Four Idiots:  story of everyone

FOUR

IDIOTS

Story of everyone

Sudhanshu Shekhar

Notion Press

5 Muthu Kalathy Street, Triplicane,

Chennai - 600 005

First Published by Notion Press 2014

Copyright © Sudhanshu Shekhar 2014

All Rights Reserved.

ISBN: 978-93-84049-17-1

This book has been published in good faith that the work of the author is original. All efforts have been taken to make the material error-free. However, the author and the publisher disclaim the responsibility.

No part of this book may be used, reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

To the youth of this generation..

Preface

Dear Reader,

You are one among those people whom I have observed, perceived and then penned my feelings down. My work, 4 Idiots is a reflection of each one of us. Through my book I have tried to reach out to the youth of my country. I want each one of you to dream. Dream as much as you can. And if you work hard and carefully for your dreams one day they will come true. Maybe late. But your dreams will take shape!

Writing this novel was a challenging yet fun task. There were many obstacles and tough phases that I had to go through. And many have helped me through those times.

I am very thankful to Almighty, for it’s because of Him that I am a writer today. In fact I am what I am today only because of Him.

My family has been a constant support, especially my father who is the reason behind every success of mine. He instilled this love for writing in me. My father has a few works in Maithli (regional language of Maithla) in his name. Special thanks to my elder sister who pushed me to strive harder. It is because of her that a Hindi-medium village boy like me made it to one of the best colleges in Bangalore.

Heartfelt thanks to someone who always showed me my milestones. Becoming a writer is one milestone I will always cherish!

My college, my college friends, my roommates, my students... I owe you all. A few to name would be, Sarvan, Vivek, Ratish Jha, Garima Jain, Aditi, Pradeep, Sikha, Shweta Singh, Avnish, Adarsh, Suraj, Sagar, Natwar Jha,payal,Pushkar,Anish, Washif, Amit, Shivendra, Shahid, Shivraj, Neha, Navya, Shruti, Manisha, Ishita who have always patiently read or listened to all my words!

Thanks to the youth of our country. This book is by you all and for you all.

Thanks to Shruthi Shirali for her editing. Thanks to Notion Press for providing me with a publishing platform.

All my expenses of publishing and publicity are from my teaching job at Fortune IT. I am thankful to have been given a chance to work there.

Hope you have a wonderful time reading this book!

Contents

Title

Copyright

Dedication

Preface

Chapter-1

Chapter-2

Chapter-3

Chapter-4

Chapter-5

Chapter-6

Chapter-7

Chapter-8

Chapter-9

Chapter-10

Chapter-11

Chapter-12

Chapter-13

Chapter-14

Chapter-15

Chapter-16

Chapter-17

Chapter-1

Introduction to our 1st Idiot Rajendra Prashad and his son Kalam

Place: Aurahi Govindpur Purnea (Bihar)

Date: 29th July 2014

A mist of silence hung heavily all around. An open wooden hut stood in the middle of fields of wheat. Tall stalks of wheat swayed in the gentle evening breeze. A man was lying carelessly outside the house guarding the golden fields from birds and rodents. Bibith bharthi radio was broadcasting its program On Your Request and was playing the song Mai Zindagi Ka Saath Nibhaata Chala Gaya on the request of a person named Shankar mishra. The man was wearing a lungi. His hair was dishevelled. He was staring at the radio but his mind was somewhere else. This is our first idiot Rajendra Prasad (raju).

The silence was broken by a voice calling, Papa there is a letter for you. A young boy came running towards the man. This boy is Kalam. In case you are wondering how a Muslim boy could be Rajendra’s son let me explain. Rajendra believed Kalam was another meaning for science and since he wanted his son to be a scientist, he had decided that there could be no better name than Kalam for his son.

Kalam Papa, do read the letter.

Rajendra Prasad Son it might be about the bank loan.

Kalam No Papa, it is not from the bank.

Rajendra Prasad Who is it from?

Kalam The letter’s from the place of ISRO headquarters.

Rajendra Prasad What! Is it from Bangalore? With a shocked expression Rajendra took the letter from Kalam and read it slowly. Then he smiled. Hoisting Kalam on his shoulders and he started walking towards their house. On the way

Kalam Papa, who is the letter from?

Rajendra Prasad it’s from Balbir uncle.

Kalam What! The guy who was a hero for all of you.

Rajendra Prasad Yes. He was the smartest idiot in our team.

Kalam What does he say in the letter?

Rajendra Prasad First lets go home, I’ll tell you everything.

As Rajendra walked happily to his home with Kalam on his shoulders, Kalam thought how happy his father seemed and that this smile was on his father’s face after ages. On reaching their house Rajendra called out loudly to his wife.

Rajendra Where are you Selja?

Selja What is the matter? I am drying out the red chillies said coming into the room.

Rajendra Leave the chillies. Pack my clothes.

Selja But where are you going? asked with a puzzled expression.

Kalam Maa, Papa is going to Bangalore.

Selja Is it true? asked Rajendra.

Rajendra Yes it is true.

Selja Why are you going to Bangalore all of a sudden?

Rajendra Looks like Bangalore has given me another chance to live my life.

Selja Don’t talk in riddles. Tell me, what is the matter?

Rajendra My friend Balbir has written a letter to me asking me to come to Bangalore.

Selja It must be something good. Has he called only you? Or are all of you meeting? Is it the reunion of the four idiots? asked with a smile.

Rajendra I don’t know.

Kalam Papa, isn’t Bangalore very big?

Rajendra Yes son.

Kalam Papa, do big trains go to Bangalore?

Rajendra Yes son.

Kalam And huge aeroplanes also go there?

Rajendra No they don’t said with a grin.

Kalam Why not?

Rajendra Well because aeroplanes fly in air and the people of Bangalore have finished all the air by breathing it. How can aeroplanes fly without air? said with a teasing smile.

Kalam Then Papa I won’t let you go there. My science teacher has told me that we cannot live without air. Kalam hugged his father and repeated I won’t let you go. I love you Papa.

Rajendra Silly boy. There is air in Bangalore and even aeroplanes fly there. Now I will go to the railway station and buy a ticket to Bangalore.

Selja What about the money to buy a ticket? Wont it be expensive?

Rajendra I will go by General compartment.

Selja It is very difficult to travel in General compartment.

Rajendra I will manage.

Kalam Papa, I have saved up Rs.200 for my toy. Please take it and get me a toy from Bangalore said in a whisper.

Rajendra realized that Kalam was trying to help by offering his pocket money. He hugged Kalam and asked him if he wanted to go to ISRO city, Bangalore to meet his superman. Kalam smiled in delight and said If I get to meet Mr. Kalam then I don’t even want a toy.

Rajendra managed to buy a ticket with Kalam’s pocket money and a little bit of his savings.

When Rajendra came home with the ticket, Kalam read it very carefully. He was bursting with happiness. It seemed like he had got a ticket from ISRO to go to the moon. He kept looking at his father and could not stop smiling. He was on the top of the world.

Selja Which train are you going to travel in?

Rajendra Sangmitra Express. Seat no S4 27 date of journey 31st july 2014.

Selja This train leaves from Patna, doesn’t it?

Rajendra Yes it does. We will leave to Patna tonight.

Selja Oh God! Are you leaving tonight itself? I better pack you both some food for the journey.

Rajendra And pack something for our relatives. I will give it to them when I meet them.

Selja God knows where mother and father are?

Kalam Can I meet grandfather in Bangalore?

Selja I don’t know son replied in a sad tone.

Rajendra By the grace of God we will meet him son.

Soon everyone got busy in their work. Around 4 in the evening Rajendra and Kalam left from their village to go to district Purnea to catch a bus to Patna. Soon they reached Patna. At the Patna Railway Station Kalam kept looking at the railway track in joy. He was very happy. New clothes, new railway station, big buildings! There was an announcement on the station that Sangmitra Express from Patna to Bangalore via Allahabaad, Bhopal, Nagpur and Chennai would reach platform number 1 at 7:30 PM. Hearing this Kalam felt very excited. He ran back and forth from the platform to the waiting room. Then he settled himself on his father’s shoulders. As soon as the train reached the station Rajendra boarded S4 compartment and sat in seat number 27. Kalam sat beside the window and looked around the compartment curiously.

Kalam Papa, do you feel afraid of trains?

Rajendra No I don’t. Why would I when I have my superman son with me? Hearing this, Kalam smiled happily.

Kalam Papa, did you also go to Bangalore in this train with grandfather?

Rajendra Yes son. 14 years ago I went along with my father. Today I am going along with my son said nostalgically.

Rajendra hugged his son tightly. Kalam, still excited about his trip, stared out of the window, while in his father’s arms. And thus, Rajendra and Kalam embark on their journey to Bangalore.

Chapter 2

Introduction to our 2nd Idiot Ohm Maheswari(Ohmi) and his son Saurabh

Place: NAGPUR

Date: 29July 2014

A boy came running towards his house. On seeing the door locked he called out, Dad, if mummy had burnt her hand again can I go play with Pappu for 10 more minutes? This boy is our second idiot Ohm’s son Sunischya. There are scuttling noises from inside the house. A voice from inside replied No son, today your mother did not burn her hand. The door opend and our second idiot Ohm Maheshwari looked at his son sheepishly.

Sunischya There is a letter from Bangalore for you.

Ohm Who is it from?

Sunischya It is from a Balbir uncle.

Ohm Is it really from Balbir? asked in shock and read the letter.

Nisha (Ohm’s wife) Is the letter really from Balbir? What does he say?

Ohm silently turned on his computer and loged into the Indian Railway website.

Nisha What happened? What has Balbir written in his letter?

Ohm Balbir has called me to Bangalore.

Nisha Bangalore! Why?

Ohm Since Balbir has asked me to come to Bangalore it must be something good. Uff, there isn’t any ticket available in AC.

Nisha When are you leaving?

Ohm I am leaving day after tomorrow.

Sunischya Dad can I come along with you?

Ohm There are no tickets available. Oh yes, there are sleeper seats.

Sunischya Dad, please can I? asked in a pleading tone.

Ohm But son, you will miss school.

Sunischya Dad, but my holidays are going on.

Nisha You are as careless as ever. At least try to remember what is happening in your son’s school.

Ohm I really forgot. I will try to remember from next time said apologetically.

Ohm booked two tickets in sangmitra express compartment S4, seat numbers 25 and 26.

Ohm Fine, Sunischya you are coming along with me to Bangalore.

Sunischya Dad, are we going by train? asked in glee.

Ohm Yes son."

Sunischya Where will the train go from?

Ohm Andhra, Tamil Nadu and then Karnataka.

Sunischya Where is this place Andhra? I have never read it in my books.

Ohm Son, it’s a state, Andhra Pradesh. In short, Andhra.

Sunischya But Dad, you said we are going to Bangalore. But the train goes only to Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Ohm Son, Bangalore is in Karnataka itself. Now go to your room. In case your mummy burns her hand while cooking I will have to take care of her.

Sunischya Dad, why does mummy burn her hand so often?

Nisha Sunischya, go to your room now.

Ohm silently signalled Sunischya to go to his room. Sunischya ran off to his room happily. Nisha looked at Ohm and asked Why do you always tell him that I burnt my hand?

Ohm Don’t worry, he won’t understand anything. said with a mischievous smile.

Nisha He is your son after all replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Ohm Ok, I will not say it next time. But for now let me take care of your burns said flirtingly and pulled her into his arms.

Nisha held him close and whispered, Come back soon. I will miss you a lot.

And they held each other close to make up for the time they would spend apart.

Chapter 3

Introduction to our 3rd Idiot Sundaram(Chinkal) and his son Samar

Place: CHENNAI

Date: 29July 2014

A young boy, around 8 years old was sitting in the garden. Instead of enjoying the sunset he was browsing his Facebook page on a mobile. He was busy searching for a girl Suchitra, his classmate. The boy, Samar felt that he was in love with Suchrita and wanted to confess his feelings to her online. Does sound surprising, doesn’t it! Samar’s father Sundaram Rupa was a way bigger flirt in his earlier days. So it can be said, like father like son! Sundaram is our third idiot. Just then, the postman dropped a letter in the mailbox. Samar paid no attention to this as he was intently searching for Suchitra’s profile. A voice called out from the house, Son, please bring me the letter. This was Sonali, Samar’s mother.

Samar ‘Yes mummy" called back walking towards the mailbox.

Sona Who is it from?

Samar It’s from Bangalore. A Balbir uncle has sent it. It is for Papa reading the address on the letter.

When Sundaram arrived home from work, Samar gave him the letter.

Sundaram Who is it from son?

Samar Balbir uncle.

Sundaram What! exclaimed. He immediately read the