ‘It’s okay. Why are you people overthinking the incident? Let him have his opinion, you can have yours. We cannot force someone to change their belief but we can stay away from them. Come on, Ruhi is here today, let’s all do something exciting.’

  ‘What can be more exciting than watching a movie alone?’ joked Jai.

  Chris smiled and turned to Raghu. ‘I heard you threw stones at dogs out of sheer desperation. You poor puppy.’

  Laughter broke out and the bitter events of the afternoon were soon forgotten. They were once again friends who shared secrets with each other, stood up for each other and laughed together. ‘By the way, did you all see the new Bigg Boss episode yesterday? Prince expressed his love for Nora. That was so sweet,’ Chris said.

  ‘These people will do anything for publicity. Believe me, it’s all scripted,’ Megha said with a shrug.

  ‘Oh, you are a regular at Salman’s house, aren’t you? You seem to know what’s scripted and what’s not,’ Jai mocked her.

  ‘Anything that gains popularity is often criticized. There’s nothing new about that,’ Ruhi said, joining in.

  ‘Aren’t films scripted as well? We all enjoy those scenes. There’s no need to get into the politics of the show. All I said was that I enjoyed their moments together,’ Chris cleared the air.

  ‘But isn’t that playing with people’s emotions? The director of the show is manipulating it to create controversies where none exist. It’s just Indian society, people conjuring drama to line their own pockets,’ Megha said, refusing to give in.

  ‘Okay enough, I give up. I hate Bigg Boss,’ Chris finally said, exasperated.

  ‘Coffee, anyone?’ Raghu asked, changing the topic.

  ‘Ask Ruhi. She might need some caffeine to get over you,’ said Jai.

  Embarrassed, Raghu exclaimed, ‘Shut up, you—!’

  And just like that, despite their differing opinions, the friends melted into peals of laughter—they had managed to sync their souls through the bond of friendship. The best part was they could always be themselves; no one pretended to be something they were not, yet they always loved being in each other’s company. They helped each other in times of trouble and laughed with each other in times of joy. And in the end, isn’t that what makes life worth it?

  Three

  31 December 2015

  It was early morning when Jai reached
the campus. It was deserted. He was on his bike and in a bad mood. His family had asked him to meet some relatives earlier in the morning who turned out to be very busy, so not only did he waste his time but also his fuel. Still fuming, he was about to enter the gate of his college, when he saw some rowdy youngsters in the distance following a young girl. She had her head down and was walking as fast as she could to remain at a distance from the boys. Jai turned his bike around. As he closed in on the girl, he realized it was Megha. She looked startled and nervous, her fear clearly reflecting on her face.

  Megha did not recognize Jai since he had his helmet on, and her nervousness only escalated. First the group of lewd men following her and now an approaching bike—despite her usual bravery in the face of problems, this was too scary a situation. She wanted to scream for help but the only people within hearing distance would have been a couple of construction workers many steps away and a little boy playing football. They wouldn’t come to my rescue, Megha thought desperately. Even if she were to try and fight them, she would easily be overpowered. Think, think, Megha chided herself furiously. Just as she lifted her head to look around for a miraculous appearance of a saviour, Jai stopped his bike next to her.

  ‘Hey, don’t worry. Sit behind me.’

  This is it, Megha thought. Numb with fear, she stood rooted to the spot. Jai realized that she had not recognized him, but not willing to waste any time, he grabbed her arm and forced her to sit on the bike. The gang dispersed, knowing they had lost their chance. But just as Jai started the engine, Megha screamed, ‘Stop right now!’

  Jai stopped once they were inside the campus gates and took off his helmet. ‘Megha, calm down. You are safe now. What happened? Are you all right?’

  ‘Oh god . . . it’s you, Jai.’

  The sudden relief from the shooting adrenaline made her go weak in the knees. Jai made her sit on a nearby bench and fetched her some water.

  ‘Is it hurting a lot?’ Jai asked, concern lining his voice, as Megha pressed the temple of her head.

  ‘Not really, just . . .’

  ‘Do you get these headaches often?’

  ‘It only happens when I’m under too much stress. Otherwise it’s bearable. But there are times when the migraine gets so bad that I cannot move for hours.’

  Jai gave her another glass of water. As she slowly regained her composure, embarrassment crept in. She remembered how she had reacted when Jai asked her to get on the bike. He had come to rescue her and she had shouted at him instead. She sipped the water slowly, avoiding his eyes.

  ‘Where are you coming from?’ he asked, breaking the silence.

  ‘I had just come out for a morning walk.’

  ‘You shouldn’t be doing that in the winter, especially alone.’

  Again, an awkward silence.

  ‘Anyway, we should get going. We have the Virgin Tree puja today, remember? The others will be there soon.’

  ‘Oh yeah! That totally slipped my mind. Just give me two minutes.’

  ‘Two minutes?’ Jai laughed, ‘Don’t worry, take your time. We still have at least a couple of hours to go.’

  Walking back to her hostel room, Megha recalled the events of the last hour. She had always liked Jai, but her respect for him had now increased immensely. Jai wanted to keep romance out of his life and Megha knew that, but she just couldn’t get him out of her head. He had never let her down and in a sudden moment of clarity it seemed as if he was what she had been looking for all along.

  ‘Raghu! Open up! Raghu!’ Chris banged on the door loudly. He was impatient and the door had hardly opened before he fired away immediately, ‘So brother, are you ready to receive the blessings of Damadam Mata? Maybe this year she’ll shower some good luck on you.’

  ‘Guess what? The first-year student has backed out and so I’ll be conducting the puja again this year,’ replied Raghu, adjusting his dhoti.

  ‘Oh my, my, panditji. I am sure you are going to lose your virginity this year then. It’s Mata’s signal.’

  The two chuckled and then, just like he had come, Chris hurried back, adding, ‘Come soon. The Virgin Tree is waiting for you.’

  Standing tall at the extreme end of the campus, the Virgin Tree was unlike any other. It was believed that anybody who took part in the puja on New Year’s Eve would definitely lose their virginity the coming year. Therefore every year, on the last day of December, the puja organizers would pick a reigning female celebrity in Bollywood as the Damadam Mata and worship her at the Virgin Tree. The tree would be decorated with an assortment of things, including balloons, water-filled condoms and a poster of the fantasy queen of that year. It was Sunny Leone’s turn this year and everyone gathered around the tree to seek blessings from the deity of love.

  It was Ruhi’s first time and having heard many stories about the puja, she couldn’t wait for it to begin. Raghu being the panditji only added to her excitement. When he appeared on the scene wearing a dhoti, there immediately rose shouts of, ‘Damadam Mata ki . . . jai! Damadam Mata ki . . . jai!’

  As Raghu began the puja, the shouts continued and some first-year students began playing the dhol. Everyone joined him in singing the aarti in hope of further impressing the love deity and earning her blessing. The excitement was contagious and everyone sang with great gusto. The third-year students kept a strict lookout for any sign of teachers, or as they liked to call them, pyaar ke dushman.

  Once the aarti was over, Raghu offered an alcohol-soaked laddoo to the Mata, Sunny Leone, and then distributed the rest among the students. There was great cheer as the laddoos were consumed happily; then the condoms were burst, spraying water on everyone.

  Seeing the water fall on Jai, Chris remarked, ‘You got both the laddoo and the sprinkled water. You are going to get lucky very soon.’

  Megha tried to hide her smile.

  Jai laughed and replied, ‘I wouldn’t mind bursting each and every condom on your face.’

  ‘You have Mata’s blessings, don’t waste it, Jai. Congratulations,’ said Raghu, not wanting to miss the opportunity to make fun of his friend.

  The fun and frolic continued and the puja was concluded with the tying of a holy red thread on the wrists of all the devoted followers. ‘How do you feel, Mr Jai? You’re going to get lucky this year,’ Raghu continued mocking his friend.

  ‘How do you feel, panditji? You’ve led the ceremony two years in a row. That’s got to count for something,’ Jai retorted.

  Ruhi turned to Megha, ‘I don’t believe in any of these rituals, to be honest.’

  ‘I am sure no one does. Most of them take part for the fun of it. They see it as a harmless exercise where everyone gets to hang out together and enjoy themselves,’ Megha said.

  ‘I agree. In any case, I don’t really believe in college romance. It’s nothing but infatuation, it has no real substance; on top of that, it distracts you from your other goals,’ said Jai.

  ‘And what exactly are these goals, Mr Bhakt?’ Raghu asked.

  ‘There’s nothing in particular that I can think of at the moment. All I meant was that it is better to forge friendship and enjoy ourselves than to complicate things with a romantic relationship.’

  ‘Love doesn’t necessarily complicate things. If the relationship is genuine, the support you get may even help put you on the right track,’ said Megha defensively.

  ‘But in a relationship you are answerable for every single thing you do. You have to keep explaining yourself to your partner.’

  ‘Plus, with you, I am sure girls will go mad with the dos and don’ts, including your no drinking status,’ Raghu said looking at Jai.

  Jai was a fitness freak. He led a healthy lifestyle and was of the opinion that everyone should treat their body with respect by eating right and exercising regularly.

  ‘I am not the only one, there are hundreds of other people who don’t smoke or drink,’ he defended himself. ‘Also, I don’t go around giving fitness classes to everybody; I just think that everyone shoul
d take care of themselves by being healthy. There is nothing wrong in appreciating your body, right?’

  ‘Anyway,’ Ruhi butted in, putting a lid on the conversation, ‘let’s get back to work.’

  The friends made their way to continue the Virgin Tree ritual. Students were directed to one end of the college ground where saplings were kept—each one was supposed to pick a sapling and plant it in the campus. After all the revelry earlier in the day, this was an effort to direct energies towards creating a sense of responsibility for the environment. Jai picked up two saplings and, following his lead, so did the others. Then they dug holes and put in their plants a little away from each other.

  ‘This represents the seeds of our friendship,’ Chris announced.

  Smiles broke out on all the faces. As they carefully patted the soil around the saplings, Jai remarked, ‘You know the best part of this exercise is that years from now, when a whole new batch of juniors enter the campus, they won’t know who planted which tree. Regardless of caste, religion or race, they will all play under these trees and rest in their shade; and in turn, the trees will also shower them with endless love.’

  ‘Yes, but if the roots are not strong enough, the tree may not be able to survive. Some trees, if not watered enough or protected from pests, may not grow to be as tall as the others. And that’s where the discrimination arises. It all lies in our roots; if the roots are weak, the community will continue to be unstable,’ Raghu commented in all seriousness.

  ‘Do you have to argue against everything I say?’ Jai laughed.

  ‘I just can’t help myself.’

  ‘Are you guys done?’ shouted Megha.

  ‘I don’t think we’ll ever be done,’ said Jai with a smile.

  Having planted and watered the seeds of their friendship, they decided to celebrate it by welcoming the new year together. After much argument and friendly banter they finally managed to settle on a plan that pleased everyone. Isn’t friendship strange? You might have different outlooks and opinions, but none of them seem to matter when you are together. You cherish your time with them, and while your troubles may not vanish, they certainly are not as painful in the company of your friends.