My Journey: Sameer Alam

Contributor: Sameer Alam

I will not get into what happened there but I can say one thing about these nine days that it passed as soon as it was a one seamless day, which started with the morning in which I met these people, whom I was thinking about that such people do not exist nowadays and which ended at the dusk of the soothing river banks of Ganges.

I am breaking this experience into two parts.

• · Before Gramya Manthan
• · Post Gramya Manthan.

Before Gramya Manthan -

Two years back, I attended a seminar which was conducted by Prakhar Bhaiya and Shashank. About a hundred of students attended it. At that time I found Gramya Manthan something unrealistic or impractical thing to do. I hadn’t any idea about what they are going to do, but in this seminar for the very first time I heard the word “The Fifth Space”.

I decided to do a lot of introspection as I was inspired by them but still I was not sure for the Gramya Manthan (Along with the thought that my application will be rejected if I ever think to apply).

Since I was introspecting myself, I found so many differences in what am I doing and what should I do, but people around me were too practical and transactional, and I found “unconditional love” is a hypothetical word .

My Academics was not going well, my performance started degrading, and I refused to sit in recruitment drives. I was becoming a rebel. I started challenging everything.

When I saw the invitation letter in my email inbox, I applied it within minutes. I was still thinking they won’t accept my application.

When Shashank told me that I am selected for the Gramya Manthan, It was something unbelievable for me, because at that time I was struggling with so many questions in my mind, and I knew that I will definitely find something.

When I came to know that other participants are coming from megacities then I again started thinking and made some assumption on the basis of my previous experiences that these people are the elites, high class, and I will look like an outsider to them. (I was consistently thinking Shashank, had made a mistake by choosing me, and will be scolded for doing so).

Sometimes I thought that I will deny on last minute to come because I had an assumption that people will not treat me well.

Post Gramya Manthan-

One by One like a domino chain, my assumptions shattered and from the first minute, I felt acceptance in the cohort, which I can feel yet also.

Just after the end of the day 9. When I returned back I was too disturbed or you can say I was not mentally prepared to go home and face the reality of life.

It’s been a month and I am returned to my hometown and I can feel something has changed in me. I can feel the gratitude for each thing which I have in my life like when I drink a glass of water, on having meals three times a day, electricity which I use, and so many small things which I was thinking I need more.

I am blessed with so many things people are struggling for or maybe they will not get it in their whole life.

I am not saying that now I am clear on what I am going to do but Gramya Manthan has changed the questions. I still have questions but these questions are different from those with which I came here.

Like the movie Kung-Fu-Panda, it’s something which was inside me always but I am getting closer to it day by day.