29th October!! TODAY...7 years! Thats one third of our lives!! 7 long n beautiful years have passed since I arguably took the most memorable journey of my life...
7 years down d line, today i m making n attempt to relive some f those memorable moments i spent wd my friends. It certainly was a rare journey, 200 people rarely travel in a group together. Well its a huge number, n now several years later, when i look back at the precision with which d planning n execution f d trip was done, I cant help but marvel at the commitment and skills of the teachers who did it.
They gained nothing out of it, they just did it for d love of it, for d pleasure of their students. Over d years i spent in college I was a member to various committees and unions, of a couple of which i was the also head. It was then I realised dat planning an event is a mammoth task, and to implement it is herculean. Ultimately d event will turn out good, ones actual skills as a leader are tested in d smoothness with which he ensures the preparations until d final show.
It seems unbelievable to me after my own experiences when i now think of how meticulous our teachers were in planning everything. N things were planned with military accuracy! Their quality is exhibited not in their success in completing d excursion, they wud have done it anyhow. There quality is exhibited in d smoothness n clarity they ensured in d process- right from organising 168 students in groups, assigning each group a teacher, arranging all students in sequence @ railway stations, ensuring that 5 buses were ready whenever the group moved out, forming a safe human chain around students on the beach, timely and sufficient arrangement of food for 6 continuous days irrespective of train, terrain, hotel etc, ensuring d safety f so many restless kids, preparedness for any medical situation!! No deadline was missed, no goof up occured..Uff, its an endless list.
We all have now experienced college. No teacher in college takes so many issues on their shoulder. I have been a part of many discussions with my batch mates.
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| "If somewhere there is heaven on earth, its here! Its here! Its here"said Shahjahan about Kashmir!! I havent been there, so this is my version of heaven on earth!!! |
- “What makes us come back to school every evening, every vacation”. The answer is dat v don’t do something majestic, v simply follow a precedent that has been set for us. The precedent has been set by an invaluable set of events that defined our existence in d long run. Our teachers took so much trouble for us because they thought school was their ‘home’, students were their ‘own’. Its d feeling of wanting to be @ ‘home’, wanting to be ‘owned’ dat takes us back to that beautiful place called SXS every tym!!
Coming back to the excursion, I have faint memories of the 1st time it was announced that we will go to Vizag on this trip. We were sitting in the high school demo room, just before d summer vacations. I think it was a joint geography class.
Over d course of the next 3 months, I remember paying Rs. 750 in 4 installments towards the excursion fee. There were also a couple of parents teachers meetings. They never do it in colleges. If ur parents allow, ur welcome, if not, u better stay back!! In school, d teachers made a genuine attempt at convincing every individual parent.
- A significant incident I remember was d division of groups just before d excursion. I vividly remember being very happy when I first saw my group members on d list displayed on the notice board. There were a host of good looking girls in my group- Sritama Das, Sanjukta, Chinki n of course my all time favourite-Tonima!! The boys list did spoil d happiness a little-Rohan, Sharad, Shadab... But I was more than happy because of the female population! Of course, d teacher of our group-“The Chandrima Ray”... No further comments on dat one...
From d time we assembled in school on 29th October, 2003, the train journey to the time we checked into the hotel, I again seem to be at a loss of distinct memories. Still I remember a few hazy things.
- I remember Shivapriya crying at d time of leaving her mother. We were all standing on d queue waiting for the train on the station. That day we had got our lunches from home n v all shared it! Anjan sir was doing constant rounds n everytime he came, he wud end up shouting at someone. I remember Pritthish having a particularly bad day. The train journey mostly comprised of cards, antakshari, dumbcherades, singing and enjoying! The next morning in train, there was palpable excitement. Rajeev Ranjan (hope he is doing great) went to d toilet n started shitting without properly bolting d door! The rest as they say is history, here it was created by CHINKI. She opened d door, saw a happily shitting Rajeev, gave a large scream n came back! Poor things..
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| Our abode for 3 days!! A rather comfortable place |
Hotel Simhagiri was rather comfortable, we were put up in groups of three. I was sharing with Sharad n Rohan!
- It was in this room that I did something i m not very proud of, but in retrospective, it has taught me a few lessons in life. In a fit of adventure, one night I and Rohan bolted the door from inside and pinned down poor Sharad to the ground, pulling off his pants n underwear! He was so timid and shy then, n he dint utter a word to our torture.. At night, he used 2 sleep with d nightbulb switched on because he was afraid of the dark! That was such a long time ago. The lesson is how time changes; that time n tide wait for none! 7 years later, d same Sharad went on to become an Air-Force Pilot, the 1st and only Class 1 government officer of our batch till now. The shyness and timidity has evolved into sheer confidence and authority. What a quantum leap!!! Go Sharad, achieve bigger milestones!! Proud of u for lyf, bro...
30th October
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| A semi top view of a repair process in the shipyard |
That evening, we all went to the naval shipyard. It was huge, although we did not see any huge ship. More than a pleasure trip, it was a messy affair. We were supposed to deposit all our cameras and supposed to undergo rigorous security checks. The shipyard was really huge but there was nothing to see. All through the walk, we were mostly chatting.
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| A bird's eye view of the serene RK Beach |
The highlight of the day was the pleasant evening we all spent on the RK beach. That image of Father Geoff singing ‘Bambai se aya mera dost’ and dancing is so fresh in my mind!! I think we sat down n had coffee as well on the beach.
31st October
The next morning we went to Borra caves! I distinctly remember the journey, it was risky! We were asked time and again to maintain silence in the bus so that the driver's concentration is not broken. Wat a pathetic reason! The cave was very dark, n the stalactites or stalacmites or watever they were called were also numerous!
Post the cave Darshan, there was a great photosession. Lunch was served on the top itself! I remember, it was some light gravy chilly chicken n fried rice.
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| The Borra Caves in its dark glory! A sight to remember |
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| The official tourism Deptt. Board outside the mighty Borra Caves! |
Post the cave Darshan, there was a great photosession. Lunch was served on the top itself! I remember, it was some light gravy chilly chicken n fried rice.
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| The scenic Ananthagiri hills on which we undertook d risky road journey |
- During d bus journey, every 30 mins Chandrima miss would shout “Aye Khokon!!” Khokhan Giri, who was sitting a couple of rows ahead woul answer back “Bahlo ache, didi!!” The journey was so risky, Khokhan ki sari raaste fati padi thi!! Khokhan was a piece, he had slapped me in std-9, 6 slaps!! People who went to his house for tuitions say that he used to lock up his newly wedded wife when the boys came for their class. She was not allowed in front of the boys. I don’t know d truth in the story, but it suits Khokhan!
- There is another interesting incident of how Gaurav Lodha discovered his love for Sanjukta. I am not sure if it was love or lust. Initially Sanjukta loved d attention but slowly things started getting out of control. He would keep on photographing her d entire day and give blank calls in her room at nights. It was then that Rohan stepped in with his testosterone laden anger, roughed up gaurav a bit n settled things down. But Sanjukta, I tell you. She was not done. One fine day she locked herself up in d bathroom. She was unable to open d door, neither were d girls sharing her room. Finally the hotel staff had to be called n they opened the door! And out emerged dear Sanjukta, wrapped up only in a towel!!!!! Wat a mess she was in school. I have lost the count of how many times I saw her crying. N dear soul, look at her now. She is becoming lovelier day by day! Just see her draped in a saree on her facebook profile. From towel to saree, she has travelled a long way in these 7 years! Looking lyk a woman dese days!
1st November
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| The majestic Simhachalam Mandir, a jewel of Indian history |
D next day we went to Simhachalam Mandir in d morning! Again, d distinct memory is of waiting in a long queue on the entrance of the mandir. I remember the bus stopping at the base of the hill and from there we travelled up to the mandir in the buses run by the trust. A lot of us purchased photo reels which turned out to b fake! I remember there was a newly married bald couple! It was d 1st time v saw a bald female.. We made real fun f dat poor lady!!
That evening in two batches, v visited Kailashgiri parvat n INS Kursura, d submarine museum. I remember distintly the feeling of awe dat arose both d times but of different nature. While INS kursura was this magnificent piece of science with all its hulls and torpedos, Kailashgiri had this majestic statue of Lord Shiva and Parvati!!
While photography was not allowed inside d museum, there was a huge photo session on the parvat. It was a nice evening spent there, chitchatting n relaxing. Both were amazing.
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| INS KURSURA! D pride of Indian Navy |
That evening in two batches, v visited Kailashgiri parvat n INS Kursura, d submarine museum. I remember distintly the feeling of awe dat arose both d times but of different nature. While INS kursura was this magnificent piece of science with all its hulls and torpedos, Kailashgiri had this majestic statue of Lord Shiva and Parvati!!
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| Kailash Giri parvat.. A photographer's delight |
While photography was not allowed inside d museum, there was a huge photo session on the parvat. It was a nice evening spent there, chitchatting n relaxing. Both were amazing.
2nd November
The last day was our trip to Rishikonda beach where we were supposed to bathe on the beach. D morning started with another incident. We were playing on our floor when suddenly Pankaj Ram came out f his room in a towel.
- Somebody pulled off his towel n ran away and while chasing the concerned person, a nude Pankaj Ram suddenly encountered Shivapriya, who emerged out from nowhere! Wonder wat she was doing on our floor, but she got a real view! However, none of us dared to ask her later how she felt! But m sure she must have had a gud tym n view.. Hope Shiva is doing gud, she must b in MBBS now if lyf went according 2 her plans.. M not in touch wd her for almost 4 years now. N I have no clue of Pankaj Ram either, God bless d boy..
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| Rishikonda beach was a pure manifestation of 'heart of Nature' |
We had a scintillating time at d beach n played in d water 2 our hearts content! Later, we came bak 2 d hotel, did our packing n I remember ol d guys took away d remote batteries with them for their walkmans on the return journey. 2 memorable incidents happened again while returning back. One was the stomach upset of a lot of girls in d train, they still blame madhusree miss 4 giving them some contaminated juice which resulted into that disaster. The second incident was that boys and girls were put up in separate coaches on the return journey! Guess d teachers were having a hard tym controlling horny kids, although it was restricted to pure visual pleasure in those days.. That is so harmless!
The trip ended with our arriving back at school the following day. But dat was not just d end of the trip, it was the beginning of a journey!
"If I can summarize the effects of that trip correctly, it was d first time the entire batch had bonded properly! 4 days of being together had really brought everybody closer together! It was the beginning of a lot of great n memorable things that the entire batch did together. Like crying in GT party, it was as if the entire batch had broken down... Lyk everyone assembling at Vora on dat fateful last day of school when v were ol kicked out unceremoniously! BTW, does ny1 know who kept the ‘bakra ka mundi’ there?... Lyk d farewell, lyk assembling together every vacation.. Lyk d fete.. My sister is in Std.12 now, n i barely see any bonding in their batch... Its not lyk us, it can never be!! We were simply meant to be wat v r, ‘One 4 all and all 4 one”...
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| Thank u for making this blog possible people! U take as much credit for creating it as I do... |
- In the final part of this blog post, I must thank Nishant, who gave me his diary so that I cud have more material 4 this article. I also must thank Niloy, Sritama, Sanjukta, Tonima, Akhilesh, Soumi and Ankit with whom I sat down this Durga Puja wen I was home n discussed about the trip.. You see, memory is in short supply to us, n ol d incidents mentioned here are valuable contributions from these invaluable people! Finally, let me thank ol my friends who have cared to read this big write up. If ur here, do kindly post ur comment on this blog, not for my sake but for the sake of all those beautiful people with whom u shared those wonderful 6 days of excursion. M sure they will all b here, let them know they are a beautiful part of ur life.. Love 2 ol..
Signing off
Vivek Smit
