INSOMNIAC @ ISB

(A re-rendition of INSOMNIAC)

I look out the rooftop, much like an HBS protagonist,

to view a chequered board of black and white.

A disarrayed bunch of knights and pawns, pausing their 'game'

for a convivial evening together in the moonlight.

I see majestic structures of sandstone all around,

dotted with guiding lights and welcoming doors. 

Separated by elegant green-yellow tree canopies,

which shadow cohabitant peacocks, snakes and boars.

I hear the faint strumming of an acoustic guitar,

punctuated with the sound of laughter and applause.

And the gentle whisper of the wind singing along,

as it slips through the atrium's deftly pillared jaws.

I smell the scent of tulips in the cool midnight breeze
transmitting the energy of a hundred high-spirited friends.
The aroma of chocolate and vanilla adorning birthday cakes
crafted beautifully to celebrate prevailing campus trends.

I have indeed been robbed this time, for I now have no sleep.
Even as this last fateful night draws to a hurried close.
As the robbers flee from sight, I realize - they are none other
than the crimson sky, the flowing lawns and the lovely ISB folk.

~Arnav

REMINISCENCE

The crowd erupted in unison as Dhoni heaved his bat ferociously in his trademark helicopter-style, the bowler ducking for dear life. The poor Sri Lankan captain could only watch in vain as the ball disappeared into the stands, never to come back in play again. India had won the World Cup 2011, and I had been witness to a defining moment in world cricket history. A huge uproar resonated through the corridors of Ganga Bhawan; my own celebrations lost in the din of the numerous cricket-crazy rooters who had been cheering Team India right through the tournament. People all around me were dancing, clapping, brimming with pride and the joy of victory. Amidst all the jubilation, a complete stranger emerged from the congregation, greeting me with "Jeet gaye !" and locked me into a brief although firm embrace. It was then that I suddenly realized I can start counting my days at Roorkee, and how much I am going to miss this place after my purpose here is complete.

Hardly a few days have passed since I bid adieu to dear Alma Mater, yet each fleeting minute instills a fresh memory of the past four years. It seems as if all of it happened only yesterday as I tread nostalgically down memory lane.

The day I had been dreading had arrived. I stepped reluctantly into the cab that would take me to Delhi, from where IITR and I would part ways. The engine roared, and I waved goodbye to Pinky and his battalion stationed outside Cautley Bhawan, waving back at me. When I could no longer see them, I reclined against the soft cushion of the backseat and looked back at the years I had left behind. A succession of images flashed through my mind to merge into a kaleidoscope of my fondest memories of the four Golden years that constitute my life at Roorkee.


One

1. I was guarding my side of the room when Abhas entered, examining his roommate for the next one year and greeting me with a smile.
2. The freshers party had us swaying to the music, dancing to funky bollywood numbers for over two hours, with no sentience of time. It's surprising so many people wear moustaches in that picture - PJ, Chatter, Shirish, Pandu, Prateek, Mitwa, Doga and everybody else.
3. The Institute Cricket League, or ICL, inspired from the sport's latest Twenty20 avatar and the associated moolah, was catching up fast with the IITR junta. We had entered the tournament expecting nothing less than the trophy, and had emerged runners-up, owing to a laudable contribution from the Meta supporters jeering and howling insults at opponents, causing them to lose their focus and a piece of their minds.
4. The journey back from Crystal world. The first (and probably the last) time I have demanded a lift from an inter-state goods carrier with all kinds of fancy labels adorning its tough metallic frame.
5. Room no. G-75, RJB - the wing's bakar room, tutorial printing press, first-aid center and general store. Abhas and I trying to create more room to accommodate half of the meta batch inside.
6. Strikey. Pinky feeding the poor pup little crumbs of bread along with cookies mom had made for me with so much affection.
7. The NCC camp.

Two

8. A notice on my door ending with 'Issued in public interest. :)'
9. Midnight Football.
10. Sunsigns. I've never hated them so much. Working for a startup for the first time.
11. The phone call informing me I was now a part of IEEE. A 'geek'.
12. Thomso 2008 - the Karaoke misadventure. My first attempt at singing in public, of course, failing miserably.
13. Gandhi's tutorial class, MT-1 batch. A raging debate on the Economic turmoil shrouding world economy, and the United States' credit policy responsible for the crisis. Yet another assignment evaded.
14. Rafting in the Ganga for the first time. An adrenaline rush. Lying in coarse sands along the riverside, drenched in the Gangajal.

Three

15. The long wait outside the interview room in the placement complex, for our first company interview at IITR (Tata Steel).
16. Cognizance 2010. Sitting in the Cogni office as Chief Editor, writing for 'Souvenir'.
17. Bakar in the dark during power cuts - a regular occurrence before every mid term and end term.
18. The train to Chandigarh. Slipping by the examiner at Chandigarh station, unnoticed. Kondy emerging from the exit gate, grinning through his craggy teeth.
19. Communication skills class. Garvit trying hard to control himself from laughing as he speaks while Mahajan and company make funny gestures from the last bench.
20. Dhawal with his newfound talent in PJs.
21. A gang of counter-strike enthusiasts donning headphones huddled up in front of their laptops in Rajesh's room at midnight, with the Midsems commencing in a few hours.

Four

22. My first suit-up moment with Prateek and his camera, and the problem with the background (Mukul sir's door inscription in perfect disharmony with the attire).
23. Bhuppi's antics and the ensuing laughter.
24. Sandeep Kumar and Anunaya arguing, the topics - dowry, higher education abroad, corruption in government undertakings, and the common man. I always hoped they settled on a consensus sooner.
25. ZS's final interview, sketching a graph for the most random function ever, Jude keeping an eye over the lines appearing on the piece of paper pinned to the desk in front of him.
26. The Nainital trip - lovely montains, lush green fields, boating, watching the sun rising from a valley, Ranikhet's winding roads, hat(s).
27. Working in the prized Thermomechanical Simulator Lab with Shaibba, doing the most meaningful study and research I have engaged in till date.
28. Checking the grade against my name on the B.Tech Projects gradelist repeatedly to confirm if my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. Best Bachelor's Project award.
29. Geek Gazette farewell. Dracula, Green Goblin, Joker, Bin Laden and various other supervillains huddled up as the stars of the occasion. The entire team wishing me farewell by scribbling lines on my t-shirt to express their goodwill.


A loud bellowing of the horn brought me back to my senses, just as I reached the Security post. When the Tata Indigo exited the institute's main gate, it felt as if something was tugging at me to stay behind, for the track playing on the stereo abruptly changed to

"Dill tod ke na jaa
Muh mod ke na jaa...."

BEGINNINGS TO NO END

Nazira, 1998:
A young boy of standard five was escorted by the school peon to an empty classroom. He was perhaps the only student permitted the luxury of spending the morning assembly session in the comfort of a vacant bench right under the ceiling fan, while his would-be classmates were standing in the scorching sun listening to another of the Principal's soporific speeches. Of course, this arrangement would only last for a day and from tomorrow he would become one amongst them - ordinary schoolchildren bound to obey the regulations of the school, puppets in the hands of the institution's administrative machinery. But soon he'd realize this wasn't too high a price for what he was about to be blessed with - friends for life ! He placed his heavy bag next to another one on the front desk near the door and waited. It wasn't long before an army of audacious midgets stormed the room - wrestling, chatting animatedly, eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief. A bunch of girls were giggling at me; apparently I had occupied their desk, or maybe I looked lackadaisical and dreamy - I dared not asked them why. The midgets burst into a furore of laughter. Before I could pull myself together, I was greeted by one of the harbingers of the commotion : "Hi new boy! They'd really mind if you don't move to some other desk. You can share my bench if you'd like to. What's your name?" And hence was the beginning of a new bond, a new friend, to be followed by several such bondings in quick succession, of which some would last for a long time to come.

Vadodara, 2001
I hated it when Dad was transferred to a different place. It took so much time to acclimatize, to unpack; I had to start all over again. The most difficult part was to get aquainted with complete strangers. Three years had passed since the young boy of 10 had gone through this ritual for the last time. Another new school. More new faces to read. But this time he was prepared, for he was now wiser, experienced in faking countenances. This time there was no eluding the morning assembly, no unfair privileges, no bizarre antics. I had already made friends with my classmates outside the school premises before it reopened after the summer vacations, so I was just an unrecognised somebody in a nonchalant crowd. Gradually, through my camaraderie(:D),I could garner the patronage, allegiance and friendship of several new 'allies', who stood by my side in every deed worthy of appraisal, each instance of bunking, acts of innocent mischief, or helping me with befuddling assignments, or sometimes thwarting a techer's best laid out plans to infiltrate the brotherhood we had unconsciously created over the years. Rahu, Bunny, Matey, Chobey, Bhaisi, Babba, Pappo, Chimi, Garvit, Arumai and Abhiram were some of the other unknowing members of this brotherhood, who would do their best never to let it down. Unnecessary to mention, they never did. When I left school, I was amazed at how a reserved, shy, down-to-earth person could have gained the company of so many comrades. The numbers, no wonder, have kept growing.

Roorkee has been second to home. It seems three years have whizzed by at a rapid pace. From the days at RJB to the present times at Cautley, there hardly has been time to conceive the slow, subtle changes, that have accumulated over time to result in bigger transformations that today seem so obvious to the eye, but are difficult to comprehend otherwise. However, one asset, needless to specify, has withstood the test of time, and perhaps, will continue to, for the next few decades. Wherever my fortunes might drive me to, I guess I'd always recall your hilarious capers and pranks whenever I feel out of sorts. And also this energetic phrase from first year : "Meta Rocks !".


Thank you so much for being a part of my life, which wouldn't have been as awesome without you folks. And take pride in that you have me too. ;)
Wish you all a HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY !