 Abel (& willing???) a master at writing has some wonderful stories about his days in college...he says, Will write more if people read and want more punishment ! Of course we do !!! Left Ag in 1981. Got my masters and did some doctoral work on land and water systems engineering. After travelling and working in various places for a few years, landed up in Australia in 1990. My digital watch read 12:34:56 7.8.90 when I landed in Adelaide! Needless to say, (but i will anyway) - it ain't Y2k compliant. 
In 92 got married in Australia to a girl I met in Delhi. No kids yet - able and willing - just kidding - pardon the pun. If you put that in Pinx, you are in trouble. I work in land & water conservation in the State of New South Wales. I head
NSW State Water which is currently a state owned corporation running all the dams and water supplies in the State.
The Fonder Years - A severe case of absence making the heart grow. 
Running ragged
September 1976 - Arrived by Dakshin Express from Hyderabad after 48hours of anticipation in Naini. TDS picks me up and Raghubir 'the Rickshawman Taylor' pedals through the retreating monsoon and the lush back roads to the ashoka tree (polyalthea longifolea) lined front of New Hostel. How DID he cart two guys, a suitcase and the regulatory trunk - we'll never know. More power to ya my old friend, wherever you are.A guy walks up to us, smiles at me and tells me to shave my mustache off by sundown. I could 'ave twisted his 'ead off, but TDS tells me that's the way it is. This guy Raviraj or whatever his name was then proceeds to tell me that some guy from my hometown (Jude?) was going to arrive anyday and would probably want to help me ease into life at Ag in a friendly and helpful way. I was looking forward to this..Jude Dude. We went to 91 New Hostel (yeah, right next to the skinny chain smokin' lecturer guy, yeah opposite end to the Halka means peace sign) who came in briefly and borrowed some leaves and seeds - probably botany/plant physiology work? probably not. A ghetto blaster starts up a couple of rooms down the corridor - taped hendrix. The neural connection is made - I still play hendrix 23 yrs later and 'experience' the alagin. 
The immaculate dhobi Sukhlal came by, reckoned he could wash all traces of the Dakshin offa my clothes in the Jamuna. Hired bikes out too later on and is now retired, fabulously wealthy. Breakfast at Cuttings the Credit Man and his offsider (you know who) and his tribe of chotus. Bun, butter,Jelly and Tea - rupee eighty thanks, in the book, to be paid when you had no money. The flies were free. Sit by the pond, eat and watch the girls go by in pairs, nary an acknowledgement in passing.Met Rohit while plastering wallpaper in Kudre's (man called horse) room, became cousins in an effort to freshie network - unionism and all that jazz. We still are cousins. 
Registered, allotted 135 new hostel - Ezhil and Arvind fellow engineers. Learned the intricacies of tamizham. Arivazhagam is another one. machan! mapillai!  Downstairs to the cafeteria - the heavy tables which would be a common sight at functions for the next 4 years. steel trays rotis, dhal, chaval, sabji, meat stew,onions and a slice of lemon, the huge wind tunnel fans sucking in flies and jettisoning them live. The jealously guarded homemade pickles to flavour the food, only shared under reciprocal arrangement. First night - summoned to the room of Shaitan - his room (heaven top of old hostel) was laid out like a bunker scene from the movie Platoon. Candle and all. Fortunately he fell asleep 5 minutes into the massage. Fortunately too, he was gone the next day.  The second day - What the hey? the siren that was to be a part of our lives for the next 4 years. Dear diary. met Rana, MC, "just" Henry and several of the infamous biharis. The next day - Bandy gimme shelter. In a couple of days flat all the freshies found theirs in assorted senior's rooms, only venturing out to get food in and get fibre out. Classes, subjects and lecturers were only incidental.   The hangar, farm machinery101, Sur, Irshad Ali, Shepherd ("sefard" according to the locals). The 50 questions on the mold board plough you were afraid to ask. Change into khakis, head off to Woodwork, tin smithy, black smithy and eventually
work on lathes and machine tools. Tuned out a few chilums over the years uh under duress. Sitting in the library by the large window in the sun, reading popular mechanics. Hi Shalita.  Jude arrives. afro, evil smile, one trouser leg rolled up. sure, he was a lot of help. Proceeds to tell me that somalis were superior to the zambians. Ganesh drags him off to meet the additions to the harem. Jerry's squatting in front of number10 new hostel, singing a dirty song.... feels the tips of my fingers and says I'd never played the guitar. He was right. Took it up the next day in brothers John and David's room. Rest in Peace John. 
Freshie Tea - bare chested, trousers inside out, "life sux" scrawled on the torso, face painted like brave heart, reading the freshie pledge. 
Ragging was on in earnest. 1 week of hell. Totally mood spoilt. Three midnight trips to the dandi in 1 week, carting bottles of mopla - (? any dpsomaniacs help?) the staple drink after the first week, when the cash was low. Legends of the past, tales of yester years, exploits of HED break-ins, bands of yore, guava raids. It was tough in the old days. Doing Kichan's, Vahal's, Raviraj's assignments for them. No wonder for the next 3 years it was like deja vu during lectures.Met Valentine, Mark Paul, Martin, MC, Borda, Rocky, Spares, Edward, the Fernandez Brothers (?)....some still reach out and talk on the net - the global ag. village.  The frog hunt in pouring rain - two bucket loads, dissection box, blood and guts on the lawn. Roast the legs, wash 'em down with mopla. Regret later. Martin and his mountain goat curry turned out to be nutri nuggets introduced by soy boy Anil from across the corridor.
The Introduction dinner - freedom at last. Who are all those girls? with the chaperone I mean. The band's not half bad. Will you won't you will you won't you dance with me?Love, Abel  *Disclaimer Written under no other influence than a Fosters Light. If you want more...leave a message on the board and your credit card details..a good try? Next edition stars Pinkie on her return from America....... Abel LE FastCounter Don't forget to sign the Guestbook before you leave......  
Copyright © The CruiZers! 1999 |
Over time Ag.Institute has seen the passage of many story tellers, wonderful yarners, masters at spinning tales, each with their own unique style. In my mind's eye that fantastic time in college when life was it's best, is still alive, real and wonderful, so I am now asking all you Aggies out there, to tell your tales hidden in the closets of time. Share with us those precious jewels of memories that will start a wave of nostalgia, causing pangs of pain and joy in our hearts, a catch to our breaths and bring tears to our eyes.
