Dedication!

I have seen parents pampering their kids usually and with extra attention during exam periods. Some parents commutate their children from school, tution classes and so on. He or she should not get disturbed while studying and so complete silence and no distracting environment is maintained at home.

When I was small, my grandfather used to take me and my cousins to Taljai, the hills adjoining Parvati, Pune. It was a routine in summer holidays that we used to go to Taljai devi temple and then the surrounding protected forest area. During those days it was a fun to wake up early in morning, climb those hills and then wander around in that forest area looking for Peacocks, Hares, Mynas, Crow Pheasants (Bharadwaj). This forest area is known as ‘Parvati Van Vihar’ and is declared protected forest area. My passion to wander in forest area continues even now. Now having developed the hobby of watching birds, I would love to spend hours at Taljai, but that would not be always possible.

I know this young school boy named ‘Sachin’ who used to sell Herbal juice early in morning from 6 to 9 am and then in the evening from 5 to 7 pm. His mother used to prepare fresh herbal juices at home and this boy used to sell them just outside Parvati Van Vihar protected forest area entry gate, which is just behind Taljai devi temple. With not much investment, this boy used to place all different kinds of herbal juice bottles on a small table with a banner of his stall on the front side of table. Sachin being from a poor family, I used to just always think while I passed by him, whether he must be going to school or not?

Then 3 years back, one day I asked him. To start with the conversation I asked him, “kon karteh hi sarbate?” He said his mother prepares them at home, she does them fresh and so she had to get up early in the morning at 4 am. Then I asked him, “Tu shalet jastos ka?” He said, “Ho, athvit aahe”. He goes to a Pune Municipal Corporation school.

I used to go to Taljai frequently. During these years, I used to just ask him, “bara aahes na?” and he used to reply “ho”.

After these years, recently I went to Taljai and asked him, “atta kitwit aahes?” having a preconceived notion that he might have failed once or twice. He said, “Mi atta dahavit aahe”. Suddenly it stroked me that he has passed his exams all these years and was now in 10^th. His board exams were just 30 days to start and still he could manage getting up early in morning, selling herbal juices, attending school, coming again in evening to Taljai, and studying as well. I was so surprised to see this little boy’s achievement and dedication.

We have seen students fail even after getting such high end luxuries and protected parenthood always. I have seen parents giving their children some appreciation gifts when every exam passed, after all this I felt great amount of respect for Sachin and his dedication. I wish him all the best for his exams and I hope he does well throughout his life! Hats off to Sachin!!!