Manavi.

 

MANAVI.

I met Manavi in college. We were part of the team that was in charge of everyone’s internships. And since we were the Covid Batch, we completed our first year online so basically this was our first meeting. Though very unlikely of me, I was one of the few first ones to arrive and she came when all of us were chatting with the professor. She wore smart casuals, had a bob cut that was blonde in the front and she set her foot in wearing velvet, emerald-green heels. She walked in with a radiant smile and confidence so sharp that it held the potential to pierce a hole in a diamond. Boss lady, I thought to myself. It was as though the woman I had dreamt of becoming was taken out of my mind and placed right in front of me. You know how some people enter your lives and even if for a short while, their impact stays with you forever? She was one of them.

It was my second day in the city and I was still looking for places to stay and as fate unfolded, her PG had the last bed empty. I hesitantly asked her for the contact of the landlord because I was too intimidated by her to ask normally. I had already assumed that she’d be arrogant but I was surprised when she helped me with my luggage up the stairs. We interned at the same place and on the first day we were given forms to fill and I kept pestering her to help me with a few questions which she bluntly answered except for the last one where she firmly asked me to wait till, she finished hers. Maybe I was right about her being arrogant, I thought. I was glad to be proven wrong!

Later that evening, I was unpacking when I heard her call out my name. “Ekta?” she said with so much concern that melted my heart.

“Yeah?” I turned over my shoulders to look at her.

“I just realised this is your first time away from home and you must be a little sad about staying away. So, if you need anything, please let me know. ANYTHING. I would be pleased to be of any help.”

I smiled instantly. It was as if she knew exactly what I wanted to hear. She probably saw the worry behind my eyes. “Thank you so much, Manavi. That is really sweet of you” I managed to say. It wasn’t the staying-away-from-home that bothered me. It was the fear of managing things on my own in a new city for the first time. And it was like she assured me that it was going to be just fine.

“I’m actually very excited to start this journey, I’ve always wanted freedom” I told her, “So, have you lived alone before?”

“I have. I’ve been in a boarding school for quite a while and have stayed with my grandparents a lot but my younger sister has been with me so I’ve always felt that need to fulfil my elderly duties you know? But this is technically my first time being alone too!” she said in a chirpy tone.

We spoke a lot that night. About our families, dreams, responsibilities. And with every conversation we had later, she seemed more and more amazing. Over time, we learned a lot about each other and the more I learnt about her, the more awed I was. She was an interesting person to talk to. More than being a good listener, she was a great speaker. She always had the right things to say. We used to speak for hours on end but not once did I feel like it was a waste of time. We had such meaningful conversations and with every talk, I came out being a lot wiser and having learnt something new. There have been times where she’s given me answers to the questions, I’d never even asked her. We didn’t hang out much but I wish we did. Do you ever think how someone is way out of your league to be friends with you? I always thought she was out of mine. I know that is not what she thought but I don’t know why I could never try. Like I said, maybe I was always a little intimated by her. But the limited times we spoke were better than the pointless talkfests I had with the others.

Manavi was full of surprises. She had so many parts of herself, each seeming to contradict the other but if you looked carefully, you could see her managing them all so well. All the parts harmonized with each other, making her freakin’ Awesome! In our last year of our college, we were giving interviews and both of us wanted to make it to the same brand. I started prepping and she was so carefree that it made me wonder how she would clear the rounds. Maybe I didn’t know her well by then because I soon realised that her personality was enough. She still cleared managed the rounds while I didn’t. And when she met Mr. Vikrant, the person whom I admired a lot, in HER final interview, she did something for which I am eternally indebted to her. That is when she unknowingly taught me the most valuable lesson of my life. And that was when I realised how blessed I was to have her.

It was the last day of college and all of us were leaving the city in less than a week. So, we were scribbling on each other’s shirts when one of my batchmates who had also been to the final round with Manavi asked, “Hey, did you get any mail from Mr. Vikrant?”

“Huh? Why would I?” I asked, half happy and half confused.

“Check your inbox” she replied, completely ignoring my question.

I immediately checked for new mails, searched for all the possible IDs the email could’ve come from but the efforts were futile. I had received none. I shook my head with inverted lips. “What happened though?” I asked her again.

“Okay I don’t know if I’m supposed to tell you but Manavi gave your email to Mr. Vikrant.” she said with no context whatsoever.

But as much as I had known Manavi by then, I knew she did that with the most selfless motive ever. When I went back home, I asked her, “Hey, did you happen to give my email to Mr. Vikrant?”

“Why? Did you get any mail?” she asked, hopeful.

“No, but I heard you gave him my ID.”  

“Who told you?” she asked me with a smile and a hint of anger for the person who told me.

“You know who” I replied and didn’t wait for her to guess. “But it honestly doesn’t matter if I got the mail or not. I am just very happy that he still has it somewhere lying around on his table. But what I am even more fortunate for is You. That is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.” I said with a smile of genuine thankfulness.

“It’s the least I could’ve done. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you getting all hopeful and wait for the mail then getting disheartened if you didn’t get it” she explained “Isn’t that what happened?”

“Not really. In fact, I could only feel grateful for what you did” I said as my eyes got full. I tried shaking it off with my next question, “How did it happen?”

“Well, he was asking me questions and one of them was ‘how many from your college sat for the rounds?’ and while answering that I told him ‘One of my friends really wanted to meet you but unfortunately, she couldn’t be here but she’d asked me to say HI to you so I’m saying that on her behalf”

I remember joking about it. I didn’t know she’d actually do it! I was on cloud nine.

“Fuck. And then?” I asked her, curious.

“He said ‘How sweet. Give me her email, maybe I can wish her best of luck’ and he took out a pen and noted it down. Oh, and he also said ‘HI’!”

My happiness knew no bounds. THE VIKRANT had my email and he said ‘HI’ to me and also wished me best of luck! That was enough for me. A few teardrops didn’t listen to me and flowed down. I quickly wiped them off as I managed to say ‘thank you’.

That was her chance to talk to him. It was her interview and she was selfless enough to utilize that time and give him my email because she knew how much it’d mean to me had he sent me the mail.

Women, I tell you. They are such beautiful creatures. I feel sorry for those who think women are other women’s enemies. Honestly, I’ve been there too but life is all about balance. And I’m glad I’ve met a few wrong people in life because God sent Manavi to compensate for them all. To know what women are or could be. She came from a well to do family and she blended just the right amount of sophistication with humility and that made her one of the most graceful people I know or have heard of. She’s always been a giver. And to be on that level of selflessness, one needs to be extremely secure about themselves. You need strength to not think twice before putting others first, and she was one of those people who had it in her. Her principles made her who she was and she stood by them no matter what. She was a personification of ideal Feminism. Fierce, Confident, Soft. Someone who’d wear her grandmother’s saree with pride. Someone who’d make every girl look up to her and someone who’d make a great mother. Someone who could afford lattes in five-stars but would prefer filter coffees in an Udupi restaurant. Someone who’d get drunk and dance on Malayalam songs but also someone who’d immediately sober up to hold your hair back if you had to puke. Someone who wishes to enjoy till her heart feels full but also someone who’d never forget her responsibilities. Someone who knew how to take a stand for herself and also someone who cared dearly for the people she loved. Someone who’d make boys go insecure, but the one who’d make a man fall in love.

Women like her are a blessing. She pushed women around her and seeing them succeed made her genuinely happy. She told me how she was so proud of her mom and grandma and whatever she is now, they’re the reason. But I’m sure her parents and grandparents are prouder of their child. Manavi is someone who has always inspired me and I’m pretty sure she will keep doing so till the end of time. 

If you have a Manavi in your life, this is your chance to thank her. But if you have lost her because you were too insecure, this is probably your chance to apologize. Manavi, I am taking this chance to wish you the best of everything, because you deserve it. Thank you for being the elder sister I never had. For teaching me the power of selflessness. For teaching me that you can go ahead without leaving others behind. For giving me hope that there are better people out there. For giving me strength to be confident in who you are. Manavi, thank you for teaching me what it is to be a Woman and for showing me how beautiful it is to be one.