An ode to L21 of MPWE2009

Back to the campus, or so I thought, last Friday afternoon.

The security procedures at the gate were the same. The trees were all there. The blooms were still there. Every nook and cranny looked familiar. The bookshop was just overflowing with new arrivals. The library bookshelves still bulged with books. There was a “Hogwarts-in-the first-week-of-school” air about the campus. Posters giving directions to “Mars”, a campus students’ store, were all over the place. The beautiful big football ground had a big pile of sacks dumped in the center, on the makeshift “cricket pitch”. Construction seemed to have reached out further right trying to stretch its arms towards the Tennis court. Suddenly, the familiar campus looked so alien and strange, in just about a month. The smiles and faces were different and unfamiliar. There was lots of energy and activity on the campus. Busloads of triumphant-looking PGPs were trooping in, after a field visit, in their first week’s stay in the campus. The friendly, smiling “bhaiyya” at the Amul kiosk was the same. There were hundreds of saplings, stored opposite the kiosk, waiting to be planted by the new kids on the block. But, everything being the same, there was something that was very different - the faces I sought - those were missing. The EB block looked so eerie and empty, as if it joined in my sense of loss.

As I walked out of the hostel, towards the amphitheater, deliberately taking the path that leads to the “Garden seat below the trees”, the strains of this familiar song played on in my mind.
“Oh when I look back now
That summer seemed to last forever
And if I had the choice
Yeah - I'd always wanna be there
Those were the best days of my life…….
I knew that it was now or never
those were the best days of my life
Back in the summer of 69……..
We needed to unwind
I guess nothing' can last forever - forever, no, yeah
And now the times are changing'
Look at everything that's come and gone……..
I guess nothing' can last forever - forever, no,yeah”

I could almost see Pragnya strumming her guitar and a motley bunch of us jamming alongside her, the brave hearts going for their daily run, the not-so-brave on their quiet walks around the place, groups of people hanging out at Chai Unchai, at Athica’s and at Amul, picking up their orders from the serving window, delivered with smiles, …………. a sudden gust of Shruthi’s throaty opera singing just floated in on the air…..Prof. Prabhu on his scooter, YLR on his daily walk…. fading strains of Baishali’s rendition of “lobe beel keep us alibe”…….

As I walked past the MDC, I just paused to look out for a hint of the MDC Woods. As if in reaffirmation, I could see the twinkling of the fairy lights (though it was still 6 in the evening) and I thought I heard Aparna sing -
“Na Jaane Kyun, Hota Hai Yeh Zindagi Ke Saath
achaanak Yeh Mann, Kisike Jaane Ke Baad
kare Phir Uski Yaad Chhoti Chhoti Si Baat
na Jaane Kyun ...
jo Anjaan Pal, Dhal Gaye Kal,
Aaj Wohrang Badal Badal, Mann Ko Machal Machal
rahen Hai Chal,.....
wohi Hai Dagar, Wohi Hai Safar
hai Nahin Saath Mere Magar Ab Mera Humsafar
idhar Udhar Dhoonde Nazar Wohi Hai Dagar
kahan Gayi Shaamein, Madhbhari
woh Mere, Mere Woh Din Gaye Kidhar
na Jaane Kyun ...”

I really pinched my goose-pimpled hand hard enough to almost let out a small scream. Was I really imagining all that!

Like the wise, old men said it all, “You can never get into the same river twice”. But then, like they also say, maybe you can take us out of a place, but you can’t take the place out of us……