May be it was around 8.10pm on a wet day. The rain gods were still pouring heavily. 22 guys had few moments left before they ended their 7years long journey and would disperse. It was all set to spend their last few hours of the so called ‘golden life’ on a beautiful island. They never knew destiny had different plans and that these friends would probably never meet again. They planned to spend their night in the most enjoyable way they can. This is how the next few hours went on.
It was our last day at JNV Chikmagalur. We had completed our board examinations that day. With all the absurdities on marks, CET, AIEEE and about our future, we made it possible to don a fake smile in front of our teachers. The whole campus was all busy with the talks on how the past few years were. We were given a task to fill too many slam books by our juniors as well. It was around 8.10pm we, me and my batch mates, were all sitting together to relish the rice and rasam with countless memories. After few hot discussions the agenda of watching movies the whole night was accepted almost unanimously and we headed towards MP hall. We somehow collected the cassettes of ‘Om Shanthi Om’ & ’Jab We Met’ and it was all set for the late night screening. I was in the middle of a gang which was together for a span of solid seven years and as I was looking at the TV screen, Shahrukh Khan wasn’t visible at all. All those damn memories at this wonderful place were flashing in front of my eyes.
It was on july 31st, 2001 I entered this place which I never knew would make a complete changeover to me. I had written the entrance exam just for fun but when I got to know that I was selected I was here desperately inspite of my parent’s opposition. For a person who has never been outside his comforts,this campus offered lot many things. Everything was really new. The campus was so vast and vivid.It was all painted green and watered once in a while by rains.The buildings,though being old,were all throughout the campus. All those quotes,paintings etc on the walls made it look great. The sight of triangular mountain from the flag post was a visual treat . I had so many friends around me , in fact rain was the closest of all. No wonder we were unhappy at times,as we were far away from our home. All the unknown faces became sisters within no time as we had food together in a large mess. The act of playing football with more than 100 people using a single ball was really strange. Waking up at 5.45am,running strenuous 4 rounds on a 200m track(incase if you aren’t “sick”),getting ready for school within 5 minutes and much more was part of our lives. The assembly programs were all damn different. The songs we sung were unique in their own terms-I can still recite most of them.I still can’t explain the pain in spending 90 minutes without doing anything during study hours. The evening sports hours used to make me go crazy . The act of rushing to library to grab a copy of magazine was really exciting.Playing games on a rainy day,waking up even before the sunrise,short naps after jogging and in the noon,cleaning the house, spadeworks on Saturdays and Sundays,the ‘second trips’ in mess,once-in-a-while baths were all part of our stay at this sacred place.We used to have a hell lot of competitions whether it was curricular or extra-curricular. It was great fun. I’m simply proud to say how each and every individual supported their house with no limits and great enthusiasm .This sometimes led to few disparities among us . I laugh at those fights now,which we had for silly reasons or may be no reason at all.The way we organized ganesh chathurthi,teacher’s day and various events really amazes me of our organizing capabilities. How can I forget those long chats, late night indoor cricket and football, brave acts of taking cold-water baths and washing clothes. I had started to grow as a very different person all together in this place. It would be really unfair if I don’t remember my teachers. Each one of them truly awesome. The ideals they followed still makes me give them due respect to what they were made up of. Every teacher had their own way, no matter we criticised them at that part of our life. But it doesn’t matter at all. Whatever we are today is all because of these special people and this very own divine place.
We all had made it to the end. I had seen many hard days as well as joyful hours. Got to relish some deep relationships, many friends, innumerable successes and very few failures, ecstatic moments as well as heartbreaking incidents. With my very short experience, i had learnt the art of attracting people, cracking a silly joke, making friends ,handling situations and people, being happy for no reason and many other things.It was one of the most amazing roller coaster ride ever. Remembering all those beautiful moments my eyes were all wet when my friend questioned ,“ ಲೋ, ಯಾಕೊ ಅಳ್ತಿದಿಯ Shaheed –Kareena ಒ೦ದಾದ್ರಲ್ಲೊ” Then I realized we had completed two films back to back while I was busy with my flashback. Then we decided to move back to our houses. That walk was one of the longest walks which I’ll never forget.
The fact that we would never be together in future was still troubling me deep inside.
And today we all are far away from each other(yet connected). Every one misses this place very much. Never a day goes by without remembering this paradise.
Proud to be a navodayan.
It was on july 31st, 2001 I entered this place which I never knew would make a complete changeover to me. I had written the entrance exam just for fun but when I got to know that I was selected I was here desperately inspite of my parent’s opposition. For a person who has never been outside his comforts,this campus offered lot many things. Everything was really new. The campus was so vast and vivid.It was all painted green and watered once in a while by rains.The buildings,though being old,were all throughout the campus. All those quotes,paintings etc on the walls made it look great. The sight of triangular mountain from the flag post was a visual treat . I had so many friends around me , in fact rain was the closest of all. No wonder we were unhappy at times,as we were far away from our home. All the unknown faces became sisters within no time as we had food together in a large mess. The act of playing football with more than 100 people using a single ball was really strange. Waking up at 5.45am,running strenuous 4 rounds on a 200m track(incase if you aren’t “sick”),getting ready for school within 5 minutes and much more was part of our lives. The assembly programs were all damn different. The songs we sung were unique in their own terms-I can still recite most of them.I still can’t explain the pain in spending 90 minutes without doing anything during study hours. The evening sports hours used to make me go crazy . The act of rushing to library to grab a copy of magazine was really exciting.Playing games on a rainy day,waking up even before the sunrise,short naps after jogging and in the noon,cleaning the house, spadeworks on Saturdays and Sundays,the ‘second trips’ in mess,once-in-a-while baths were all part of our stay at this sacred place.We used to have a hell lot of competitions whether it was curricular or extra-curricular. It was great fun. I’m simply proud to say how each and every individual supported their house with no limits and great enthusiasm .This sometimes led to few disparities among us . I laugh at those fights now,which we had for silly reasons or may be no reason at all.The way we organized ganesh chathurthi,teacher’s day and various events really amazes me of our organizing capabilities. How can I forget those long chats, late night indoor cricket and football, brave acts of taking cold-water baths and washing clothes. I had started to grow as a very different person all together in this place. It would be really unfair if I don’t remember my teachers. Each one of them truly awesome. The ideals they followed still makes me give them due respect to what they were made up of. Every teacher had their own way, no matter we criticised them at that part of our life. But it doesn’t matter at all. Whatever we are today is all because of these special people and this very own divine place.
We all had made it to the end. I had seen many hard days as well as joyful hours. Got to relish some deep relationships, many friends, innumerable successes and very few failures, ecstatic moments as well as heartbreaking incidents. With my very short experience, i had learnt the art of attracting people, cracking a silly joke, making friends ,handling situations and people, being happy for no reason and many other things.It was one of the most amazing roller coaster ride ever. Remembering all those beautiful moments my eyes were all wet when my friend questioned ,“ ಲೋ, ಯಾಕೊ ಅಳ್ತಿದಿಯ Shaheed –Kareena ಒ೦ದಾದ್ರಲ್ಲೊ” Then I realized we had completed two films back to back while I was busy with my flashback. Then we decided to move back to our houses. That walk was one of the longest walks which I’ll never forget.
The fact that we would never be together in future was still troubling me deep inside.
And today we all are far away from each other(yet connected). Every one misses this place very much. Never a day goes by without remembering this paradise.
Proud to be a navodayan.
Fantabulous :-) thanks for giving those golden memories in words brother ... Took me to that paradise for a while. We will always feel proud to be Navodayan :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks to our great beloved teacher.
Thanks a lot,sis.
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