Most of our problems in life are not worth crying for. We were learning to laugh at our problems.
After the dinner we all went to sleep. Lying on my bed, I recalled my loved ones and fell asleep.
In the morning, Batuk came to wake me up with a cup of tea.
"Good morning dude! This is a lovely morning."
I woke up slowly, greeted him and opened the window. A beautiful cool breeze had caressed my face like the way a mother does when she wakes up her child. The pearly sun rays had escaped through the flame tree and fell upon the tiny dew-drops on the blades of grass, making them shine. The gentle chirping of birds & the soft earthy smell of air had mesmerized the whole universe. I smiled and looked up in the sky. It is truly a beautiful morning, I thought. I was filled with joy and for a moment everything else were redundant to me.
Meanwhile, Utpal came in and asked us if we wanted to meet the new guys who had just arrived.
'That's great! Let's go!' Batuk cried with excitement.
They were Three: Baldev, Kanu & Jahnu.
Baldev was a small town boy, tall, heavily built & a little unpolished.
Kanu & Jahnu were brothers who were from a small town like ours. However, they were also from the same Sainik School from where Nuraz did his schooling.
Later on that day there were twelve more freshers who joined us in our hostel. We were all very different from each other. We had different faces, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, values & traditions. With this diversity, we were to figure out how to live through in this new world of ours. There was one thing that was common, we all hated this place.
A senior called up a meeting to tell us the rules that we must follow during our stay in the hostel and some additional rules that we have to follow during the first two months which they referred as induction period. Utpal noted down the rules for the induction period in chronological order:
After the senior left, we all tried to mingle with each other. It was easy for us to build our friendship as we were trying to find a friend in each other instead of seeking one. As Hermann Hesse rightly quoted in his book:
"When someone seeks,then it easily happens that his eyes see only the thing that he seeks, and he is able to find nothing, to take in nothing because he always thinks only about the thing he is seeking, because he has one goal, because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal."
Nuraz told Utpal to readout the rules to all of us again.
Utpal read it out loud:
'Wake up at 5 AM everyday.
Go for jogging and come back only by 6 AM (all together).
Get Fresh and Get Ready.
Wear formal clothes: full shirt, full pants & shoes.
Have breakfast at 7 AM (all together).
Go to your classes at 7:15 AM (all together).
Come back for lunch at 1 PM and go back at 1:30 PM.
'It's a long list,' Utpal sighed. 'Moreover, Do anybody understand what this daily meeting is? two and half hour meeting doesn't sound nice.'
Nobody knew what was that for and nobody seemed to have cared less. We were all excited & hopeful. That's the power of unity, it brings hope.
We were also excited about the next days classes. We were eagerly waiting to meet more freshers like us from other hostels, especially waiting for the freshers from hostel IX, a beautiful hostel in the bank of our college lake, meant for girls.
We all started sharing our stories, talking to each other, listening to each other and laughing with each other. I introduced myself to Baldev who was looking at everyone else. In very less time he started revealing his fear to me. He was feeling very nervous to talk to anyone as he knew that he was little unpolished. He said that as he was from a very small place, he doesn't know many things.
'Do you want to help me learn and improve myself ? I'll be a good friend to you,' Baldev asked in a little harsh manner.
By now, I understood that he meant 'If I could help him?' & that 'he finds a good friend in me'. I was amazed by his simplicity. He was unpolished but he was a gem of a person.
Even I am from a small place and I didn't know many things. But, I could never tell it to anyone, I thought.
I enjoyed our conversations. In some context, he was sharing the best moments of his life to all of us:
'It was during the Durga Puja time,' Baldev said and his face became brighter as he continued:
'I along with another friend went to our neighbors place and they offered us the very tasty "Raso Golla". We were very happy. And then we went to the next house. You won't believe, they too offered us the same - "Raso Golla" guys!', Baldev started laughing with excitement. His face was brighter than ever. His story was not as exciting to me. However, his simplicity had brought me the same joy which I had experienced in the morning. This was indeed his best moment in life, I thought. His excited face looked like a sweet "Raso Golla" to us and we named him "Golla".
Perhaps, it was a bit noisy with twenty boys inside a small room. A senior came rushing into the room and grabbed Baldev by his collar and pulled him close. Baldev was in shock. Senior asked why was it so noisy and before Baldev could speak out anything, he gave him a tight slap across his face. Baldev for some reason did smile but his eyes were all moist. Just a moment before this guy was so happy & excited thinking of the "Raso Gollas" and now he could barely stop his tears from rolling down on his chubby chicks, I thought. When we try to smile instead of crying, our hearts become heavier by thinking of our own bravery. Our lips begin to tremble then and tears roll down. We end up crying like a child who had been scolded in front of a class.
We all consoled him and applauded his bravery. He alone had to take it on every-ones behalf. As it was noisy, we decided to go back to our rooms quickly. However, some of us were yet to get their rooms allotted. We had to share our rooms with them. Batuk decided to stay with me & gave his room to someone.
At night while we prepared to sleep, Batuk sighed and said he got lucky this time. I wondered and asked: Why? What happened?
'Nuraz gave his room to the Sainik brothers and he wanted to come to my room.' Batuk said with a smile.
'So what? What is there to get lucky?'
'Oh! He is from a Sainik School. Don't you know what that means? They are all boys there. I have heard many stories in the past. Let me warn, do not ever bend down to pick up anything from the floor when they are around. That might be a trap, you never know.'
'Oh! You mean they might...'
'Yes, please sleep now. We have a long day tomorrow,'
Batuk had just implanted a doubt in my mind. I couldn't just lie down and sleep. I had questions on how a school can change the instinct of a man? We can change our habits. But, Instincts are God's creation. We are nobody to judge instincts, I thought. But, I was still curious.
Batuk! Batuk!!
He was already asleep.
to be continued...
After the dinner we all went to sleep. Lying on my bed, I recalled my loved ones and fell asleep.
In the morning, Batuk came to wake me up with a cup of tea.
"Good morning dude! This is a lovely morning."
I woke up slowly, greeted him and opened the window. A beautiful cool breeze had caressed my face like the way a mother does when she wakes up her child. The pearly sun rays had escaped through the flame tree and fell upon the tiny dew-drops on the blades of grass, making them shine. The gentle chirping of birds & the soft earthy smell of air had mesmerized the whole universe. I smiled and looked up in the sky. It is truly a beautiful morning, I thought. I was filled with joy and for a moment everything else were redundant to me.
Meanwhile, Utpal came in and asked us if we wanted to meet the new guys who had just arrived.
'That's great! Let's go!' Batuk cried with excitement.
They were Three: Baldev, Kanu & Jahnu.
Baldev was a small town boy, tall, heavily built & a little unpolished.
Kanu & Jahnu were brothers who were from a small town like ours. However, they were also from the same Sainik School from where Nuraz did his schooling.
Later on that day there were twelve more freshers who joined us in our hostel. We were all very different from each other. We had different faces, attitudes, behaviors, beliefs, values & traditions. With this diversity, we were to figure out how to live through in this new world of ours. There was one thing that was common, we all hated this place.
A senior called up a meeting to tell us the rules that we must follow during our stay in the hostel and some additional rules that we have to follow during the first two months which they referred as induction period. Utpal noted down the rules for the induction period in chronological order:
After the senior left, we all tried to mingle with each other. It was easy for us to build our friendship as we were trying to find a friend in each other instead of seeking one. As Hermann Hesse rightly quoted in his book:
"When someone seeks,then it easily happens that his eyes see only the thing that he seeks, and he is able to find nothing, to take in nothing because he always thinks only about the thing he is seeking, because he has one goal, because he is obsessed with his goal. Seeking means: having a goal. But finding means: being free, being open, having no goal."
Nuraz told Utpal to readout the rules to all of us again.
Utpal read it out loud:
'Wake up at 5 AM everyday.
Go for jogging and come back only by 6 AM (all together).
Get Fresh and Get Ready.
Wear formal clothes: full shirt, full pants & shoes.
Have breakfast at 7 AM (all together).
Go to your classes at 7:15 AM (all together).
Come back for lunch at 1 PM and go back at 1:30 PM.
Come back to hostel immediately after classes are over and give attendance.
Till 9 PM you'll be assigned different tasks by seniors. Finish it and come for dinner at 9 PM
Daily Meeting at 9:30 PM till 12 AM .
You'll go back at 12 AM. But, you still have to be in full shirt & full pants.
Wake up at 5 AM next morning & repeat the schedule till next 2 months.'
'It's a long list,' Utpal sighed. 'Moreover, Do anybody understand what this daily meeting is? two and half hour meeting doesn't sound nice.'
Nobody knew what was that for and nobody seemed to have cared less. We were all excited & hopeful. That's the power of unity, it brings hope.
We were also excited about the next days classes. We were eagerly waiting to meet more freshers like us from other hostels, especially waiting for the freshers from hostel IX, a beautiful hostel in the bank of our college lake, meant for girls.
We all started sharing our stories, talking to each other, listening to each other and laughing with each other. I introduced myself to Baldev who was looking at everyone else. In very less time he started revealing his fear to me. He was feeling very nervous to talk to anyone as he knew that he was little unpolished. He said that as he was from a very small place, he doesn't know many things.
'Do you want to help me learn and improve myself ? I'll be a good friend to you,' Baldev asked in a little harsh manner.
By now, I understood that he meant 'If I could help him?' & that 'he finds a good friend in me'. I was amazed by his simplicity. He was unpolished but he was a gem of a person.
Even I am from a small place and I didn't know many things. But, I could never tell it to anyone, I thought.
I enjoyed our conversations. In some context, he was sharing the best moments of his life to all of us:
'It was during the Durga Puja time,' Baldev said and his face became brighter as he continued:
'I along with another friend went to our neighbors place and they offered us the very tasty "Raso Golla". We were very happy. And then we went to the next house. You won't believe, they too offered us the same - "Raso Golla" guys!', Baldev started laughing with excitement. His face was brighter than ever. His story was not as exciting to me. However, his simplicity had brought me the same joy which I had experienced in the morning. This was indeed his best moment in life, I thought. His excited face looked like a sweet "Raso Golla" to us and we named him "Golla".
Perhaps, it was a bit noisy with twenty boys inside a small room. A senior came rushing into the room and grabbed Baldev by his collar and pulled him close. Baldev was in shock. Senior asked why was it so noisy and before Baldev could speak out anything, he gave him a tight slap across his face. Baldev for some reason did smile but his eyes were all moist. Just a moment before this guy was so happy & excited thinking of the "Raso Gollas" and now he could barely stop his tears from rolling down on his chubby chicks, I thought. When we try to smile instead of crying, our hearts become heavier by thinking of our own bravery. Our lips begin to tremble then and tears roll down. We end up crying like a child who had been scolded in front of a class.
We all consoled him and applauded his bravery. He alone had to take it on every-ones behalf. As it was noisy, we decided to go back to our rooms quickly. However, some of us were yet to get their rooms allotted. We had to share our rooms with them. Batuk decided to stay with me & gave his room to someone.
At night while we prepared to sleep, Batuk sighed and said he got lucky this time. I wondered and asked: Why? What happened?
'Nuraz gave his room to the Sainik brothers and he wanted to come to my room.' Batuk said with a smile.
'So what? What is there to get lucky?'
'Oh! He is from a Sainik School. Don't you know what that means? They are all boys there. I have heard many stories in the past. Let me warn, do not ever bend down to pick up anything from the floor when they are around. That might be a trap, you never know.'
'Oh! You mean they might...'
'Yes, please sleep now. We have a long day tomorrow,'
Batuk had just implanted a doubt in my mind. I couldn't just lie down and sleep. I had questions on how a school can change the instinct of a man? We can change our habits. But, Instincts are God's creation. We are nobody to judge instincts, I thought. But, I was still curious.
Batuk! Batuk!!
He was already asleep.
to be continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment