Sikkim (a small state in India) was going through political turmoil. I was studying in Pelling, a small town in Sikkim. A very beautiful place with a scenic beauty. Every morning when I opened the window of my room in the Hostel, I got this awesome view of Mt Kanchenjunga, shining bright with sun rays falling on the peaks...I thought I was so lucky to be studying in such a beautiful place on Earth. Our school was on top of a hill surrounded by greenery & woods. We could hear birds chirping when the class was quiet.It was wonderful!!
That day was same as other days,nothing unusual. We were having classes on the ground floor.Suddenly there was lot of noise, people shouting slogans could be heard from our class.The sound of slogans were becoming louder & louder& then I could see a man with red pullover, who was the leader, I came to know later, followed by a group of people, shouting slogans & coming towards our school. Suddenly everything changed,everybody, even my teacher was in panic. All started to run here & there. It was chaos!! I could not understand that at times, how easily rules are broken under pressure...No Teacher..No Discipline..No Permission....You are on your own....I was too small to understand the bigger issues going around in Sikkim politics....the future of Sikkim.... I quickly decided to jump through the window & ran down the hill towards the Hostel. Everybody was running through the door & going to the front area of the school but I knew that the procession would be there & the same happened.
I was out of breath when I reached Hostel. Dormitory was deserted...no one was there...my heart sank...just shocking!! I ran outside to the garden, there was an old tree with a big hole in the trunk. I hid myself inside the hole & started praying non stop...The sounds of the slogans were becoming dimmer & dimmer as I sat there for don't know how many hours....
I came out of the hole & went back to the Hostel to check whether anybody had returned from school, found few students. They were talking about some 'jeeps' stationed outside our Hostel, ready to take us in various directions for some purpose. I could not imagine how these stupid people could take us from here without our parents' permission to any place that I don't know & why? I was too afraid now..thought of loosing my parents. I was too small to take any decision myself. I didn't know how to contact my parents..My Hostel Super was also missing, everything was in total mess & I was amidst this, in an immensely miserable situation.. Fear was gripping me from all sides now! I took a small hand bag, packed few clothes & went out of the Hostel gate.
There were three 'jeeps'. I thought that I have to listen now to these stupid people!! Then suddenly I heard a word "Jorethang"..my grandfather's home town. One of the vehicles was going there. Without wasting a single moment, I jumped & sat at the back seat....I thought I was safe for the time being....my heart was still beating fast.I was praying all the way.Then as I was travelling, I came to know that the girls were picked up for cooking food for them in different camps....what rubbish!! I thought, how can they do this to me, I was too small to cook! & even my mother didn't have to cook all the time at home, except for some special occasion, there was always a cook at home.
As our jeep entered Jorethang,I was thrilled.As soon as it stopped I jumped out of the back seat & started running towards my grandfather's house without looking back.His house was right at the heart of the market place in Jorethang. My mother, that time was standing at the terrace & she saw me running towards the house. She was totally shocked to see me like this. I was so happy to reunite with my parents that day. My parents too had to leave their house in Gayzing, a place very near to Pelling, due to disturbances there.
That day, if there had been a jeep to Gayzing, then surely I would have preferred that instead of Jorethang but God had better plans with him.
God never disheartens his followers, they are put to test but God is always there watching, guiding & helping us find our ways....so that you never get lost.
That day was same as other days,nothing unusual. We were having classes on the ground floor.Suddenly there was lot of noise, people shouting slogans could be heard from our class.The sound of slogans were becoming louder & louder& then I could see a man with red pullover, who was the leader, I came to know later, followed by a group of people, shouting slogans & coming towards our school. Suddenly everything changed,everybody, even my teacher was in panic. All started to run here & there. It was chaos!! I could not understand that at times, how easily rules are broken under pressure...No Teacher..No Discipline..No Permission....You are on your own....I was too small to understand the bigger issues going around in Sikkim politics....the future of Sikkim.... I quickly decided to jump through the window & ran down the hill towards the Hostel. Everybody was running through the door & going to the front area of the school but I knew that the procession would be there & the same happened.
I was out of breath when I reached Hostel. Dormitory was deserted...no one was there...my heart sank...just shocking!! I ran outside to the garden, there was an old tree with a big hole in the trunk. I hid myself inside the hole & started praying non stop...The sounds of the slogans were becoming dimmer & dimmer as I sat there for don't know how many hours....
I came out of the hole & went back to the Hostel to check whether anybody had returned from school, found few students. They were talking about some 'jeeps' stationed outside our Hostel, ready to take us in various directions for some purpose. I could not imagine how these stupid people could take us from here without our parents' permission to any place that I don't know & why? I was too afraid now..thought of loosing my parents. I was too small to take any decision myself. I didn't know how to contact my parents..My Hostel Super was also missing, everything was in total mess & I was amidst this, in an immensely miserable situation.. Fear was gripping me from all sides now! I took a small hand bag, packed few clothes & went out of the Hostel gate.
There were three 'jeeps'. I thought that I have to listen now to these stupid people!! Then suddenly I heard a word "Jorethang"..my grandfather's home town. One of the vehicles was going there. Without wasting a single moment, I jumped & sat at the back seat....I thought I was safe for the time being....my heart was still beating fast.I was praying all the way.Then as I was travelling, I came to know that the girls were picked up for cooking food for them in different camps....what rubbish!! I thought, how can they do this to me, I was too small to cook! & even my mother didn't have to cook all the time at home, except for some special occasion, there was always a cook at home.
As our jeep entered Jorethang,I was thrilled.As soon as it stopped I jumped out of the back seat & started running towards my grandfather's house without looking back.His house was right at the heart of the market place in Jorethang. My mother, that time was standing at the terrace & she saw me running towards the house. She was totally shocked to see me like this. I was so happy to reunite with my parents that day. My parents too had to leave their house in Gayzing, a place very near to Pelling, due to disturbances there.
That day, if there had been a jeep to Gayzing, then surely I would have preferred that instead of Jorethang but God had better plans with him.
