Memories...

BLOT : This is not meant to glorify ragging any which way. Just sharing my enjoyable experience.


"Whats your name!! You idiot" thundered a voice, I looked back and there was a guy with muscles ripping out of his tight T-shirt and fag in his hand. I timidly said " Shreerup Rudra", With disgusted look in his face he asked me "What do you think just because you brought your dad along, you would be spared of ragging??". The word "RAGGING" somehow managed to break all the steely resolve which I had managed to show thus far.


With whatever guts left in me I replied " Bhaiya Ragging se darta nahi hoon main". I don't know what I said but it somehow made that oriental looking guy to break into a laughter. Later I realised that in IHM nobody is bhaiya or didi, it has to be Sir's and Madam's.


So after a day or two my dad left and NOW the 5ft 11in tall dark and frail looking guy was on his own to survive what we were told torturous ragging period spread across 6 months. So we were 16 odd guys used to stay in hostel which was oddly called " Front Hostel" the reason to which was that this hostel was right in front of our college, perfect recipe for disaster was that the "Amma" of hostel was very good cook and most of our college seniors used to come to "Amma" for their dinner.Now since not everybody gets food at one go, the seniors have to wait for their turns and while waiting for their respective turns they usually called us for "Personality Development Program" or PDP more civilized word for Ragging.


The usual ragging stuff were there and to people who know what all things are done in ragging they would know the inner secrets. but more than any other thing it was interaction with the seniors and other classmates of mine which usually enticed me to go for those ragging sessions, there were time when I used to be at some seniors place when ideally I shouldn't be there. The perks for ragging were also great so if you are hungry and if you are at  your seniors place the senior is now bound to take you out for or some snacks and my snacks usaally used to allo patties and coke. Also of you had managed to create a good rapport with any of the seniors he would go on to save you from going to some "HOT" places (places were the worst ragging in IHM used to happen). during ragging period we were barred from smoking and a senior who know you good enough would end up offering you a fag from is cigarette that was again a quite a good deal. I had lost count how many pound of patties and how many liters or rather gallons of coke I had in my ragging days.


There were few people who never used to give us a free hand. One particular senior was DSR, He was  real pain in our ass always upto find ways how to make life difficult for us. It was his room where i always hated to go because everyday his room required a spring cleaning. I made a promise to myself post freshers party  I would first go and confront him.One more interseting aspect of ragging was that the seniors used to give their clothes to juniors to wash and we would wash there clothes in WC out of shear disgust. And next day those seniors proudly used to wear those same clothes which apparently were "washed".


During all these things there were few instances were we as a juniors would always stand to gain. During lunch time in cafeteria juniors were always given the priority to take food first. No money was to be paid by juniors if he is in market with any of the seniors. Students who were unlike me and who wanted to to study would always getting extra notes from there seniors and i can tell you those notes were sufficient to get a decent enough marks. 


After six torturous months of ragging it was decided that on first sunday of Dec we would have our freshers party, but before freshers party there would be two days mass ragging days. the concept of mass ragging is simple. It's like that irrespective of how good or how bad you have done in your ragging drills you would end up having 20-25 slaps on  one given day. these two days were the worst days of my life till few months back.


Finally the freshers party it was no hold barred party where there was unlimited booze, food and pulsating music. The seniors in the party were no menacing seniors but one who were smiling at us and telling us why on earth they were so bad during our ragging days. Its was one fun filled evening which would always have a strong imprint on my heart and mind. As far as DSR is concerned he was the first guy in the party who took me away  and gave a swig of JW Black Label for first time in my life and thats when i decided to bury the enmity.