Redemption in the Shadows
Chapter I
November 1992, Mumbai
November 1992 was a peaceful time in Mumbai. Despite being at the peak of financial and religious disparity with an active underworld, Mumbai was a bustling but peaceful place. The city had already begun its Christmas preparations. People had started deep cleaning and decorating their homes. Simultaneously, youth groups had commenced their area Christmas tree and star decoration competitions. Everything was going well. Amidst all this glee, four young friends were thriving. Avantika, Aryan, Mudita and Shaurya—students of grades 10 and 12 at St. Peter’s School, Mazgaon—were in the best time of their lives.
They were not just friends. Avantika and Shaurya Sharma were 10th-grader twins. Aryan Khan and Mudita D’Souza, who were in grade 12, lived in the same Jubilee Compound in Byculla as the twins. Jubilee Compound was a fun locality that accommodated the D’Almeida, Fernandes, D’Lima and Rozario families too. Everyone lived in harmony here, where the Khans took the lead on the Eids and other Islamic festivals. The Sharmas, the sole Hindu family, took the lead at every Diwali, Dussehra and Holi. And the Catholic community left no stone unturned to celebrate Easter and Christmas-New Year with the others, giving them a taste of European culture.
The four youngsters thrived among the wonderful people in their lives. They were all bright students and ensured they studied well for their respective board exams. Just when all was well, the ‘93 riots began in December 1992. Hindus and Muslims were fighting everywhere and bombing residential areas predominantly occupied by the people of the ‘enemy’ religion. It was pure chaos.
Things were different in Jubilee Compound. This closely knit community protected one another. The Christian families took in members of the Sharma and Khan families and kept them hidden from rioters who made it door-to-door to quench their vengeance.
Once the riots died down, all the families decided to leave Byculla. It didn’t feel safe there anymore. The underworld was becoming strong in these areas, and the parents were worried about their children’s futures. Some families packed up and moved towards the suburbs of Mumbai, especially Malad. While some other families felt it was time to leave the country as things were always uncertain here. The Sharma, Khan and D’Lima families migrated to Denmark after the children’s board exams.
Chapter II
March 1996, Aalborg
In the serene coastal town of Aalborg, nestled along the shores of Denmark, a rehab centre seemed out of place. Did it really belong in the scenic town? No! But it was the need of the hour.
The youth of this quaint place seemed to have been infected by an epidemic of drugs and sex. The rehab centre emerged as a sanctuary for many during this dark period. Among them, were four lost souls—Avantika, Shaurya, Aryan and Mudita. Children of immigrant Indian parents, the four found themselves in the cultural and social crosscurrents of being war-torn Indians in free Scandinavia.
In the corridors of the rehab centre, the quartet confronted the darkness that had led them astray. Somewhere along the way, Shaurya became addicted to sex, Mudita and Avantika got hooked on multiple drugs and Aryan became a chronic alcoholic—all this at the tender ages of 19 and 21. Their lives of addiction and vices became entwined with their search for an identity in a foreign land. The journey of four teenagers’ quest for self-discovery landed them in a hell of addictive vices.
Within six months in the rehab, the four lifelong friends began unlocking new answers. Amidst their struggle, Avantika and Aryan’s stories intertwined like the dance of the Northern Lights. Both, grappling with their confusions of heritage and heightened expectations, found solace in their shared struggles. Their love bloomed like the cherry blossoms that adorned Aalborg’s parks, a testament to the transformative power of connection in the unlikeliest of places. Avantika wanted to become a better self for him and Aryan vowed never to depend on alcohol again as this new feeling of love was intoxicating enough.
While love blossomed on one side, a saga of unbreakable friendship was being forged in the lives of the other two youngsters. With her healing touch, the warm Mudita became a pillar of support for Shaurya. Together, they navigated the dizzy maze of addiction each of them was battling with. Their bond deepened amid the therapeutic sessions and group activities, evolving into a connection rooted in shared experiences and mutual understanding.
As they traversed the path to recovery, the friends who once were lost in the mire of life, discovered the beauty of Aalborg—a town where the sea and sky merged seamlessly, mirroring the unity they sought in their fractured lives. The town was no longer just a backdrop for their newfound relationships but an integral part of their healing process, a witness to the metamorphosis occurring within the walls of the rehab centre.
Upon completing their rehabilitation, the four friends faced the challenge of reintegrating into Aalborg’s society. The vibrant town with its blend of modernity and tradition, provided a canvas for their newfound resilience. Together, they embraced the complexities of life beyond rehab, looking forward to everything that lay in store.
Avantika and Aryan didn’t want to waste any time. They were too young to be married but were of age. When they confronted their parents with their decision, the Sharmas and Khans were overjoyed. Jubilee Compound or not, they were still neighbours in Aalborg. The families were glad they found love and together with the D’Limas, they began the wedding preparations. The families checked with Mudita and Shaurya if they would like to be married too. The youngsters denied the offer. They were best friends and wanted their relationship to remain that way. They loved one another deeply but not romantically. However, they had decided to move in together as roommates to be more supportive of one another. The families happily supported this decision too. Together, they all began preparing for the four young friends to leave the nest and fly out to discover their own lives.
On one hand, what started as a broken state of affairs between the Hindu and Muslim communities in Mumbai, turned into a beautiful love story without religious barriers. Avantika and Aryan’s relationship unfolded like a Scandinavian fairy tale, the town’s mediaeval architecture serving as a picturesque backdrop to their journey. On the other hand, Mudita and Shaurya, too, found solace in Aalborg’s tranquillity, building a life together that echoed the harmonious blend of the old and the new in their adopted home.
As time passed, the four found apt jobs and flourished professionally, socially and mentally. Things had finally turned around for the best.
Years passed, and the friends were invited to a school reunion in Mumbai for the 10th and 12th Classes of 93. The prospect of returning to Mumbai filled them with a mix of nostalgia and anticipation. They had not been to Mumbai since they had fled it. But Mumbai was still their home. This is where their lives took root. It was here that they learned to accept and love people of all religions. The young adults wondered if it was a sign. Was the universe nudging them back to where it all began?
The Sharma, Khan and D’Lima families gave this a thorough thought. They checked with their other children apart from the four. All the other kids had fallen in love with their lives in Aalborg and would love to continue here if they had a choice. Everyone respected one another’s desires and decisions. The four lifelong friends, Avantika, Aryan, Mudita and Shaurya would leave for Mumbai. They would give it a solid shot. If things didn’t work out, they could always return. As for the parents and the younger siblings, they would continue living their Scandinavian lives.
Even if they never came back here, Aalborg would always remain an indelible part of their identity—a place of struggle, healing, growth and ultimate redemption. It was where they found love too.
Chapter III
January 2000, Mumbai
As they reunited with old friends in the bustling city of Mumbai, Aalborg’s influence lingered in their hearts. The reunion became a celebration of their journey and a recognition of the strength that emerged from vulnerability. It was a testament to the miracles that can happen when one finds a sense of belonging in the most unexpected ways.
Once back in Mumbai, they began building their lives one thing at a time. With the dawn of the millennia, their lives had turned around too. Y2K ushered in more love, happiness and success for the four friends. Avantika was an artist with a gallery in Bandra. Aryan was the head of the engineering department of an international car company. The duo were loving parents to their twin girls. Shaurya was the CEO of a tech MNC. Mudita started a company that helped youth struggling on their individual journeys. Her company was doing awareness programmes in every nook and corner of India. Together, they built three homes and called their premise Jubille Compound. It was an ode to the best time of their lives and their very root.
In the end, the story of Avantika, Aryan, Mudita and Shaurya became a tapestry woven with threads of friendship, love and enduring spirit. Like Aalborg—a town where the Northern Lights cast a gentle glow on the lives it touched—their lives became a beacon for youth who were embarking on their journey to redemption and self-discovery. The painful story of teenage struggle had become a story of flourishing adults.
The End!
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I, Crisenta Almeida, am a copywriter and content writer. I have been writing professionally for over 13 years. Feel free to touch base for all your creative, technical and academic writing requirements. Here are some ways to reach me.
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