Chapatis & Dal.
She asks "mishti nibi?".
"Na ma,nebo na", I say, thinking that I gotta resist devouring desserts indiscriminately if I wanna slim down. The JSW offer letter had arrived a few days back. 13th August, the date of joining. A certain term called "overweight" in the medical fitness clause. I saw it,and I knew what I had to do in these 3 months. After which,I would embark on a journey to the lush, green valleys of Bellary from the hot and humid Gangetic plains of Bengal, the land of ilish machh & mishti doi. Yes, the first step towards independence begins 2 days before Independence day.
Its a Sunday morning today.The 13th of May, 2012. 2 days have passed since I came back home from college. Woke up at 5.30 in the morning, went for a long walk to the Polo Ground, did some jogging,and walked back home. The lazy muscles,the shameless tummy. Pained a lot, as if to defy discipline and carry on the slumber they've been in since time immemorial. They had forgotten sports, walking & running. Stress was dead to them. Sudden comebacks do hurt them a lot. And they did. Came home, wet with sweat, panting & puffing. My feet and arms aching like hell. Had a long, soapy shower. And then came the breakfast. Alongwith it, came the thoughts. Turbulent ample streams,carrying alongwith them pebbles of emotions, gravels of memories and sands of time.
NIT Durgapur. A home, "not-so-far-away"(yes,that's only an hour) from home. For 4 eventful years. Where so many friends were made. Where so many new things-a few good and a plenty bad, were learnt. Where boys became dudes and girls became dudettes. Chemical Engineering. Yeah, heat transfer,mass transfer, reaction engineering and all that crap. The self-glorified evil professors. The painstaking & irritating assignments and sessionals. The invincible class tests and semester exams. The screwed-up grades. The pathetic indifference to fear of consequences. Yes,it brought us closer. We learned to sympathise in each other's sorrows. To rejoice & revel in each other's happiness. The shabby hostel rooms, the unmouthable mess food, Technoe(yes,that's the spelling painted over it), LH More, Jhoops, Back Canteen, the Nescafe kiosk. Yes,all these were an integral contribution to the ambience that is uniquely "nitdgp". Sure, we had City Centre just a 15 minute walk away,with malls, multiplexes & hotels catering to our urban entertainment needs. KFC, Dominos, Subway, Mainland China, Legend, Lemon Grass, Citi Residenci, Peerless Inn, Cafe Coffee Day, Baskin Robbins, Shiraz etc..a list that borders on endless and keeps on increasing progressively everyday. But for the typical college guy out on a simple hangout with his friends...food without booze is never enough. There was the infamous Hotel Super, Pathik Motel and High Octane. And yeah, who can forget the Hanuman Mandir of Gandhi More,which was the official "weed procurement territory" for us.
The Piya Milan Chowk near the ECE Department was a favourite hangout for couples at night, and an even more favourite loitering area for lone stags(read: frustrated guys) as it gave them ample ogling opportunities & food for thought and imagination (which would invariably end up as a high speed "bhajan" download on the LAN). Oh yes, the LAN. The all powerful messiah with its seemingly inexhaustible and ever expanding collection of, well, everything digital we might possibly need or crave for, which was so essential to help us through "tough times"(read:boring times). And the festive atmosphere. Yes, fests galore. Starting off with Verve, it went through Motor Zundung, Mukti, Chayanika, Ank, Aarohan and finally ended with the bang of Recstacy. Add to that the plethora of events organised by the various clubs of our college, and you get a fun & frolick-filled life. Saraswati Puja, the day guys & gals would visit each other's hostels in sparkling traditional attire. The day was less about asking for blessings from the goddess of learning & more about celebrating it as the Bong Valentine's Day. Days passed by. The birthday GPL sessions which were so sweetly painful. The indiscriminate leg-pulling & teasing acts. The hilarious mischief that I so loved to indulge in. The love talk and the crushes. The departmental picnics to Nehru Park and Panchet Dam. The inevitable tension before appearing for a job interview. Listening to the last minute tips of friends while looseing the tight noose(read: tie) around the neck. The dejection of not getting through. The bewildered joy of getting through. The wild, uncivilised, painful ordeal of celebration that followed. The never-before insane farewell celebration we indulged in. A longlasting, enriching experience peppered with rich toppings of everything one could hope for in college. An infusion which helped me transform from a boy into a man.
Day before yesterday. I woke up in the morning, knowing it was to be the last whole day I'd spend at college. Lazily brushed my teeth. That's when the call came. "Son, there's no bandh in Asansol today, so there's no need to wait till tomorrow. I'm sending the pickup van. He'll be there in 2 hours." Yes, 2 hours. A bolt from the blue. That's what I had left. Yes, my "last" 2 hours in college. Forever. It gripped me. Felt astounded. Finally felt what the other guys were feeling a couple of days back. It was so terrible. Slipping away from me, slipping away..can't..gotta hold on to it.. But alas,this had to happen! Regained my composure. Hurts real bad when you're suddenly told that your 4 year stay's been cut short by 24 hours. Oh God, I am gonna miss all this! I am gonna miss everything-the good & the bad,the sorrow and the happineess,the curses & the blessings. Called a few friends and let them know that I was leaving. Unwillingly,packed up and dusted my stuff. I'll be leaving this room.302, Hall 4. Leaving this college. nitdgp. Forever. Forever. It kept ringing in my ears. The blue pickup van arrived. Never dusted my room while I lived there,but picked up my broom to do the dirty deed for the first & last time. You've sheltered me for the last year of my college. I will remember you. I will remember everything. I will remember everyone.....
Love you all my dear friends,
Hope we'll meet very soon...
"Will miss you" signals my heart sends,
Oh God, thank you for this wonderful boon...
