The stay
Lately my Bombay trips have become fairly mono centric. No matter how grave the objective is, the hidden agenda has always remained Bala- a friend who often turns up as a mentor by turns me off time and again!!
Thus in Bombay, while Kandelivelli east comes up as the most legitimate and convincing station for stay, Bandra has become an irresistible destination to purge out the subdued desires and emotions all at once!! Bala’s big shot donor agency position and brand IRMA always help me to buy in my family that the guy is of big help in terms of professional development……. some thing which barely happened during our eerie rendezvous at Kartar road, Kalanagar or prolonged rick rides !!
But the last Bombay trip has actually changed all these dynamics at once and for all! Considering the convenience, I decided to stay up with another friend of mine who happens to be a guy! He is an ‘almost-childhood-friend’ thus I described the stay to my overtly concerned friends as : Safety ensured!! Even Tupur, who has always been a strong support to my all so called illicit activities, sounded dubious- “who’s the guy? And how come u’re staying with some one else when Bala is in Bombay??!!” Her reaction was prompt and logical as the almost child hood friend is not such a close one. The fact that he’s Ria’s classmate and a very special friend of Ritu- have made his presence prominent in our peer discussion and that’s all !! So perhaps it has been a desperate call from my part and may be li’l shocking from his part too!
2 sleepless nights together changed it for good!
Handful of lie, mugful of coffee
After having a nice Punjabi dinner with refreshing Bacurdi rum, Bala dropped me near Vashi station: I could see from the distance…the black tee guy with black Pulsar….inevitably it had to be Subhabrata, my almost childhood friend!!
Chal coffee khai – was the first phrase from him and the journey started off! ( oops I still remember, because some how I was anxious in my sub conscious mind- how to initiate the conversation or what to say actually). Settling down at CCD, my first task was to call up my parents and giving them some bluffs about my stay in a stupid hostel in Mumbai central and its whereabouts! Surprisingly I didn’t feel bad about it (how mean of me!!)….as I could remember Tupur’s word in one of those literary letters…. “echhe kore aro ekbar mayer dike ekmutho mithyee chure di.. echhe kore aro ekbar fire jai” (wish I could throw another handful of lie to my mom.. wish I could go back again…) Thus, I was sort of cherishing my attempt of trying to reach those time……when we had crazy dreams to live life on our own bizarre terms…the unforgettable days of Jadavpur University…the time when we hardly used to differentiate between a guy and a gal….a time when no Ahemednagar reaped any fear within me… that ‘something disastrous’ can also happen in the process of all these…so going back and being unleashed was the Mantra….and it reigned large in me!
Night 1: CSR mania and Sandipan
First night I was supposed to sleep early, dog tired by a non ac 32 hrs journey amidst maddening crowd and scorching heat and a prestigious admission test in TISS; but we called it a night only at 4 ! Discussion started with photography, about his new semi SLR and its amazing bulb mode, and then it turned towards Sandipan Chtoopadhaya and his bizarre creation…the adolescent memories with those books…the pain the neysha and many more such incidents; which somehow nurtured the anecdotal gelling of our gang in Kolkata…my true self…my root! Finally we caught up with social work! (What an irony! Discussing social work with a Chemical Engineer) pleasure of working for society …..irritation of working for the same, when it becomes u’r bread and butter… difference between a CSR (corporate social responsibility) and NGO…..Jan Vikash and his Sunday painting attributes… discussion went on and on…..fading away my tension of what to say and Subhabrata’s plea to remain silent (which by then he has already told me) until I spelt out abruptly : Ami ghumalam !! (I’m off to sleep)
Night 2: Robert Langdon and the Omelet
That day could be truly said as celebration over flunking!! I screwed up my paper big time but was happy to spend a Friday nite in a metro like Bombay, with a moderately cool chap…with whom by then I have made reasonably considerable frendship !! So somehow I was waiting for the interview to get over and really didn’t want to think a shit about the whole admission process, rather 10 times call to Subhabrata to fix the venue for a happening evening ahead indeed came up as a matter of grave concern.
Bala had to rush to Pune that nite and our plan to visit Leo pole Café got abandoned and strangely somehow, for the first time I was in a mood to say “never mind”!!
The start was pretty mundane, he took me to a plush shopping mall…Palm village…poor me, I thought it would be some sort of mock shack like joint but….alas!! I chanted a brief n silent curse to him - why in shopping mall? But some how I realized that shopping mall is an inevitable destination to escape in today’s era, so Subhabrata is behaving just perfect and normal!! But soon the course of freak out changed and we discovered ourselves with green apples ( liquid form) and smokes!! That was the start I guess, which followed by some more green apple with magic touchy moments…..a long bike ride to catch a multiplex show ( again shopping mall…phew)…..Omelet dinner at 10.30…..caramel popcorn desert at 12.30 and again a plan of having Omelet at 2….and so on and so forth….!! Setting down in his mystic apartment at around 2.30 was not the end of the day; rather…it was the show after interval….and the show was quite rocking, where for the first time I indulged and enjoyed into some more illegal deeds ( cherishable cherry)!! (which otherwise always made me puke!!) But some how it was his magical company or the magic of the time
(magic moment !!) that I survived that nite, with some innovative visionary images like turning of red 0 power to square n flatten one…..beautiful eyes of him ( he by the way very proud of which) to a black dark socket ( a vision imprinted in my brain from Landon’s Angel n d devil’s famous scene of papal autopsy) and his face to Air’s !! (God last one was the dreadfully deadly)…… (And I was struggling to focus on his face….trying to reinforce the fact, that this chap is Subhabrata…by no means is Ari)!!
Conclusion
Next morning which was supposed to be great as Bala was supposed to return from pune and we are supposed to have blast actually turned out pretty simple….bland and mundane than Subhabrata’s kind attempt of taking me to the shopping malls!! Only there was two incidents worth to pen down: I fell down from a steep stair at Bandra ( stonned me !!) and the “coveted” afternoon I spent with Bala at his lonely apartment was literally speechless(mute) from my part…me half dozed off lying on the sofa and he passionately watching Monorama under 6 feet ….!!
Epilogue
I didn’t screw up my paper so badly as the kind TISS faculty at last considered me for the course and after 2 months of that trip I got a call letter to come to Bombay for joining the course,
I am quite settled in Bombay now and enjoying a typical metro life, Bala and me suddenly became very busy and we have never managed to find time to meet up or catch up a good conversation over phone,
Subhabrata is continuing his stay in that mystic apartment with all zero power light arrangement and old monkis habit,
but there is difference now- I have lost the track of counting; how many sleepless nights we have spent together, over illicit intoxicated indulgence !!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Ari like….
Prelude to Bangalore trip
The other day I went to Bangalore (as if Bangalore is just an hrs distance from my place) for an interview. My first call in Bangalore! Ahem Bangalore!! (my friends, family and the interviewers too has occurred to find my “vested interest” for the city)
To do away the pressure of interview, this time also I have taken the trip as another opportunity of spending a weekend in a plush city! Well considering the small town amenities of Hazaribagh and 7.30-go-the-bed-culture, my inclination and excitement towards spending weekend in metros should not bring any sarcastic smile to any one I guess!!
Night one and Vijay Mallya touch
The first night went quite bellow the expectation, as these days people have masteterd the task of "Communifaking" !! (The faking art in communication). Thus the cousin’s cousin who seemed to be very polite and kind and warm over telephone, turned out quite a cold and formal creature ! (Of course it was my fault, I should not have bought in the soft talks of a gal who actually flies…that too for no ghati ones…kingfisher classic…the very airways with Maliya Touch!!) Zeera rice and a mere smoke shared by two of us after a confused auto ride from Zaxandra signal to her place at 12 o clock in the night marked a mundane start of the week end !!
Treasure hunt for the interview, Dr. Anand and time calculation
Saturday was scheduled for interview and again to my woe, I made a treasure hunt to reach the exact destination observing one after another landmark- Cox town InfoTech...St Thomas Town Post office…beauty parlor….Fish shop…3rd Cross road and so on and on…….
(With my terrible road sense as Ari says Talakana, three beauty parlor in the 3rd cross road and the same auto driver who doesn’t know anything about Bangalore…I had a memorable day start!!)
I screwed up the interview as usual, but that’s not the talking point as interviews hardly matters…its all about having fun in Bangalore…..but since Ari is not in the country, my Bangalore trip from the beginning only becomes a bland cuisine! My only friend in the city, whom I am in touch with, is Dr. Anand Sagar Udagii, met only once in a Workshop at Pune, a year back. Never do I shared any intimacy with him, but still he being the only option, I banked upon his company entirely and dreamed of spending the Sat eve with him …while enjoying the glittering weekend ambience of M.G. Road !! (Some how I was convinced that he drinks and all…so pubbing would not be a tough call…I thought ...Ahem!)
My interview got over by 1’o clock and the generous FVTRS people offered lunch, that too a non veg Chinese stuff so, I was done by 1.30pm! ( Miss calculation !!! I thought it would be at least till 3’o clock)
My trusted friend to enjoy weekend in Bangalore , said will make himself free by 5.30 pm in the evening…and everytime I spoke to him he never forgot to mention that he will “make himself free”….oh! I am honored…but still killing the time from 1.30- 5.30 is not a joke…specially when u’re alone in an unfamiliar city and relativity theory rulez high!!
M.G. Road and The heavenly call
I cursed myself silently for not informing the trip to Subhobroto, a lately close friend, who is supposed to arrive on Sunday in Bangalore and could have come on Sat, if I would have informed…..I moaned over the fact that Ari is abroad and wished he never left …wondering weather there could be a possibility of going to Mysore to meet Ari’s friends or what could be other possible alternatives out here to spend the time till 5.30!! (finally, the last one came up as the most realistic consideration)
M.G Road…I decided to go to M.G. Road to kill my time as Shopping mall and affinity towards materialism has developed an efficacy to cushion solitude and depression!! It has always worked in several people’s case, including me, provided one is ready to compromise another material stuff: “money”!!
To add one some more interesting plan to my M.G. Road Loitering, I gave a call to Debashish….our own sweet Deba, who besides being Ari’s roomie, is my closest friends boy friend!! So Deba has always been a ghorer chele and he answered my call by a loud: “Hello…ha bol? Amra Bangalore e!” ….oh God….his words come up so heavenly to me…as if some one has offered me a job in Bangalore…in an organization like FVTRS…with a lucrative salary and lots of travel!! But for me it was only the question of killing time…so why Deba’s call sounded so delightful to me? Why?
Why? Y is the word……..
Deba was not alone, Anindya (Mote) was also there , who is a nice fellow , specially in comparison to several other BE college brute like ones…and we scheduled the meeting at Koramongola Forum, where they were already having lunch at KFC!! Sitting in the auto I was conscious and anxious enough to reach there at mimimum time. But Y? I was supposed to kill time by any means…but with every traffic signal, I could palpate the restlessness within me, the eagerness to meet them as soon as possible….The EXACT feeling which used to play inside me, when I’m out to see Ari, in Kolkata!! Well I might be longing for a smoke…and thus when I met them, that was the first thing I uttered : Aamay ekta cigarette de…!!
So three of us sat on the low height boundary of the shopping mall and had our due share. I was little doubtful that whether I created any nuisance in their weekend plan at B’lore, but somehow I felt having me around they are not so bugged up !! My sense of happiness grew higher! They asked every possible things about the interview…and finally.. inevitably we knew our destination.. pub or a drinking joint !! Mote spelt it out: “Daru Khabo” !
First we were looking for an economic joint, but in Forum the only option remained : Firangi Paani- an overtly expensive one. Failed to found anything else we decided to step in! In between we have several discussions…over many things…and surprisingly Mote talks exactly the similar way of Ari’s. The gestures and body languages and usage of innovative phases, which I used to think Ari’s ethnicity was actually not so, Mote is so very likely to Ari and to some extent Deba too, atleast when comes the use of phase like : Tui ke ?? ( instead of Tui ki?)!!
While sitting with that Big mugful of beer (shared form an expensive pithcher), I was feeling so happy and contended, that I felt Anand should come only. (How mean of me…the guy who’s gonna make himself free for my sake…who is actually my friend and with whom I planned of spending the evening….comes up as a burden to me)…its like dismissing those long planned programmes and meet ups with frends just on a phone call of Ari !! Here they were no Ari, but the way of thinking were just alike. But why?
The mean side of me and the realization
However, I decided to be less mean by chucking out my happiness over the commitment. But as I finished the my mug ( of which Deba took a big sip …though he had one and half and me only one)….I decided to be mean!! We planned it like…if Anand is upto drink, we will drink together and spent some time together and I will finish my shoe shopping with him, meanwhile they will go to M. G. road for Camera shopping and join me later!! But sadly enough Anand doesn’t smoke or drink!! ( I was wondering what extent of fun I am about to experience, if these two roomies of Ari and superbly charming guys were in Bangalore that evening)
I spend almost 2 hrs with Anand…but my heart always craved for them…just it craves for Ari in a similar situation!! So was it because of their Ari like gestures and body languages that I enjoyed and longed for.. or is it the way I like my friends to be…but they were not my friends!! My friend was Anand ! They were precisely his B. E. college friends and his room mates…even when Subroto came and joined us in the late evening or rather I joined three of them …nothing changed!! I thoroughly enjoyed their company as if Ari is around and I believe, if he would have been, I would have not said a single more or different thing…..( leaving alone the mushy stuffs)and it could have been tipically similar…jus like Mote’s and Ari’s behavioral similarities! I positioned my self on the cloud 9 perfectly !!
Ari is not so happy with my if-i-get-d-job shift to Bangalore ! He’s afraid that I might force him to settle in that over crowded city …and he wont be in a position to make me happy…..but without discussing Ari or our relation a single time we made so much of would-have /could-have plans…if I get the job in Bnagalore…the weekends together…boozing together at their Mysore house while eating Bengali foods and listening to the musics….whether Ari will be there or not…has never been counted….as if they are my friends too.. or even if they are not my friends, they were only trying to be polite and decent to Janowaar’s Bou, I do admit they are great dudes…… far better than my other stupid friends…who says Bengali’s are Fattoos….
E.O.D….Deba is a sweet heart and FRIENDS in Mysore
Thanks Deba…for showing the respect…not to choose that “madan bar” for my sake and heading towards the overpriced firangi paani….but I promise this year pujo…we won’t go for any experimentation…u don’t have to get ripped off while stepping out from any some place else with a mere single drink….good old Opium zindabaad!!
While bidding them Good bye at Bangalore city Junction…some how, even after enjoying the weekend, I was not feeling complete…suddenly the interview became a serious issue…I craved for the job like nothing before.. I prayed to God for the first time ever since I am into this interview process….
Besides being close to Ari….now a job in Bangalore means Friends (not the star world soap)…with whom I sensed a strange anecdotal connection…..Bangaliyana u can say !!
The other day I went to Bangalore (as if Bangalore is just an hrs distance from my place) for an interview. My first call in Bangalore! Ahem Bangalore!! (my friends, family and the interviewers too has occurred to find my “vested interest” for the city)
To do away the pressure of interview, this time also I have taken the trip as another opportunity of spending a weekend in a plush city! Well considering the small town amenities of Hazaribagh and 7.30-go-the-bed-culture, my inclination and excitement towards spending weekend in metros should not bring any sarcastic smile to any one I guess!!
Night one and Vijay Mallya touch
The first night went quite bellow the expectation, as these days people have masteterd the task of "Communifaking" !! (The faking art in communication). Thus the cousin’s cousin who seemed to be very polite and kind and warm over telephone, turned out quite a cold and formal creature ! (Of course it was my fault, I should not have bought in the soft talks of a gal who actually flies…that too for no ghati ones…kingfisher classic…the very airways with Maliya Touch!!) Zeera rice and a mere smoke shared by two of us after a confused auto ride from Zaxandra signal to her place at 12 o clock in the night marked a mundane start of the week end !!
Treasure hunt for the interview, Dr. Anand and time calculation
Saturday was scheduled for interview and again to my woe, I made a treasure hunt to reach the exact destination observing one after another landmark- Cox town InfoTech...St Thomas Town Post office…beauty parlor….Fish shop…3rd Cross road and so on and on…….
(With my terrible road sense as Ari says Talakana, three beauty parlor in the 3rd cross road and the same auto driver who doesn’t know anything about Bangalore…I had a memorable day start!!)
I screwed up the interview as usual, but that’s not the talking point as interviews hardly matters…its all about having fun in Bangalore…..but since Ari is not in the country, my Bangalore trip from the beginning only becomes a bland cuisine! My only friend in the city, whom I am in touch with, is Dr. Anand Sagar Udagii, met only once in a Workshop at Pune, a year back. Never do I shared any intimacy with him, but still he being the only option, I banked upon his company entirely and dreamed of spending the Sat eve with him …while enjoying the glittering weekend ambience of M.G. Road !! (Some how I was convinced that he drinks and all…so pubbing would not be a tough call…I thought ...Ahem!)
My interview got over by 1’o clock and the generous FVTRS people offered lunch, that too a non veg Chinese stuff so, I was done by 1.30pm! ( Miss calculation !!! I thought it would be at least till 3’o clock)
My trusted friend to enjoy weekend in Bangalore , said will make himself free by 5.30 pm in the evening…and everytime I spoke to him he never forgot to mention that he will “make himself free”….oh! I am honored…but still killing the time from 1.30- 5.30 is not a joke…specially when u’re alone in an unfamiliar city and relativity theory rulez high!!
M.G. Road and The heavenly call
I cursed myself silently for not informing the trip to Subhobroto, a lately close friend, who is supposed to arrive on Sunday in Bangalore and could have come on Sat, if I would have informed…..I moaned over the fact that Ari is abroad and wished he never left …wondering weather there could be a possibility of going to Mysore to meet Ari’s friends or what could be other possible alternatives out here to spend the time till 5.30!! (finally, the last one came up as the most realistic consideration)
M.G Road…I decided to go to M.G. Road to kill my time as Shopping mall and affinity towards materialism has developed an efficacy to cushion solitude and depression!! It has always worked in several people’s case, including me, provided one is ready to compromise another material stuff: “money”!!
To add one some more interesting plan to my M.G. Road Loitering, I gave a call to Debashish….our own sweet Deba, who besides being Ari’s roomie, is my closest friends boy friend!! So Deba has always been a ghorer chele and he answered my call by a loud: “Hello…ha bol? Amra Bangalore e!” ….oh God….his words come up so heavenly to me…as if some one has offered me a job in Bangalore…in an organization like FVTRS…with a lucrative salary and lots of travel!! But for me it was only the question of killing time…so why Deba’s call sounded so delightful to me? Why?
Why? Y is the word……..
Deba was not alone, Anindya (Mote) was also there , who is a nice fellow , specially in comparison to several other BE college brute like ones…and we scheduled the meeting at Koramongola Forum, where they were already having lunch at KFC!! Sitting in the auto I was conscious and anxious enough to reach there at mimimum time. But Y? I was supposed to kill time by any means…but with every traffic signal, I could palpate the restlessness within me, the eagerness to meet them as soon as possible….The EXACT feeling which used to play inside me, when I’m out to see Ari, in Kolkata!! Well I might be longing for a smoke…and thus when I met them, that was the first thing I uttered : Aamay ekta cigarette de…!!
So three of us sat on the low height boundary of the shopping mall and had our due share. I was little doubtful that whether I created any nuisance in their weekend plan at B’lore, but somehow I felt having me around they are not so bugged up !! My sense of happiness grew higher! They asked every possible things about the interview…and finally.. inevitably we knew our destination.. pub or a drinking joint !! Mote spelt it out: “Daru Khabo” !
First we were looking for an economic joint, but in Forum the only option remained : Firangi Paani- an overtly expensive one. Failed to found anything else we decided to step in! In between we have several discussions…over many things…and surprisingly Mote talks exactly the similar way of Ari’s. The gestures and body languages and usage of innovative phases, which I used to think Ari’s ethnicity was actually not so, Mote is so very likely to Ari and to some extent Deba too, atleast when comes the use of phase like : Tui ke ?? ( instead of Tui ki?)!!
While sitting with that Big mugful of beer (shared form an expensive pithcher), I was feeling so happy and contended, that I felt Anand should come only. (How mean of me…the guy who’s gonna make himself free for my sake…who is actually my friend and with whom I planned of spending the evening….comes up as a burden to me)…its like dismissing those long planned programmes and meet ups with frends just on a phone call of Ari !! Here they were no Ari, but the way of thinking were just alike. But why?
The mean side of me and the realization
However, I decided to be less mean by chucking out my happiness over the commitment. But as I finished the my mug ( of which Deba took a big sip …though he had one and half and me only one)….I decided to be mean!! We planned it like…if Anand is upto drink, we will drink together and spent some time together and I will finish my shoe shopping with him, meanwhile they will go to M. G. road for Camera shopping and join me later!! But sadly enough Anand doesn’t smoke or drink!! ( I was wondering what extent of fun I am about to experience, if these two roomies of Ari and superbly charming guys were in Bangalore that evening)
I spend almost 2 hrs with Anand…but my heart always craved for them…just it craves for Ari in a similar situation!! So was it because of their Ari like gestures and body languages that I enjoyed and longed for.. or is it the way I like my friends to be…but they were not my friends!! My friend was Anand ! They were precisely his B. E. college friends and his room mates…even when Subroto came and joined us in the late evening or rather I joined three of them …nothing changed!! I thoroughly enjoyed their company as if Ari is around and I believe, if he would have been, I would have not said a single more or different thing…..( leaving alone the mushy stuffs)and it could have been tipically similar…jus like Mote’s and Ari’s behavioral similarities! I positioned my self on the cloud 9 perfectly !!
Ari is not so happy with my if-i-get-d-job shift to Bangalore ! He’s afraid that I might force him to settle in that over crowded city …and he wont be in a position to make me happy…..but without discussing Ari or our relation a single time we made so much of would-have /could-have plans…if I get the job in Bnagalore…the weekends together…boozing together at their Mysore house while eating Bengali foods and listening to the musics….whether Ari will be there or not…has never been counted….as if they are my friends too.. or even if they are not my friends, they were only trying to be polite and decent to Janowaar’s Bou, I do admit they are great dudes…… far better than my other stupid friends…who says Bengali’s are Fattoos….
E.O.D….Deba is a sweet heart and FRIENDS in Mysore
Thanks Deba…for showing the respect…not to choose that “madan bar” for my sake and heading towards the overpriced firangi paani….but I promise this year pujo…we won’t go for any experimentation…u don’t have to get ripped off while stepping out from any some place else with a mere single drink….good old Opium zindabaad!!
While bidding them Good bye at Bangalore city Junction…some how, even after enjoying the weekend, I was not feeling complete…suddenly the interview became a serious issue…I craved for the job like nothing before.. I prayed to God for the first time ever since I am into this interview process….
Besides being close to Ari….now a job in Bangalore means Friends (not the star world soap)…with whom I sensed a strange anecdotal connection…..Bangaliyana u can say !!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
A confession
The thanks…
I never liked him; when we used to meet almost everyday! Discussing him has always been a favorite pass time for all of us. But during the end of first year, we the gals of CSRD 2005-07 batch thanked him like hell coz he threw us out from the “ancient stable shape” hostel! And we got the chance to breathe in Ahmednagar for the first time. His penalty for our protest before NAC committee showed up as the biggest bonus that any gal form CSRD could ever imagine!!
Let me introduce him….
Well, I am talking about Sudhir Sharma-the celebrated principal of Center for Studies of Rural Development, Ahmednagar….the man behind my admission in the college and for that I never got tired of cursing him during my days of CSRD!!
Marks bonanza…..
But he loved me or pretended to be so, as we knew that he was a genuine diplomat with perfect sense of bureaucracy. However, I never loved him, but given him the due respect or pretended to give so. But honestly, enjoyed the attention he used to pay towards me. I can still remember the day when I went to know the internal marks of Communication paper he taught: I peeped into his mighty office and merely said a word… ‘Marks’…
he smiled and replied 18!!
[18 out of 20 was a sheer miracle if consider the quality of my paper. I was smart enough to understand that ‘a preference’ is being bestowed upon me by him…..]
“Why Kafka?”
Then we left college. I can remember my last day of Ahmednagar. Me and my roomie Verna broke all possible rules and attempted every illicit to celebrate the last day and in the process I forget to say a good bye to the mighty principal. I can only remember that he was very busy with his new favorite student, (who happens to be my once upon a time best friend) and CNI delegates ……..I did not feel like bothering him either. So I really can’t remember our last meeting. But surely the first….the PI time of the admission process, when to my surprise he actually took interest in my favorite author Franz Kafka!!
The tech connection…….
Coming back to Kolkata, he was the only one from Ahmednagar faculty with whom I spoke. Be it Christmas wishing or confirmation of my University Topper Status, his was the only number I could dial. Surprisingly I never made a single communication attempt with any of my favorite faculties. I kind of used to avoid Nagar, but Sharma was an exception. So connection established through gmail. And we got in touch with each other. The once disliked principal became a reliable information source of CSRD and Pune University.
Going Pune……
January 1st week I visited Pune for that Gold Medal ceremony. Before that we exchanged thousand mails and planned my trip to Nagar. Then I did not go. Actually I could not. But I could have let him know that. (Alas!!) Came back with the medal, a month or so passed, but I never wrote him (I wish I would). Intended for thousand times, but then it never happened, partly due to my laziness and partly for some unknown reason. And then he is gone. Forever.
sharma.sudhir@gmail.com ……………
Dead person’s mail in the inbox was a kind of new experience. There’s lot still there afresh filled with information, warm exchanges….. and the last one contains the news of his Heart Attack, a sent to all sort behalf of his family!!!
Wish I could write a mail to sharma.sudhir@gmail.com once again, feel like sending a ping to that Sudhir Sharma available status at late nite ….feel like sending that photo, me taking medal from chancellor…..dial that number once again and say sorry that I could not make it this time, but will do surely for June…………….
Wish he is still there sitting in that office……..
Epilogue……….
The other day I went to Shantineketan for PhD entrance exam. I was the only outsider among thousand internal candidates. When all were busy in cramming up the formula of Central tendency and Chi square, the HOD came out and got engaged in the pet conversation with the ex students…pretty ordinary scene but some how I felt so damn left out and...
the college I never owned by heart, the principal for whom I possess no love ever, cling my heart….. for the first time in my life I missed CSRD……… I missed my campus…… I missed Sharma sir.
Well I can always get back to CSRD, I can always loiter in that campus…..but if only I could meet Sharma sir once again……………
And today while doing this write up, I feel like crying for him for the first time…..
I think, I have no other way to pay respect to him but to confess what I used to feel about him during those days…
The repentance of not meeting him in Jan will remain anchored in my heart, nonetheless!!
I never liked him; when we used to meet almost everyday! Discussing him has always been a favorite pass time for all of us. But during the end of first year, we the gals of CSRD 2005-07 batch thanked him like hell coz he threw us out from the “ancient stable shape” hostel! And we got the chance to breathe in Ahmednagar for the first time. His penalty for our protest before NAC committee showed up as the biggest bonus that any gal form CSRD could ever imagine!!
Let me introduce him….
Well, I am talking about Sudhir Sharma-the celebrated principal of Center for Studies of Rural Development, Ahmednagar….the man behind my admission in the college and for that I never got tired of cursing him during my days of CSRD!!
Marks bonanza…..
But he loved me or pretended to be so, as we knew that he was a genuine diplomat with perfect sense of bureaucracy. However, I never loved him, but given him the due respect or pretended to give so. But honestly, enjoyed the attention he used to pay towards me. I can still remember the day when I went to know the internal marks of Communication paper he taught: I peeped into his mighty office and merely said a word… ‘Marks’…
he smiled and replied 18!!
[18 out of 20 was a sheer miracle if consider the quality of my paper. I was smart enough to understand that ‘a preference’ is being bestowed upon me by him…..]
“Why Kafka?”
Then we left college. I can remember my last day of Ahmednagar. Me and my roomie Verna broke all possible rules and attempted every illicit to celebrate the last day and in the process I forget to say a good bye to the mighty principal. I can only remember that he was very busy with his new favorite student, (who happens to be my once upon a time best friend) and CNI delegates ……..I did not feel like bothering him either. So I really can’t remember our last meeting. But surely the first….the PI time of the admission process, when to my surprise he actually took interest in my favorite author Franz Kafka!!
The tech connection…….
Coming back to Kolkata, he was the only one from Ahmednagar faculty with whom I spoke. Be it Christmas wishing or confirmation of my University Topper Status, his was the only number I could dial. Surprisingly I never made a single communication attempt with any of my favorite faculties. I kind of used to avoid Nagar, but Sharma was an exception. So connection established through gmail. And we got in touch with each other. The once disliked principal became a reliable information source of CSRD and Pune University.
Going Pune……
January 1st week I visited Pune for that Gold Medal ceremony. Before that we exchanged thousand mails and planned my trip to Nagar. Then I did not go. Actually I could not. But I could have let him know that. (Alas!!) Came back with the medal, a month or so passed, but I never wrote him (I wish I would). Intended for thousand times, but then it never happened, partly due to my laziness and partly for some unknown reason. And then he is gone. Forever.
sharma.sudhir@gmail.com ……………
Dead person’s mail in the inbox was a kind of new experience. There’s lot still there afresh filled with information, warm exchanges….. and the last one contains the news of his Heart Attack, a sent to all sort behalf of his family!!!
Wish I could write a mail to sharma.sudhir@gmail.com once again, feel like sending a ping to that Sudhir Sharma available status at late nite ….feel like sending that photo, me taking medal from chancellor…..dial that number once again and say sorry that I could not make it this time, but will do surely for June…………….
Wish he is still there sitting in that office……..
Epilogue……….
The other day I went to Shantineketan for PhD entrance exam. I was the only outsider among thousand internal candidates. When all were busy in cramming up the formula of Central tendency and Chi square, the HOD came out and got engaged in the pet conversation with the ex students…pretty ordinary scene but some how I felt so damn left out and...
the college I never owned by heart, the principal for whom I possess no love ever, cling my heart….. for the first time in my life I missed CSRD……… I missed my campus…… I missed Sharma sir.
Well I can always get back to CSRD, I can always loiter in that campus…..but if only I could meet Sharma sir once again……………
And today while doing this write up, I feel like crying for him for the first time…..
I think, I have no other way to pay respect to him but to confess what I used to feel about him during those days…
The repentance of not meeting him in Jan will remain anchored in my heart, nonetheless!!
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