Memory is like the magical wand. Over time, it fizzles like dust flying out of thin air and nicely hidden in the misty cloud. We try to live closer to reality yet the good times struck us like pricking sensation on the skin every now and then. In our quest for everything wonderful to repeat itself pretty much like the time that wheezed away, we lose and strive, at the same time, to discover our real selves. After all, where has the hay days gone? It feels like yesterday only.
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Picture credit: Awanija Sharma.
The days of glory with Professor Joseph Lobo, Pravesh Jung Sir and students of Fergusson College, our batch at the Katta. |
Today, a classmate and a very wonderful girl Awanija (Thurday) tagged me in pictures of college days with our most favorite Professor Lobo Sir, dressed in his trademark sleeveless blue denim cardigan along with Jung Sir, who shared a laugh as they stood at the college Katta during some fest going. Yes! Fergusson College is a famous for putting the desk at the Main Circle or Katta where volunteers sat and did stuff. There were students standing and sitting, laughing together and it kindled decade old memories like a flash point. Truly, a Kodak moment in an age where phone camera were not tucked in every tiny pocket. It's been a decade when we left our alma mater Fergusson College, the place that gave us priceless memories. These were the best days of life where we stood face-to-face with our destiny. It was the best thing that ever happened to us.
Why do we hold on so much to a time that elapsed where everything neared perfection? Honestly, it feels like yesterday only where nothing on earth could ever go wrong. The pictures sent a floodgate of good moments spent together, making me emotional and drop of tears spurted on the cheek. I mean, it's so vivid and lively, traveling to the past that I adored. At times, I feel whether such things really happened to me or I just woke up from three years old slumber, imagining some random and perfect college days. I can't help getting the jittery sensation of being out of sync with reality that is too much for the brain to take. Flashback! Reality! Flashback. Again Reality!! It sends shock waves that travel faster than the light to the grey cell, a tale of two worlds alien to each, and being stuck like glue together. Quite a herculean task! Trust me on that. It seems like a thriller potboiler that connects the dot in one's life.
There were special days when we would storm our way in college, pretending to be early birds which we were not, by the way. Wallstreet or Oorja were our college fests. Superhits!!! On a normal day, an invisible ghost would be a better student than us, attending the first lecture of the day as early as 7 a.m but we were not. Of course, college fests were an exception to the rule.
Once I attended my Sociology lecture after ages during the first week in January 2005 when Vishal Sir, my namesake, greeted me, 'What a pleasant surprise. Vishal in class. New Year resolution.' We spent our time, not in lecture halls but Savera, the now defunct restaurant just opposite college, the hang out spot of Fergussonians. It was the best of time. Ha! How can I forget the only lectures I would attend were those of Bhalerao Ma'am Economics lecture and Lobo Sir's Philosophy. Yes! Lobo Sir's class was curry for the soul, discussing at length about ethics, marriage, euthanasia, friendship, freedom, sexuality and religion, just a few things my silly mind is able to recollect.
It feels like a moment of a lifetime shimmering in all its forms and magnificent glory in the box called brain. Think about it, frolicking throughout the year, skipping lectures to laugh in our favorite hang out, watching movies, college festival and freaking out three months before exams. We had a date set with Xerox wale bhaiya, borrowing notes from our diligent friends and hopping across the road to get things done. What a treasure trove of memory carved in Pune! It was pure bliss and selfless love. We lived life King Size, took things for granted, be it our friends, college, and life itself. Pure and simple souls we were and yet to explore the vagaries of a ruthless or bad world. It wouldn't be wrong to say that we were shielded from nastiness. Friendship was and is still very pure to our eyes. Yes! I was immature and getting worked out over petty squabbles.
The college years defined and gave us an identity which still mirror our reality as human beings. This memory gave us a reason to smile, cheer, laugh and cry as we harked back to the past where we studied together in group, shared notes and discussed exam timings over SMS. It was a beautifully simple world where Facebook never existed nor did WhatsApp! Social networking meant meeting everyone in person and no plan was made, but landed straight to Savera or college.
There are moments that we can never dissociate ourselves from. It's called memories that would bear such an impact on our growing years, seeking the small pleasure of life in all its hues and forms. No word can describe that era where every moment of life was relished unlike the fake and mechanical glory of sharing every possible shot on Facebook or Instagram.
Innocent crushes, there were many. The sheer excitement of falling for someone and drooling over her, adorned our college lives like the honey drop. Some of them became super awesome and loyal friends who stood with us through thick and thin. We made so many good friends, who shouted at us for being such assholes or idiots, bore the brunt of our anger and laughed at our stupidity. The times spent were priceless and blessing falling from sky.
It would be quite a task to revive a dollop of goodness and perhaps, a memorabilia won't suffice to recollect the awesomeness flung at us by life. We laughed and cried the loudest, indulged in immature antics and behaved at our stupidest best. Our personality and emotions came alive and college days made us who we are today.
I can't believe it's been 10 years since college life ended. Somebody, please give me back those days of flawlessness. Everything was painted white and not black. I still remember sitting with Aditi who taught us Philosophy and me & Neraj fighting or my coffee breaks. Aditi was laughing at how her students keep fighting or exited her class to make coffee in the kitchen, every now and then.
Or, the stupid Environmental Studies lecture we gotta attend on Sundays and how much we whined about it. Yet, we had no choice to be able to get our SYBA mark sheet. Facepalm! Winking!! It's another story that some of us faked our friends' attendance by writing down their roll numbers at the end of the lecture since they were too busy sleeping after Saturday night parties. And, the project to had to be submitted on Monday. It was a Saturday. I chilled as if the project was some game played by our college and the filmy buff in me chose to watch Filmfare Awards instead when Adi and Neraj came down on my neck urging me to copy someone's neatly designed project with quotes cum pictures. I recall Neraj visiting us and told me, 'You are too chilled out.' Finally, someone submitted for me on Monday when I was busy somewhere, doing what I don't know!! Thanks for such friends who corrected my project which was a total mess and made it appear presentable.
Stealing happiness;
We made life happen;
Memories were just a name;
We opened our palms to grab stars;
It shall remain etched forever;
in our nerves;
Soulful experience that didn't leave us and never will.
Stream of tears,
longing for moments to reappear.
You know what's magic?
Once it happens, it will probably never repeat again
Bringing a smile to faces and gently stroking the heart.
It's such fragrance in our lives that never let me give up on anything, no matter how tough and rough things can be. Memories of our college days echo happiness in all its forms and the joy or insanity cannot be described in Shakespearian terminology. There are so many emotions flowing right now to describe the re-kindling of feelings, sorely missing those college days, friendship and happiness that cannot be traded for anything else. A time in life where race, class, creed, color or class didn't or will probably never matter. Grateful to what life has offered!
Postscript: The post was prompted by Awanija tagging me and a couple of other friends-cum-classmates or comment by Avneet on our famous Xerox trip.
With Love
V
