Life is what you make of it - how you see it and what you do with it is all up to you.
There's a magical quality about the smallest things in life, from a rose petal to the thudding of the ocean on the shore, that just can't be explained by such mundane concepts as Darwinism or Religion.
Like a child I'm in awe of it all and my soul fills with wonder every day as I explore the new things my environment offers up to me, and seek out new places and experiences to discover.
It's a choice - I choose to believe in a beautiful happy world, where everything always comes out all right in the end. I believe in love. I believe in life. I believe in myself.and above all i believe in GOD. It's a good life.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Friday, June 1, 2007
THE Email
hi guys
just decided to drop a HI to all you wonderful guys from the great REC of ours.
it was a pleasure to have got to know you guys -
the football that we played in the rain .
the songs that we sang
the religious chanting of "bake baku COB baku"
the sticky black soil
the howling winds
the lovely sunflowers
the mangroves behind block 4
the lorry transports across the lush green fields of Hubli
the trips to Myfood, Shakti and Parag
our first puff of a cigerette
our first encounter with Beer
the late night movies
the most looked foward event of the year - the Mech day!
Examination fever, and the Kusugals
and the practical exams
not to forget arun Patil
or the "qualified but uneducated" Vasant Patil
Murthy's goo at the mess ( sticky black ladies finger!)
the giriappas and the giriammas - and the hygine there!
the Binus and the Nikitas ( how many a hearts they have broken!)
the dhengana kodukas, Bhosidakes, and the bhenchooths!
and then one day it was all finally over
IT WAS OVER!!!!!
and here we are cringing to get each others attention
viving to get back there - to where we all met - 9 yrs ago!!!!!
any commments anybody
just decided to drop a HI to all you wonderful guys from the great REC of ours.
it was a pleasure to have got to know you guys -
the football that we played in the rain .
the songs that we sang
the religious chanting of "bake baku COB baku"
the sticky black soil
the howling winds
the lovely sunflowers
the mangroves behind block 4
the lorry transports across the lush green fields of Hubli
the trips to Myfood, Shakti and Parag
our first puff of a cigerette
our first encounter with Beer
the late night movies
the most looked foward event of the year - the Mech day!
Examination fever, and the Kusugals
and the practical exams
not to forget arun Patil
or the "qualified but uneducated" Vasant Patil
Murthy's goo at the mess ( sticky black ladies finger!)
the giriappas and the giriammas - and the hygine there!
the Binus and the Nikitas ( how many a hearts they have broken!)
the dhengana kodukas, Bhosidakes, and the bhenchooths!
and then one day it was all finally over
IT WAS OVER!!!!!
and here we are cringing to get each others attention
viving to get back there - to where we all met - 9 yrs ago!!!!!
any commments anybody
Lets Play Nose Hockey
Lets Play Nose Hockey
It was those first few days of my stay in Hulkoti … Every day I heard of gory details of the ragging sessions that took place after the clock struck twelve midnight. Like an ostrich I tried the escaping trick - I went to bed at 8:00PM. The trick helped me - It helped me for my first 3 days at the hostel.
Thud! Thud! Thud! My room door vibrated one night - I was expecting it soon but not so soon! It was the most dreaded hour 11:45PM the “seniors” were getting ready for their dose of daily entertainment! Some one woke me up and gave me the address to my “seniors” room. Shivering in the cold atmosphere I pulled myself together for my first ragging session ever!
I walked into the room - (those arse-holes ragged me for over an hour for not knocking the door) - I think it was Mishra’s room. The first thing that my eyes rested on was an orange bucket. It was NOT just another ordinary orange bucket it had been converted into some real fat guy’s helmet. I could not see his face - his “helmet” effectively covered his face. He was on stage - he was giving a performance on top of a table- he was singing the Jana Gana Mana. The fright vanished into thin air - I wanted to laugh - but just imagine the consequences. I turned around and looked at the jeering audience - about fifteen of them; all looking like thugs. There were 4 other guinea pigs apart from me.
After Anmol completed his performance he got off the “stage” they sent him back - on top of the stage because he did not seek the “sirs” permission! - Anmol heaving his 90kgs up and down a table was a sight to see: A smile crept on to my face - Soumen Samatha caught it! In a fraction of a second I found my self on stage - looking down on these mongrels called “seniors”. They asked me to sing - I couldn’t even bray - forget singing. Some of them were getting pissed off. I was pissing! They asked me to dance - dance to me is as strange as dance is to Sunny Deol! - I swayed my legs and wagged my arms around - the mongrels were not impressed.
Nose hockey was the next on the addenda - a rupee coin appeared on the table the imaginary goal posts were set up me and another guinea pig were the players - I wanted him to win the game, he too wanted me to win the game! The competitiveness was lost - the mongrels were not getting entertained. Behind me Anmol was singing an English song - thank god their attention was deviated. The nose hockey ended in a draw.
It was real late in the night - they wanted me to go and get them cigarettes. I went
It was then that I swore that I would never do any such thing the next year. The humiliation that we underwent may have made us stronger. We got to know wonderful people like Mishra, Vivek, Keshav, Soumen, Sialesh and so many other great men in their worst of behaviors. I hated them
The sessions that followed were painful and hard but equally entertaining. There was one late evening session - this was me and me alone against all the “thugs” mentioned above and more. The issue was about me erasing off the graffiti from the classroom black-board (that these great seniors had written about Binu, Soumya and Varalakshmi) even after repeated "warnings” not to do so. These warnings made me even more strong willed to go to class 20 minutes earlier and wipe if the graffiti before these damsels in distress walked into class. I was expecting this ragging session and I was prepared. Kunju was there too (anybody remembers him??? Where is he now???), the KUNJU MOHAN – called me names, he even called me “My lover’s lover” he eventually had to give up on Binu – the ragging session ended up in great laughter and fun because it finally ended up that Kunju was the person on center stage – The session ended with assurances – to Kunju - the “seniors” gave him the assurances “ Kunju we know that YOU are NOT mad”
As they say “Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind the stronger the trees.” - Today we have become stronger and better than what we would have been otherwise - I am in no way encouraging ragging. Looking back I think I enjoyed those sessions - they were an eye opener to me that first impressions don’t last and what you see is not always true.
Little did I know, little did I realize that these “thugs” would become the best of my friends and seniors at the REC - today I crave to meet these “thugs” -I am so happy that all these “thugs” are doing so well in life - Thank god! - My curses did not come true.
It was those first few days of my stay in Hulkoti … Every day I heard of gory details of the ragging sessions that took place after the clock struck twelve midnight. Like an ostrich I tried the escaping trick - I went to bed at 8:00PM. The trick helped me - It helped me for my first 3 days at the hostel.
Thud! Thud! Thud! My room door vibrated one night - I was expecting it soon but not so soon! It was the most dreaded hour 11:45PM the “seniors” were getting ready for their dose of daily entertainment! Some one woke me up and gave me the address to my “seniors” room. Shivering in the cold atmosphere I pulled myself together for my first ragging session ever!
I walked into the room - (those arse-holes ragged me for over an hour for not knocking the door) - I think it was Mishra’s room. The first thing that my eyes rested on was an orange bucket. It was NOT just another ordinary orange bucket it had been converted into some real fat guy’s helmet. I could not see his face - his “helmet” effectively covered his face. He was on stage - he was giving a performance on top of a table- he was singing the Jana Gana Mana. The fright vanished into thin air - I wanted to laugh - but just imagine the consequences. I turned around and looked at the jeering audience - about fifteen of them; all looking like thugs. There were 4 other guinea pigs apart from me.
After Anmol completed his performance he got off the “stage” they sent him back - on top of the stage because he did not seek the “sirs” permission! - Anmol heaving his 90kgs up and down a table was a sight to see: A smile crept on to my face - Soumen Samatha caught it! In a fraction of a second I found my self on stage - looking down on these mongrels called “seniors”. They asked me to sing - I couldn’t even bray - forget singing. Some of them were getting pissed off. I was pissing! They asked me to dance - dance to me is as strange as dance is to Sunny Deol! - I swayed my legs and wagged my arms around - the mongrels were not impressed.
Nose hockey was the next on the addenda - a rupee coin appeared on the table the imaginary goal posts were set up me and another guinea pig were the players - I wanted him to win the game, he too wanted me to win the game! The competitiveness was lost - the mongrels were not getting entertained. Behind me Anmol was singing an English song - thank god their attention was deviated. The nose hockey ended in a draw.
It was real late in the night - they wanted me to go and get them cigarettes. I went
It was then that I swore that I would never do any such thing the next year. The humiliation that we underwent may have made us stronger. We got to know wonderful people like Mishra, Vivek, Keshav, Soumen, Sialesh and so many other great men in their worst of behaviors. I hated them
The sessions that followed were painful and hard but equally entertaining. There was one late evening session - this was me and me alone against all the “thugs” mentioned above and more. The issue was about me erasing off the graffiti from the classroom black-board (that these great seniors had written about Binu, Soumya and Varalakshmi) even after repeated "warnings” not to do so. These warnings made me even more strong willed to go to class 20 minutes earlier and wipe if the graffiti before these damsels in distress walked into class. I was expecting this ragging session and I was prepared. Kunju was there too (anybody remembers him??? Where is he now???), the KUNJU MOHAN – called me names, he even called me “My lover’s lover” he eventually had to give up on Binu – the ragging session ended up in great laughter and fun because it finally ended up that Kunju was the person on center stage – The session ended with assurances – to Kunju - the “seniors” gave him the assurances “ Kunju we know that YOU are NOT mad”
As they say “Good timber does not grow with ease; the stronger the wind the stronger the trees.” - Today we have become stronger and better than what we would have been otherwise - I am in no way encouraging ragging. Looking back I think I enjoyed those sessions - they were an eye opener to me that first impressions don’t last and what you see is not always true.
Little did I know, little did I realize that these “thugs” would become the best of my friends and seniors at the REC - today I crave to meet these “thugs” -I am so happy that all these “thugs” are doing so well in life - Thank god! - My curses did not come true.
Bathing Pleasures
Bathing Pleasures
Never did I know that bathing could be so interesting a task. Heading to the shower was always a routine until I met Dinesh. A routine so trivial, something like the early morning cuppa tea or brushing one’s teeth. Never did I realize that it could become a rigorous ceremony almost like a religious ritual.
The bathing “ritual” started with the borrowing of water (in block III, room no 14 where else???) The water was heated, sorry boiled, boiled beyond boiling point until the water became “WHITE HOT” by the means of a live naked heating element.
As the water reached and crossed boiling point, the mighty Dinesh scooped out a cup of the water and joyfully proceed to the first and foremost step towards complete bathing satisfaction, called shaving!
Shaving was a grand ceremony too, as grand as the Japanese Tea ceremony. Dinesh laid all his shaving paraphernalia neatly on the table. Brought down the wall mirror and as careful as a trapeze artist carefully balanced it between the cup of water and his bookshelf. The whole act of leaning the mirror on the shelf costed Dinesh more than a whole 20 minutes, most of which was spent on admiring the (almost nonexistent) biceps and triceps, comments and remarks flew across the room as the great D admired his own body. Having got tired of flexing his muscles the shaving ceremony starts with the lathering of the 2 day old bristles on the face (Oh yeah! Not to forget the self praise comments on his smooth beard …… for he was the only one in the room who had a smooth beard) Lathering takes a full 10 minutes until we could see Dinu Dada transform into Santa Claus. The lectures on the brand of shaving cream to use and why, who models for which cream, which shaving brush is the best, etc. fills the room. Then does the shaving start. Here a nick......... there a gash.......... You suddenly realize that all the lather has gone a waste. Dinesh forever was bad at shaving but the ceremony had so much of pomp and show (exactly like the Jap tea ceremony) that you start wondering what was all the ado about?
The now bleeding Dinesh applies an After-shave (there was something that he used to say about the coolness of the Aftershave and the burning sensation of some brands …. Too bad I fail to remember them. Please enlighten me on the stuff about After shaves again)
Now its time for a break.
The break meant that Dino brutally pulls the live Coil off the socket and forgets about it. Forgets about it until the water turns from white hot to ice cold. The break was a usually a chat with us on the intricacies of life ….for example the multiple usage of condoms (that’s in another edition) or walks to Giriappa for some mirchi and watery tea or heated discussions about some long haired punk that I care a f*#&. These breaks were really interesting. Interesting because the great PPM used to bully Dinoo about the water freezing (if my hindi were as good as what it was earlier, I would have repeated these caustic comments that PPM put forth, during these breaks.)
But as all good things must come to an end, the break too comes to an end. Dinesh is threatened that the water will be used by either one of us. This calls for the re-boiling of the water. The electric coil buzzes to life and the water is taken to the path of white-hot all over again!!!!
Then comes the Dettol. (A Dettol Ad on TV triggered this edition!) Two cap-fulls are meticulously measured and added to the white hot water. There is a froth that results. Vivid images of the froth are described in detail. The Dettol froth could delay the bathing ceremony by over 15 minutes because every bathing session is accompanied by lectures of the wonders of the bubbles of Dettol flowing down on your body and cleansing it.
The water is then carried over to the bathroom.( If I were in a good mood I would ignore the water that was spilt in the process of transfer) Dinesh steps into the loo .…Ooops! he has forgotten the towel! He comes out to get it and there is another outbreak of a conversation. The water is let to cool for another 15 minutes …… We literally have had to push him in and lock the door for him to complete the bathing ritual.
Reading this edition must have been really boring. As I read it again and again and contemplate forwarding this mail to you people, I realize that such simple pleasures of life no more exist. I really wonder if any of us ever go through the bathing pleasures as taught to us by Dinesh. I wonder if even Dinesh has the time to do it. I am sure that today’s pace of life, responsibilities, work pressure, etc. have eaten into such wonderfully plain, and simple joys of life. Bathing today, I am sure has become a mundane activity for all of us. I am forever grateful that I lived life with you wonderful people, who taught me to find joy in simple things of life.
Will we ever have time to bathe? Will we ever take joy in shaving? Will we ever look at a bottle of Dettol and realize it has so much to do with our lives. Will we ever live through this again? Will it ever come back again? Any comments anybody?
Never did I know that bathing could be so interesting a task. Heading to the shower was always a routine until I met Dinesh. A routine so trivial, something like the early morning cuppa tea or brushing one’s teeth. Never did I realize that it could become a rigorous ceremony almost like a religious ritual.
The bathing “ritual” started with the borrowing of water (in block III, room no 14 where else???) The water was heated, sorry boiled, boiled beyond boiling point until the water became “WHITE HOT” by the means of a live naked heating element.
As the water reached and crossed boiling point, the mighty Dinesh scooped out a cup of the water and joyfully proceed to the first and foremost step towards complete bathing satisfaction, called shaving!
Shaving was a grand ceremony too, as grand as the Japanese Tea ceremony. Dinesh laid all his shaving paraphernalia neatly on the table. Brought down the wall mirror and as careful as a trapeze artist carefully balanced it between the cup of water and his bookshelf. The whole act of leaning the mirror on the shelf costed Dinesh more than a whole 20 minutes, most of which was spent on admiring the (almost nonexistent) biceps and triceps, comments and remarks flew across the room as the great D admired his own body. Having got tired of flexing his muscles the shaving ceremony starts with the lathering of the 2 day old bristles on the face (Oh yeah! Not to forget the self praise comments on his smooth beard …… for he was the only one in the room who had a smooth beard) Lathering takes a full 10 minutes until we could see Dinu Dada transform into Santa Claus. The lectures on the brand of shaving cream to use and why, who models for which cream, which shaving brush is the best, etc. fills the room. Then does the shaving start. Here a nick......... there a gash.......... You suddenly realize that all the lather has gone a waste. Dinesh forever was bad at shaving but the ceremony had so much of pomp and show (exactly like the Jap tea ceremony) that you start wondering what was all the ado about?
The now bleeding Dinesh applies an After-shave (there was something that he used to say about the coolness of the Aftershave and the burning sensation of some brands …. Too bad I fail to remember them. Please enlighten me on the stuff about After shaves again)
Now its time for a break.
The break meant that Dino brutally pulls the live Coil off the socket and forgets about it. Forgets about it until the water turns from white hot to ice cold. The break was a usually a chat with us on the intricacies of life ….for example the multiple usage of condoms (that’s in another edition) or walks to Giriappa for some mirchi and watery tea or heated discussions about some long haired punk that I care a f*#&. These breaks were really interesting. Interesting because the great PPM used to bully Dinoo about the water freezing (if my hindi were as good as what it was earlier, I would have repeated these caustic comments that PPM put forth, during these breaks.)
But as all good things must come to an end, the break too comes to an end. Dinesh is threatened that the water will be used by either one of us. This calls for the re-boiling of the water. The electric coil buzzes to life and the water is taken to the path of white-hot all over again!!!!
Then comes the Dettol. (A Dettol Ad on TV triggered this edition!) Two cap-fulls are meticulously measured and added to the white hot water. There is a froth that results. Vivid images of the froth are described in detail. The Dettol froth could delay the bathing ceremony by over 15 minutes because every bathing session is accompanied by lectures of the wonders of the bubbles of Dettol flowing down on your body and cleansing it.
The water is then carried over to the bathroom.( If I were in a good mood I would ignore the water that was spilt in the process of transfer) Dinesh steps into the loo .…Ooops! he has forgotten the towel! He comes out to get it and there is another outbreak of a conversation. The water is let to cool for another 15 minutes …… We literally have had to push him in and lock the door for him to complete the bathing ritual.
Reading this edition must have been really boring. As I read it again and again and contemplate forwarding this mail to you people, I realize that such simple pleasures of life no more exist. I really wonder if any of us ever go through the bathing pleasures as taught to us by Dinesh. I wonder if even Dinesh has the time to do it. I am sure that today’s pace of life, responsibilities, work pressure, etc. have eaten into such wonderfully plain, and simple joys of life. Bathing today, I am sure has become a mundane activity for all of us. I am forever grateful that I lived life with you wonderful people, who taught me to find joy in simple things of life.
Will we ever have time to bathe? Will we ever take joy in shaving? Will we ever look at a bottle of Dettol and realize it has so much to do with our lives. Will we ever live through this again? Will it ever come back again? Any comments anybody?
College days!!!
Oh yes, I did write too.... but that was long time ago... these are some stuff that I had written ages ago - it about my life at the Hostel.
OF Monkeys and Banyan trees ........
Banyan trees always remind me of Pritesh. Pritesh reminds me of monkeys. Since I get to see more monkeys than I get to see Priteshes, I will rephrase the above sentence. Banyan trees always remind me of Pritesh. Monkeys remind me of Pritesh.
The very first time I set eyes on Pritesh, Pritesh swinging on the banyan tree near Giriappa!. It was early first Semester. Life couldn't have been more miserable. It was those days where one used to hide and venture out even to class, scared of being "caught" by the "Seniors". Everyone was a stranger, everyone was an enemy, there was always a senior lurking around the corner waiting to rag us. We had to walk with our heads between our knees, walking to class meant that we are invariably going to "meet" seniors. I preferred to stay holed in the darkness of my room.
Suddenly! Sunday It was! While the whole world rested and rejoiced, we the "les miserables" had nothing to do but entertain the "seniors" most of who had equally nothing to do. Shankar, Nixon, Shibu, Senthil and Raghu decided to venture out to Giriappa. (I have mentioned names for you to recollect their faces) That was one place that I did not want to go. That damn place was haunted!!! Haunted with seniors."How long can you hide?" was their question, I had no answer! I finally collected all the courage that I could gather and walked bravely as a goat going to an abitor.
Shankar, Shibu and Senthil confidently got themselves a "King" some girmit, mandaki and a round of tea. We rested our arses, heavy hearts and fears on Giriappa's modest benches life seemed to be better. Suddenly there was a sound of laughter accompanied by Hindi and a language similar to Hindi! My ears were standing straight! My heart dived in deeper, begging my stomach to move aside and give it some space. Oh shit! it was the Damn seniors! My frightened eyes scanned the whole place. No one around, except us! Shankar, the giraffe, stuck his head out and and spotted the source of the voices and the noises. He assured us that they were juniors too. that was of very little consolation. Shibu and Shankar decided to join the jing-bang at the banyan tree. As usual I didn't want to go! My eyes followed their trail and spotted something swinging on the tree. PPM !!!!!
And here was PPM swinging, swinging on a banyan tree as as though he had nothing to loose. Here, this guy in such unfriendly environment was radiating laughter, happiness and joy. I immediately knew that I am going to like this person (among all those on the banyan tree includes AB, DP, KCS) Something told me deep within that I am going to get to know this guy. A little voice inside said that PPM and I have something in common, something like a jig-saw puzzle, although different frequencies, different shapes, different colours, different cultures, but yet something that can be placed together, something that could gel together.
Pritesh is a kind of guy you will like the very first time you see him!!. He was the confidant guy with a ready smile always on his face, said "Hi" even before you could smile at him. Happy go lucky, carefree, quick wit, capable of turning anything into a joke. This guy was capable of making any one comfortable. He had an excellent choice of words. He could churn out enthusiasm like a plague. He could spread happiness around him like a disease. He was a very good acquaintance an excellent neighbor. He knew almost every guy, and everyone knew him too! He knew me too! He knew that I had a name. Getting to know Pritesh wasn't exactly easy!
The first semester was coming to a close. The exams fast approaching. Pritesh was cramming at the library. I somehow missed him. Dakshesh teamed up with me, both the Satan’s within us got together, and decided to screw his earthly possessions. His table ransacked his ultimately cute table lamp was hung upside down with paper stuffed inside its bell. Its wire entwined around his cot. His clothes were hidden on top of his Mosquito net, his trunk transported to my room. (I smile as I type this! Man, it was real fun). The atrocities against Pritesh's possessions increased by the day and reached the pinnacle point of no return on the third day, when his soap and toothpaste disappeared.
The third day Pritesh broke down in my room as he came to collect his trunk. Pritesh spoke to me of the tension he was undergoing to do well in the forthcoming exam. This tension was being topped up by us raiding his things. I was real ashamed of myself. What had he done to deserve this? I had some soul searching to do. It may have been bad on our part to do this to him but Pritesh got to know that I existed.
A year later, on Dec 25,1993 (Christmas day) the four of us were studying peacefully peacefully, for the III Sem. exams. My big mouth opened and reminded PPM about the incidents’ first anniversary!
WOW! It was then that I realized that this guy could store anger for over a year. Time had not healed those wounds that I had caused over a year ago. I think that was the first time (and maybe that was the last time) Pritesh had raised his voice, (Pritesh and I have had our share of misunderstandings over the years but he has never raised his voice, he just ignored my presence.) The both of us got verbal, I tried to laugh it off but Pritesh was in a mood to let go off the accumulated steam. Later, that night, when PPM had a gloomy face plastered to his neck, I told PPM that I will relate this incident to his children. I told PPM that he will look back years later and shrug this away, He may even laugh at the fact that both of us fought over such a "petty" thing, Poor guy, I am sure that PPM does even not remember this fight! Oh! and poor Linku mediated during this fight and got raped by both of us. Dinesh preferred to keep out of this fight --- Mr. Wise-guy as usual!
I have said Sorry for the incident a long time ago, I have also told PPM that I will relate this Dec 25 incident to his children, I have written this basically that I do not forget this fight and the day. No Christmas passes without me thinking of PPM. No Christmas passes without me realizing what a monkey I have been.
Please note that I say that I have been ashamed for causing agony to PPM during his first Sem. exams. I say that I have SAID Sorry for this a long time ago. But I, even today, do not feel sorry for the incident where Dakshesh and I screwed his possessions, for, it was this incident that made me close to PPM. If not for this incident PPM will be another acquaintance to me, just another Gujju, that I would have not cared to care about. This incident is something like the age old adage " throwing small fish to catch big fish” except that here I had to throw the little monkey within me to catch the bigger monkey outside. Looking back, I think it was at REC that I have brought out the Best of Monkeys within me
(25th March- 5th April,2001)
OF Monkeys and Banyan trees ........
Banyan trees always remind me of Pritesh. Pritesh reminds me of monkeys. Since I get to see more monkeys than I get to see Priteshes, I will rephrase the above sentence. Banyan trees always remind me of Pritesh. Monkeys remind me of Pritesh.
The very first time I set eyes on Pritesh, Pritesh swinging on the banyan tree near Giriappa!. It was early first Semester. Life couldn't have been more miserable. It was those days where one used to hide and venture out even to class, scared of being "caught" by the "Seniors". Everyone was a stranger, everyone was an enemy, there was always a senior lurking around the corner waiting to rag us. We had to walk with our heads between our knees, walking to class meant that we are invariably going to "meet" seniors. I preferred to stay holed in the darkness of my room.
Suddenly! Sunday It was! While the whole world rested and rejoiced, we the "les miserables" had nothing to do but entertain the "seniors" most of who had equally nothing to do. Shankar, Nixon, Shibu, Senthil and Raghu decided to venture out to Giriappa. (I have mentioned names for you to recollect their faces) That was one place that I did not want to go. That damn place was haunted!!! Haunted with seniors."How long can you hide?" was their question, I had no answer! I finally collected all the courage that I could gather and walked bravely as a goat going to an abitor.
Shankar, Shibu and Senthil confidently got themselves a "King" some girmit, mandaki and a round of tea. We rested our arses, heavy hearts and fears on Giriappa's modest benches life seemed to be better. Suddenly there was a sound of laughter accompanied by Hindi and a language similar to Hindi! My ears were standing straight! My heart dived in deeper, begging my stomach to move aside and give it some space. Oh shit! it was the Damn seniors! My frightened eyes scanned the whole place. No one around, except us! Shankar, the giraffe, stuck his head out and and spotted the source of the voices and the noises. He assured us that they were juniors too. that was of very little consolation. Shibu and Shankar decided to join the jing-bang at the banyan tree. As usual I didn't want to go! My eyes followed their trail and spotted something swinging on the tree. PPM !!!!!
And here was PPM swinging, swinging on a banyan tree as as though he had nothing to loose. Here, this guy in such unfriendly environment was radiating laughter, happiness and joy. I immediately knew that I am going to like this person (among all those on the banyan tree includes AB, DP, KCS) Something told me deep within that I am going to get to know this guy. A little voice inside said that PPM and I have something in common, something like a jig-saw puzzle, although different frequencies, different shapes, different colours, different cultures, but yet something that can be placed together, something that could gel together.
Pritesh is a kind of guy you will like the very first time you see him!!. He was the confidant guy with a ready smile always on his face, said "Hi" even before you could smile at him. Happy go lucky, carefree, quick wit, capable of turning anything into a joke. This guy was capable of making any one comfortable. He had an excellent choice of words. He could churn out enthusiasm like a plague. He could spread happiness around him like a disease. He was a very good acquaintance an excellent neighbor. He knew almost every guy, and everyone knew him too! He knew me too! He knew that I had a name. Getting to know Pritesh wasn't exactly easy!
The first semester was coming to a close. The exams fast approaching. Pritesh was cramming at the library. I somehow missed him. Dakshesh teamed up with me, both the Satan’s within us got together, and decided to screw his earthly possessions. His table ransacked his ultimately cute table lamp was hung upside down with paper stuffed inside its bell. Its wire entwined around his cot. His clothes were hidden on top of his Mosquito net, his trunk transported to my room. (I smile as I type this! Man, it was real fun). The atrocities against Pritesh's possessions increased by the day and reached the pinnacle point of no return on the third day, when his soap and toothpaste disappeared.
The third day Pritesh broke down in my room as he came to collect his trunk. Pritesh spoke to me of the tension he was undergoing to do well in the forthcoming exam. This tension was being topped up by us raiding his things. I was real ashamed of myself. What had he done to deserve this? I had some soul searching to do. It may have been bad on our part to do this to him but Pritesh got to know that I existed.
A year later, on Dec 25,1993 (Christmas day) the four of us were studying peacefully peacefully, for the III Sem. exams. My big mouth opened and reminded PPM about the incidents’ first anniversary!
WOW! It was then that I realized that this guy could store anger for over a year. Time had not healed those wounds that I had caused over a year ago. I think that was the first time (and maybe that was the last time) Pritesh had raised his voice, (Pritesh and I have had our share of misunderstandings over the years but he has never raised his voice, he just ignored my presence.) The both of us got verbal, I tried to laugh it off but Pritesh was in a mood to let go off the accumulated steam. Later, that night, when PPM had a gloomy face plastered to his neck, I told PPM that I will relate this incident to his children. I told PPM that he will look back years later and shrug this away, He may even laugh at the fact that both of us fought over such a "petty" thing, Poor guy, I am sure that PPM does even not remember this fight! Oh! and poor Linku mediated during this fight and got raped by both of us. Dinesh preferred to keep out of this fight --- Mr. Wise-guy as usual!
I have said Sorry for the incident a long time ago, I have also told PPM that I will relate this Dec 25 incident to his children, I have written this basically that I do not forget this fight and the day. No Christmas passes without me thinking of PPM. No Christmas passes without me realizing what a monkey I have been.
Please note that I say that I have been ashamed for causing agony to PPM during his first Sem. exams. I say that I have SAID Sorry for this a long time ago. But I, even today, do not feel sorry for the incident where Dakshesh and I screwed his possessions, for, it was this incident that made me close to PPM. If not for this incident PPM will be another acquaintance to me, just another Gujju, that I would have not cared to care about. This incident is something like the age old adage " throwing small fish to catch big fish” except that here I had to throw the little monkey within me to catch the bigger monkey outside. Looking back, I think it was at REC that I have brought out the Best of Monkeys within me
(25th March- 5th April,2001)
Monday, February 12, 2007
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