The NIMC Times – Part 2

Just past dawn the cellular jail…
the sun stands with its heavy red head…in a black stanchion of banyan trees…
A long day in green pastures where I too spent my days grazing…
Hosting and feasting on every green moment.
But as its eleven and the darkness calls…calls to one and others reply…
With whistles by one and others on the learn…
I walk away into the Panchuri's night,
Swinging the little tin bell of my name...

So much takes place in no span; and much of it comes to you from next door. Even walls had ears and this is how it spread, in a small world where small wonders cropped. So much to chatter and gossip about, even days were short and nights long. But once each day will give rise to thoughts that’ll deter you not to be a member of the forlorn and the dejected stand, FOSLA !

And like every year, Holi taking its own stake with its brown colour, after breakfast on BBC, and then with sludge and mud enjoying the pranks at the Hard Rock and sure you would recognize them all. And then swaying to Rang de Basanti with leaf petals around over C Block to catch them watching you with envy from the Cellular Jail. What a day of relishing the home made Bhaang that had its own tang and ingredients. The day when alumni turns up unexpected and when you get the better off having them in puddles of ash and whatnot! But always when you’ve got the Josh to mix colour in the bathroom tank at a place where the water supply never goes out on a day like this!

As juniors when you had the visible moustache up with cherry blossom and when you praised seniors on others say of the pudding in mess, of a good hairstyle and why not to propose! The Independence Day march pasts and the ones of archangels with bed sheets had their own charm. Regular sessions when it never rained and when it all started after the fresher’s day. Night inspections by Dogra and his GR guys, not to mention about duty officers from Bengal area putting up in the visitor’s room. And the fall-in behind S Block that unified us rest and got Chako, Dogra and Warden to arrive at half past two in the morning. Times when post supper strolls increased when nimc gave way to the infrequent power cuts and when eyes on the walls and the bats behind the crease, when junees reported as supermen and commandos, got screwed to screw up lizards, and when parties on patrols with buckets in hand twelve at night just to catch hold of hoping frogs that’ll cost them a delightful performa. When bonfires spread uncontrolled and when NIMC had forest fires and could roll on to a barbeque at any place! Just in time to realize the log you’ve been resting upon could well be burning! Getting HIGH over your block’s high and the bathroom mischief that had its own fun. And when buddies had their own creativity in waking you up, when crackers went off from underneath your bed just to realize that you’re still down but fast in snooze! But once you were back from your leave did you realize of the fungus that had its own place of shades and smell. And that stink that came from the bathroom when anyone had been washing the clothes that got sponged to over three days! And when you made the best use of the water coolers to refrigerate the beer bottles! With time that reverts back to a time where loads of times were at your doorstep. And do just in time to make favours and get the job done, roaming around in and out just with a purpose of doing NOTHING! And only when you could stand on your feet and roll in your sleeves to pay the bill, were others shocked ‘cas hadn’t they perceived of the money that landed up in your account that very day! Not to mention when people maintained your accounts and when you redirected your credits to third parties.

Occasions when you could haul out out other block’s LAN cable just to realize the speed with so some awesome! Times when the PING was ready to acknowledge back and when pages got downloaded by Download Managers and the virus of MSM that spread like worms, when instant messaging worked like an offline service. But only to make the best use of the intranet that worked at full speeds and that gained momentum at nights. When projectors had their way to the rooms for movies to be screened on a larger aspect. The era of gaming that will go down in history as NIMC play station arenas, from Quake 3, Delta Force, NFS, the evergreen IGI and the recent talked about Counter Strike.

Talk of those exams that had their own charm. From the moment you chalked out your seating arrangement on the notice board and got to know of the venue by someone grateful to the time when you got cursed or got begged of helping someone by sitting next to you. And a glimpse of just how you could get the answers to your doorstep. Well, all you knew of having people sitting for you with loads in the library, or have them ready with an open google page in the Net Lab, and why not a quick ambush back to the block itself! Whatever suites you man, the corridor patrols were quite helpful anyways. There were times when the hon’ble external invigilator shared a quickie with the internal by pointing to someone’s chit that had fallen, or why not counter check the answers with someone sitting right diagonally opposite in the LH1, while someone got hold of a supplementary sheet not knowing who's it is? And when the question papers were exported out from the window pane and when answers reached the bathroom in no time that caught you getting there too often just to get back, heavily armed. Not to mention when someone called upon to the academic coordinator to get the invigilator changed altogether. ‘Total aatank’ in short.

But always you would realize the importance of the warden, who gave so much and always thought to grab you red-handed only if she succeeded in those tricky Hide-n-Seek. Not to mention of her sweet surprises (Mein aa gaye hun!)

From the freaky hours at the Hard Rock…To the correspondence ones at the Net Lab
In the silence of the Library…And the wee hours of the dining hall,
Still confused what to do…?
Do it in the Eden Gardens…’cas it’s a safe Spanish Harlem.
Bada Maza Aaya !!!