See? My mind is still so occupied with our experience of ragging in the college, I altogether have forgotten to write about our introductory lecture at the college. It was so un impressive, I remember that event only faintly.
The introductory lecture was arranged in our big lecture hall. All my batch mates filled the hall. I hardly knew anyone! The stage was not decorated. The chairs on the stage remained empty for some time. First person, who appeared like a pune to me, climbed the stage and to my surprise, sat gently in one of the chairs!
The dean of the college was dr gulati, a pharmacologist and a very serious looking man. He sat in the centre. He welcomed us in extra serious speech unlike any hindi film to which all of us listened very silently. Then he introduced the heads of different departments of the first MBBS. dr haridas was head of the deptt of biochemistry. Dr shrivastav head of the dept of anatomy , for whom my eyes were searching, was absent. The man that looked like pune was the head of the dept of physiology. Ouch!
All The heads delivered small speech about their subject. The heads were known as eminent personalities of their own field. However, I remember nothing from their speeches!
It was difficult for me to understand why no one spoke about the burning issue of recognition process of our college by the MCI. But because of hon. shree h.m. patel, that issue was not perceived at all.
H.M. patel was probably sick and could not welcome us in very first lecture.
Our curriculum was to start immediately. For me, it was like a sudden sprint from lazy sleep of grand vacation after 12th std. Naturally no teacher or the dean spoke about the ragging going on in our lives. Every one offered us unconditional help for “everything”. I really do not believe they were un aware of what was going on in the hostel. it was not a big issue for them and mostly was perceived as a part of the culture of the medical college!
The game was simple for all. it was nothing to be bothered about.
But the worst part of this senior junior game was yet to come on us.
One evening we were asked to go to a room in ground floor.we were not grossly tense since this was now a routine. again, it was me and tapasvi. the ragger's room was just a few steps away from our hostel room. the door opened silently. it was full of smoke, yelling about the nature of the occupants. As I and tapasvi made entry through the smoke, we saw a fair skinned man awaiting us.he looked like an ugly fox to us.he was sitting on his cot, supporting himself with both of the hands behind.his eyes were blue.he looked at us to probably decide what best could be brought out from dumbs like us.
From his appearance it was clear that he had cooked some great idea for us. There were few others also. though it was not new, but our hosts had extra grip on bullying.the welcome speech was full of some new bad words we ever had heard.
Looking down to floor, we helplessly stood in front of them trying to block our ears form their welcome words.after that we told our names on inquiry.
“ so...neh and tapasvi... do you know how to dance?” playing with smoke and cigarette, fair skinned man asked. Some one had told us, he was amongst the worst chronics of the college.
dance? i never attempted in my life ! even not at navaratri times at bhuj. while some of my friends were champions, i had a great hesitation in doing garba in public. this was one of the similarity between me and shanti, my best friend and claasmate at bhuj. both of us used to remain spectators at garba.
“NO. I never ever have danced before” i replied. tapasvi did not say anything but from his facial expressions, it was clear that he also never had danced before in his life!
“Good. Then boys! Let us teach you!” they laughed. If you remember, tapasvi was very tall RAAJPUT and I was hardly 5.5’ft. i looked at tapasvi. he seemed grossly stressed like me.
"what you fools are waiting for? hold your hands like just married couple !" the order was out. damn ! i wished i could oppose. but many a times in life, you find yourself weaker than a hero you think you are ! tapasvi took his big hand on my back and held my one hand loosely.i also put my other hand on tapasvi's back. our seniors started clapping to give us rhythm. we really danced hating each of the steps of dance. laughing and bullying was going on as a routine.
All of them really enjoyed two obedient juniors at their command. Both of us were sweating and our hearts were beating fast in attempt to sustain the humiliation and agony.soon the dance was over.
“Speak some good Gaali yaar! Don’t you speak any?” asked the fair skinned fox throwing his ciggerete on the floor. this was shocking demand for both of us. while vulgarity and bad words are part of routine boys and gentlemen, it might sound strange to many but i never speak any bad word even in company of my best friends till today. tapasvi also is like me though being true raajput !
“No I never have spoken such kind of word in my life” said i hesitantly.
“ so what are you waiting for? start speaking now!” applause and laugh from small audience. Probably they thought they were doing us a great favor by making us speak gaali - an essential tool of communication especially in college! It was kind of baptism in college life.
We were silent. searching our souls for power to resist. but miserably, both of us simply had given up.
“What do you think of your self? some kind of saints? Speak up NOW!” the group got angry.
Neither mentally nor physically it was possible for us to resist them. We felt like killing our souls. But no way….we had to speak at least a single word of their desire. That was first and last time for both of us in life.
For me,a student from small town like bhuj, this was a completely head blowing experience. How can one feel good making the fellow beings pitiable? How can one enjoy other’s helplessness and agony?
After this episode, we heard of a hero…amim kadri.. he did something that we could not !He refused to speak any gaali at any cost at the time of his ragging. he was from our senior batch…a real RANCHO!
The introductory lecture was arranged in our big lecture hall. All my batch mates filled the hall. I hardly knew anyone! The stage was not decorated. The chairs on the stage remained empty for some time. First person, who appeared like a pune to me, climbed the stage and to my surprise, sat gently in one of the chairs!
The dean of the college was dr gulati, a pharmacologist and a very serious looking man. He sat in the centre. He welcomed us in extra serious speech unlike any hindi film to which all of us listened very silently. Then he introduced the heads of different departments of the first MBBS. dr haridas was head of the deptt of biochemistry. Dr shrivastav head of the dept of anatomy , for whom my eyes were searching, was absent. The man that looked like pune was the head of the dept of physiology. Ouch!
All The heads delivered small speech about their subject. The heads were known as eminent personalities of their own field. However, I remember nothing from their speeches!
It was difficult for me to understand why no one spoke about the burning issue of recognition process of our college by the MCI. But because of hon. shree h.m. patel, that issue was not perceived at all.
H.M. patel was probably sick and could not welcome us in very first lecture.
Our curriculum was to start immediately. For me, it was like a sudden sprint from lazy sleep of grand vacation after 12th std. Naturally no teacher or the dean spoke about the ragging going on in our lives. Every one offered us unconditional help for “everything”. I really do not believe they were un aware of what was going on in the hostel. it was not a big issue for them and mostly was perceived as a part of the culture of the medical college!
The game was simple for all. it was nothing to be bothered about.
But the worst part of this senior junior game was yet to come on us.
One evening we were asked to go to a room in ground floor.we were not grossly tense since this was now a routine. again, it was me and tapasvi. the ragger's room was just a few steps away from our hostel room. the door opened silently. it was full of smoke, yelling about the nature of the occupants. As I and tapasvi made entry through the smoke, we saw a fair skinned man awaiting us.he looked like an ugly fox to us.he was sitting on his cot, supporting himself with both of the hands behind.his eyes were blue.he looked at us to probably decide what best could be brought out from dumbs like us.
From his appearance it was clear that he had cooked some great idea for us. There were few others also. though it was not new, but our hosts had extra grip on bullying.the welcome speech was full of some new bad words we ever had heard.
Looking down to floor, we helplessly stood in front of them trying to block our ears form their welcome words.after that we told our names on inquiry.
“ so...neh and tapasvi... do you know how to dance?” playing with smoke and cigarette, fair skinned man asked. Some one had told us, he was amongst the worst chronics of the college.
dance? i never attempted in my life ! even not at navaratri times at bhuj. while some of my friends were champions, i had a great hesitation in doing garba in public. this was one of the similarity between me and shanti, my best friend and claasmate at bhuj. both of us used to remain spectators at garba.
“NO. I never ever have danced before” i replied. tapasvi did not say anything but from his facial expressions, it was clear that he also never had danced before in his life!
“Good. Then boys! Let us teach you!” they laughed. If you remember, tapasvi was very tall RAAJPUT and I was hardly 5.5’ft. i looked at tapasvi. he seemed grossly stressed like me.
"what you fools are waiting for? hold your hands like just married couple !" the order was out. damn ! i wished i could oppose. but many a times in life, you find yourself weaker than a hero you think you are ! tapasvi took his big hand on my back and held my one hand loosely.i also put my other hand on tapasvi's back. our seniors started clapping to give us rhythm. we really danced hating each of the steps of dance. laughing and bullying was going on as a routine.
All of them really enjoyed two obedient juniors at their command. Both of us were sweating and our hearts were beating fast in attempt to sustain the humiliation and agony.soon the dance was over.
“Speak some good Gaali yaar! Don’t you speak any?” asked the fair skinned fox throwing his ciggerete on the floor. this was shocking demand for both of us. while vulgarity and bad words are part of routine boys and gentlemen, it might sound strange to many but i never speak any bad word even in company of my best friends till today. tapasvi also is like me though being true raajput !
“No I never have spoken such kind of word in my life” said i hesitantly.
“ so what are you waiting for? start speaking now!” applause and laugh from small audience. Probably they thought they were doing us a great favor by making us speak gaali - an essential tool of communication especially in college! It was kind of baptism in college life.
We were silent. searching our souls for power to resist. but miserably, both of us simply had given up.
“What do you think of your self? some kind of saints? Speak up NOW!” the group got angry.
Neither mentally nor physically it was possible for us to resist them. We felt like killing our souls. But no way….we had to speak at least a single word of their desire. That was first and last time for both of us in life.
For me,a student from small town like bhuj, this was a completely head blowing experience. How can one feel good making the fellow beings pitiable? How can one enjoy other’s helplessness and agony?
After this episode, we heard of a hero…amim kadri.. he did something that we could not !He refused to speak any gaali at any cost at the time of his ragging. he was from our senior batch…a real RANCHO!
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