ॐ Lost and Not Found ~ Sudipta

Year: 1993
This year Gungun didn't want to perform at the Annual Functions of her school. She is star performer of her class, both in academics and cultural activities. That definitely made her one of the popular students of her school. She started learning dance and music at a meager age of 4. Now she is in Standard IV, about 9 yrs old. Annual function was nearing and teachers were eagerly waiting for her nomination as usual. But she denied performing this year making everyone think what the reason could be behind such a decision.
Well, there was no reason as Gungun tried convincing her teachers. But the teachers were adamant too to make her perform. So the teachers went to her elder sister, Sonu, who was studying in the same school, standard IX, requesting her to convince Gungun for the Annual functions. Sonu was as popular as Gungun. Both excelled in studies and curricular activities equally. They both laid an example of excellence in their school.
Back home Sonu put this matter in front of their parents, who also asked Gungun why she is not interested this time. And as Gungun didn’t have had a concrete reason, finally she agreed to perform, halfheartedly.
The next day she announced the same to her teachers that obliviously took them to cloud nine. Now it all started with her selection of song, costumes, accessories, and above all dance practicing. Her all time dance partner in school was Rimpy. Rimpy is her classmate and best friend of tender age. They would share their notes, tiffin, and every other possible thing. So the duo was now ready with their dance preparation and the D-Day came for final selection of all the nominees for various acts. Though the selection process was only a formality to them, but they cannot escape this procedure.
Miss Neeta was taking the Science class when the school boy interrupted abruptly and asked the teacher to send Gungun and Rimpy to the Staff Room immediately. This was the last class of the day and the class was going to get over in another half an hour. Gungun and Rimpy ran towards the Teacher’s Staff Room and on their entry, they were horrified for a while to see such a huge crowd. They were not able to differentiate who were the teachers and who were the students since the room was so occupied. One of the teachers called them and made them stand near the door. They were watching all the performances and were trying to conclude the teacher’s reactions towards the end of each performance with giggle. The duo was relentlessly waiting for their turn to come up. For the first time ever, Gungun was a bit terrified regarding the selection. Time was running up and so was the anxiety.
All of a sudden, Gungun’s eyes caught the sight of electronics watch that she recently got from her father and the time showed as 5:00PM. She became a bit worried and started whispering to Rimpy that it was getting late and that she would miss her school bus if it gets delayed more. Her whispering was so loud that it reached to one of the teacher’s and she assured her that the next performance would be theirs only.

Hearing this, the duo got relieved and started revising their steps theoretically. And the next name called upon was theirs. Both were enough smart to go confidently in front of the entire Staff and so many other students without a glimpse of fear in their eyes. Probably that was the reason that Gungun could easily catch the attention of audience.
The song was played through the tape recorder and the cassette contained only that one song needed for their dance. These were the days when songs were recorded in the cassettes.  The dance ended, and the entire Staff room was filled with loud applause. Everyone started whispering that if such is the trial performance, how well these girls’ are going to perform then on the final day. The selectors’ gave their nod to the duo and they happily came out of the Staff Room. Heading towards their class, Gungun felt that the school timing is over and so it appears to be so empty. She became bit nervous. They reached their class, took their bags and bottle and started running towards the exit.
On reaching the exit gate, Gungun tried looking for her school bus which she couldn't find at the usual spot. Rimpy started moving towards her Rickshaw that was standing nearby waiting for her. Gungun said “My bus has not yet come today I guess, wow!! I will be the first one to stand in the row and then I will get the first window seat as soon as the bus comes”. And they both smiled on this. Gungun was still not aware of what was coming her way.
Rimpy offered Gungun to come along with her and then her dad would drop her till her home. But Gungun denied saying that it would be too late then and her mother would be worrying at home. They both bade goodbyes to each other and paved their own way.
Gungun, on reaching her bus-stop, started waiting for the bus. It was now more than 5:30 PM. And the school campus also was empty. None were there. The big school ground seems to be a barren land now. Evening was creeping up gradually and so were the clouds. The traffic lights were now ON and the headlights of vehicles were shining up. The traffic was pacing up and Gungun now could assume easily that her school bus has already left. She was now almost in tears that how could the bus leave her like this. Though she was late but then the conductor should have come up to the school and looked out for her.
She started cursing the bus driver, conductor and all other kids of her bus who traveled with her daily. And now the biggest worry that was crawling in her mind was how to get back home and that mom would be worrying for her. Gungun had always been a mom’s child. She resembled her mom in many ways starting from her hair, her looks, her eyes and even the way she used to speak reflected her mom. Gungun could never imagine her life without her mom. She would never allow her mom to go anywhere leaving her behind. Nor would her mom go anywhere leaving her alone. Gungun and her mom shared an unsaid bonding, which was nothing unusual, but somehow the two of them couldn't imagine their life without each other. For Gungun, her life started and ended with her mom only.
Gungun suddenly came out of her thoughts when she noticed that the passersby were looking at her with curious eyes and someone was standing near to her asking if she was in trouble. She realized not to disclose anything to any strangers as taught to her by her mom and ignored that person. She picked up her bag and went back to the school looking for Rimpy. But even her Rickshaw had left by that time.  She started calculating how much time it would take her to reach home if she hires a rickshaw since her home was around 15 kms away from school. Suddenly the fear of getting kidnapped made her blood go cold. She decided not to take the way to home alone but she would seek a rickshaw that already had some passengers in it. She managed to get one such Rickshaw wherein 4 girls’ of her school were going home. She stopped them and asked the rickshawala where he was going to drop these gals’. But before he could even reply, Gungun started pleading to those girls’ “didi, please drop me to Raj Kishore Nagar, I missed my bus today and I need to reach home at the earliest. Mom would be worrying for me”. One of those girls’ replied humbly “see this rickshaw won’t go to that direction, you better take any other rickshaw and he will drop you safely.” To this Gungun, now almost in tears, said “no didi, I won’t go alone, it is very far from here and I want somebody with me to go till there.”
These were the days when people can be trusted easily unlike the present days. Still the fear of getting lost or kidnapped was somewhere on the top of Gungun’s head at that hour. The rickshawala spoke gently and assured Gungun saying that she should take another rickshaw and if she could give proper directions for her home, she would be dropped safely and this rickshawala called another rickshawala who was standing nearby listening to all this chaos. Gungun started pleading now joining both her hands to the first rickshawala to drop her since she didn’t want to travel all by herself. And after much of altercation, Gungun agreed to board the other rickshaw.
The time showed now was around 6:15PM. Sky was blue dark since clouds have taken up the authority; it was about to rain very heavily in sometime. The rickshwala started and came out of the school gate. After moving just 5 minutes of distance, Gungun asked him to take the rickshaw at the nearby book shop and halt there. She got down of the rickshaw and went to the shop asking if they had any telephone and if she could use that. The shopkeeper told her she would get the phone in the next shop. Gungun ran to that shop and requested if she can make a call to her dad since she has missed her bus. They allowed her to make the call. Gungun was successful in reaching her dad’s official phone somehow since she had to reach first to the operator who would then connect to her dad’s number. Her dad was just about to leave office when he received the call. On hearing this, he left the office immediately for her school.
Gungun was now relieved to a certain extent but was wondering about her mom. Meanwhile the rickshawala started asking for 5Rs. from Gungun. She replied that she didn't have any money and asked him to wait until her dad comes there. The rickshalwa stood there waiting along with Gungun for his 5Rs. Her dad came in another 20 minutes. And she was never so happy to see her dad as she was at that moment. Her dad paid 5Rs.to the rickshawala and 2Rs.to the shopkeeper to allow Gungun making a call from their phone. And they started off for their home in the midst of heavy rain and thundering. It was around 7PM now.
Gungun and her dad reached home at around 7:45PM. Gungun rushed towards the house shouting “Maa…Maa.. “ when Sonu told her that mom had left for school to look out for her. To this, Gungun now started crying and sat in the balcony stairs waiting for her mom. Her sister and dad were now worried for her mom since there was no other means of contact. There were no mobile phones during these days. Around 8:15PM, Gungun shouted with heaviness in her voice “Maa… where had you been to? I thought I have lost you tonight.”
Her mom took her into her arms, and said the same words as she went through the same fear. Both of them got completely drenched in rain while they hugged each other and sobbed as much as they could.
Dad and Sonu were in tears too as they watched them crying. Later that night, Gungun slept with her mom as tightly as she could because the fear of losing her mom was still hovering over her. Next morning, she went to school and narrated the incident to her friend Rimpy and announced that this would be her last performance in this school. She is going to a school that is near to her home so that she would never have to come across this fear ever again in future.
May be this was the reason that Gungun didn't want to participate in this years’ Annual Function. The Annual Day came and went off smoothly with loads of accolades as every year. But she could not come of that day yet and informed her teacher’s about her decision of leaving the school.

Year: 2013
Gungun is sitting next to her mom’s bed in hospital. In the next few hours she is going to leave Gungun forever. Gungun is aware of that. And she is once again in the laps of same fear which she had encountered years back.