The Rebirth

Valmiki, from Amritsar who excelled in the tenth board, was admitted for +2 sciences in a reputed college in Chandigarh. ‘Take care of your health and studies’, said father while he dropped Valmiki in his new college. While separating from home for the first time Valmiki hugged his weeping mother and cried himself. A moment later he ran inside without looking back at his tearful mother. He always lived under the tender care, love and strict guidance of his parents. Aspiring to be a Doctor he was pretty sure to be comfortable with higher secondary science as he loved the subject.

Three months later, he found himself wanting to cope up with the brainstorming studies, as he failed in physics and mathematics in the first term test. This truly broke his zeal as he now started to run away from the studies. The subjects had become a mere burden on him. ‘I am not made for science’, he said to himself very often. While discussing, his parents always said; ‘Don’t worry son, all will be fine in due course of time; wait and study harder.’ Valmiki always vows to concentrate and indulge in subjects but all in vain. The situation went out of hand when Valmiki failed in three subjects in half yearly exam and was warned by the teacher to perform better in his studies or continue in eleventh class again. This broke his heart. He felt as if clouds of sorrow had started dripping over his head.

Leaving aside his parents’ advice, Valmiki decided once to consult his friends for a better suggestion. Anant, his hostel roommate and a year senior, explained, ‘Stop thinking and enjoy your life as I do. Have this wonderful liquid and you will reach in the Seventh Heaven’ Telling this he extended a glass of liquid having an uncommon smell. Valmiki could immediately decipher the smell of alcohol and denied having the drink and even thought of complaining to the warden. Terrorized Valmiki took a sip from his own water bottle and ultimately found it to be mixed with alcohol. An hour later, he realized that he has forgotten the burden of studies and cheered ‘You are right Anant bhaiya, it is really wonderful.’

Valmiki’s consumption of the so-called wonderful liquid increased day by day in the company of Anant while his performance in class and health deteriorated severely. One fine morning Valmiki suddenly felt severe Nausea and had few bouts of vomiting with blood streaks. Fatigued enough he couldn’t attend the classes. Learning about his absence, the Hostel warden visited Valmiki’s room and saw Valmiki lying cold on the bed. He immediately informed his parents and called in a doctor for Primary Treatment. The parents reached the hostel and decided to take him to the hospital for a thorough check-up and then to home till he regains better health. While packing, they found many bottles (few emptied) of wine hid behind Valmiki’s books on the shelf of his room. Soon the news of Valmiki consuming alcohol spread like fire throughout the school. Disgusted and shattered Valmiki’s Parents rushed him to PGIMER Chandigarh, one of the best hospitals of the city where he was diagnosed to be a case of advanced liver cirrhosis and a partial Liver Transplant was planned. His mother decided to be the donor. It was a long Operation and the Head surgeon coming out of the Operation Theatre told Valmiki’s father that, ‘Your child has got a second chance by the grace of God, both he and his mother is safe’. After discharge from the hospital with a set of guidelines for diet, exercise and medicines there was a long discussion in the family. Valmiki’s mother was very upset and denied talking to his son. Valmiki cried and explained his condition in college which led him to all this. After many explanations and emotional mother-son talks, Valmiki’s mother forgave her son on the condition that he will never repeat such kind of mistake ever. He told, ‘Father, don’t worry, I will not let both of your heads bow down this time. I will prove myself worthy of God’s second chance.’ Telling this he hugged his mother and father. Till then a letter of disciplinary action sacking him from the college had reached his home.

Valmiki was admitted to another college. This time he was much focused. Already being acquainted, this time he enjoyed studying. Here again in the hostel he met many boys who were not able to cope with studies and distressed, whom he tried to help very often. One among them was Raju, a brilliant student of class 11 residing in his adjacent room. He had developed a great bond of friendship with Valmiki not knowing his past records. Most of the student of the new college were aware of Valmiki’s past records of being rusticated of the previous college and maintained a distance from him. Raju regarded Valmiki as his elder brother and Valmiki often helped him understand the difficult concepts properly and clear his small doubts. One day Raju told Valmiki, “Bhaiya, I hear some classmates talking of some magical liquid which could solve all problems and can make me good at studies.” Valmiki could well understand, due to bad company Raju has started walking in the same path as he himself has experienced in the previous college. Valmiki told him firmly, ‘don’t ever listen to these students. They are cowards who want to run from studies. You are not a coward I suppose. Next time you come across any student talking about the magical liquid report to your teacher immediately.’ Valmiki vowed to bring back Raju to the right path and tried his best to help him in his studies. Due to his selfless constant help and counselling Raju was back to his best within few weeks. Raju thanked Valmiki and told, ‘You are the best friend and guide, I have ever got.’

With determined hard work, Valmiki emerged as the topper of his twelfth board exam. Not only this, he was selected to study in a reputed Government Medical College. He completed his MBBS degree with flying colours and pursued higher studies in Psychiatry. A few years down the lane, Valmiki was appointed a lecturer in the PGIMER Chandigarh. Here also apart from his teaching and Clinical duties; he cut short his leisure hours and weekly offs to visit many schools and colleges in the city and nearby districts for motivational talks to de-stress the students’ mind and explained to them the bad effects of any form of drug abuse. Raju, who had now become a doctor also joined Valmiki in the noble work of counselling the teenagers about the harms of drug and alcohol abuse in his off days.

Valmiki has fulfilled his parents’ dream of becoming a doctor. As a successful practitioner, he treated hundreds of alcohol and drug abuse patients many of them being teenagers. He helped them with treatment to overcome the withdrawal symptoms and also brought them back to normal life by constant support and counselling. He was very polite and considerate towards such patients. He thoroughly heard their life circumstances leading to stress and such abuse and tried his best to make them mentally strong to face the obstacles without finding methods of escape in form of alcohol or drugs. 

Few years passed and Valmiki was recognized by the Government for his noble work but God had other plans. He met with a severe road accident and was treated by his colleagues but couldn’t survive. All of his colleague and patients he treated were sorrowful losing such a skilled and compassionate doctor and human being.

Valmiki had used his second chance for the betterment of people and proved God’s purpose behind it, just the same way as Ratnakar, a dacoit, who got a second chance in life, turned to Sage Valmiki and used his second chance for the betterment of people for which his name is immortal in the world. Ramayana by Sage Valmiki, (who was once a dacoit), inspires people for ages to walk on the path of Dharma. Not everyone gets in life gets a second chance but people who get are really blessed and the people who use their second chance in the best possible way are the ones who set their story as inspiration for people in ages to come.