Dear Daughter by Rakshita Kotha

I am Chandrashekhar, a scientist in Microbiology. I have spent many sleepless nights for my research which gave me work satisfaction. However, if a person is so talented and also works so hard but fails to gain his own identity through his achievements, he bound to get depressed. I had passion, dedication, and talent, but never found the recognition I thought I deserved. I am frustrated. I am tired of repeatedly losing at this game, tired of hanging on to the faintest of hopes, only to be disappointed once again.

        I am weak. I cannot fight anymore. 
        I am leaving. I need to.

        Sorry dear.

Then he dropped the pen and took the knife in his hand. He placed it on his wrist and closed his eyes. All of a sudden, an image of his daughter filled his mind. He froze for a moment, then dropped the knife, walked out of his room, and started searching for his daughter. 

      After few minutes he heard her coming back from school. His whole world seemed to stand still when his daughter's voice rang out, "Daddy”. He ran towards her, "Prakruthi," he whispered. He took her in his arms, and planted a kiss on her forehead. 

His mind was made.

He left the city with his daughter and came to his village, Gopalasamudram and started leading a normal life. He didn’t send his daughter to school because he thought that if she gets educated through institutions, she will leave him. He didn't want to lose her at any cost. He decided to home-school his daughter.

       One fine day, his daughter was sitting on the veranda, observing other children going to school. She asked her father why she wasn't being sent to school. Her father said, “You are so intelligent, you don’t need to go school.” 
"What is 'intelligent'," she asked.
He said, "An intelligent person possesses great knowledge."
"How knowledge will grow?"
He answered, "By meeting people and by reading books you will gain the knowledge." "If I am so intelligent," Prakruthi thought to herself, "I have to read many more books to pursue more knowledge."

Prakruthi grew up to be a beautiful young woman. She was friendly, kindhearted and full of life. All the people in her village loved her. 
Her father gave her love, wisdom, care and trust. He modeled his home as library for his daughter, and filled it with books on history, science, philosophy, literature and many other streams. Prakruthi was an open book of many thoughts,  all because of her father.

One day in her village, a relative of her's was getting married. She wore a beautiful orange saree with pink blouse and looked resplendent.
She particularly caught the eye of a young man, who was clicking pictures at the wedding. Kartick was working as software engineer in Bangalore. He was also a relative of the couple getting married, which is why he was visiting the village. 

          He walked up to Prakrithi, introduced himself, and complimented her on looking so pretty. He then asked her what she had studied and where was working. Prakrithi didn't reply, and very soon, it was time for them to leave.

Karthick asked around among his relatives about Prakruthi. He was amazed to find that she was home schooled and didn't work. He heard about her kindness and intelligence, and was intent on making friends with her.
Near the last few days of his visit, Kartick visited Prakruthi's house in order to check his mail on the computer there, as no other household in the village had one.
He was highly impressed with all the books at Prakruthi's house, and  realized that she had gained just as much knowledge from these books at home, as he had from his many years of formal education.

 He managed to start a conversation with her on this. He was her how it was possible for her to have done this, to which she replied, "This is all because of my father. He is my Guru."
They then spent the rest of the day playing cricket and marbles with the neighborhood 

         

The Girl With The Confidence of a Bird!

 The next morning she took Karthick sight-seeing around the village. They talked about the village and its greenery, and also discussed Kartick's life in the city, while he clicked pictures on his camera. They spent many days after this, just wandering around the village and holding long conversations.

            One fine day, Karthick confessed his real feelings to Prakruthi. He professed his love for her, and asked for her hand in marriage. 
Prakruthi thanked his for his frankness but doubted if her father would accept this relationship. 
Foolhardy, reckless and madly in love, Karthick suggests that they go to Bangalore to meet his mother, and let her finalize the marriage. Prakruthi, though apprehensive at first, agreed to this plan.
And so, they left together for Bangalore. However, once they got to Karthick's house and explained the situation to his mother, they were faced with her wrath. She was upset that her son had taken such a step, and also admonished Prakruthi for betraying her father's trust.

Prakruthi was heartbroken when she realized her mistake. She returned to her village, but was too ashamed to face her father. She was so mortified and ashamed of herself, she considered taking her life. However, she then thought about her father again, and somehow got the courage to go and talk to him. 

               

   She reached home. She felt so emotional on seeing her dad, that she ran to him to hug him. She told her father all about what she'd done. Her father only smiled and said,

 “I know everything that happened between you and Karthick. Even when you left, I had enough trust in you that you'd realize there was someone back home waiting for you."

             Prakruthi apologized to her father, who wasted no breath in forgiving her. She then cleared the air with Karthick. She told him that she could never leave her father and this village, because that is where her whole world resided.

The Hand I Shall Hold Forever

         “A daughter is a treasure – and a cause of sleeplessness.”-Ben Sirach