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.