Language Lab

The day before my presentation was filled with a lot of commotion. Tragedy struck early that day I have no “vehicle pass sticker” attached to my scooty so, while I tried to enter the main building campus , the guard’s better connoisseur appealed to him, accumulated from years of experience dealing with shrewd NIT students( as they say!). He gave me a scornful look; trying to stop me he said “Where is your pass?” .To that I replied “pichwade me” and sped through the gate. I don’t know what he made from it but when I turned back momentarily. I could see people in hell breeding; through his eyes. Now there was our electrical lab test and my batch mates all desperate, trying to swallow whatever they were able to get at the last moment. We all scattered ourselves on the lawn under the shade to evade ourselves from the merciless heat, waiting for our turn. Meanwhile people lost their practical record, nerves, temper, common sense and even mobile phones! Our group went at the last. We settled ourselves serially, the examiner asked us some questions, and in response whatever remnants of hysteria he was having he started shouting. I thought he had gone mad .Aggregated to all the above I also had to write up for the assignment. I was so very much exhausted after such an exhilarating day.

The next morning when I woke up I got a felling out of the whole randomness “oh my god!” I have a presentation to give today. The slides were prepared a fortnight ago but I had no clue whatever I was assigned to say. However, I remembered I had a hand booklet that helped me a bit, as I reached the classroom I could not find my partner along with whom I was to give the presentation. We had least bit of communication between us. I was not even sure that we would be able to present our show. It all now depended on what the situation would be just before our turn. Well, finally after about half an hour wait my partner showed up. Though I was in full despair for any kind of procession, but the slides that we had made gave me some bit of courage. The scenario inside was just like a theater. With all the lights put off, only the weak radiance from the projector showed off, which was not able to disturb the least bit of us engrossed in all the negotiation, approval and appreciation like the two lovers in the back seats of a cinema hall! Next I recall standing in front of the whole class and noticed the dire need they showed for a good performance. I said about drugs and the facts related to them.

It doesn’t matter whether people appreciate it or not but at least I became more acquainted with the true face of drugs and how it is rotting our world just faking everything giving us a virtual world where we can accept ourselves only to crash down when this baseless virtual world vanishes. Finally the lab ended. I started to scan from among the options of many footwear, the one that resembled mine the most. The empty burden making my steps heavy. I could not help stop myself from thinking about how this world has succumbed and surrendered itself in the hand of drugs only to get that high and not make an effort to make your life a high. Well it might be complex how human mind works but at least one should stand out of the crowd, make an exemplary effort.

By

Sudhir Saha

picnic bash

No relevance to any person or people
There are certain things in life that actually make people differentiate from themselves. There was a time when each department’s 2nd year batch was craving for picnic. It was during this time that a sad demise of one of our beloved friend took place. Now People were quiet enthusiastic and were almost very much ready for this tantalizing experience. On the other side there was a good friend of mine who protested and decided to deprive himself of this pleasure, he was of the opinion that any case, the person who died was one of our friends and barely a week has passed after such grieving situation so we should quit on such fancy ideas. Whereas the enthusiastic people stressed on having fun as winter would be over soon or maybe who cares about his death. It is a part of life and is invincible. Today our friend died tomorrow someone else then we don’t have enough time left for ourselves. Life should go on.
Truly this confounding situation is hard to diagnose. But hey the climax is not over yet. Amid such insurgency there emerges a batch (metallurgy 2nd year batch). This batch has got another problem, the only batch which is barred of such celebration and the stifling concern. The people have good link within themselves but the batch has not got unity. I got a call a Saturday morning which stated, “We are going to picnic”. I was having some mixed reaction to this blatant statement; anyways I figured it’s not difficult unless we were good at pleading and persuading. It took a whole afternoon licking people’s ass but finally we got nothing. More than half of the people had imposed a requiting denial for our flamboyant event, which further deterred our interests among our branch mates. This is not a peculiar situation its quite normal the conscience of people is not under scrutiny over here but it’s the prejudiced nature which is mutually dismaying the compatibility which is required as a group. The main problem what I think is that people have not got respect for each other due to the conservative nature which makes them feel secure, or even make them feel they are above everybody. Content and happy with what they are which I think is a superb philosophy to get along their years in the insti without knowing anybody at least each other, happy with their group. Well all that I perceive about all the above things may be false, it maybe that the propriety is maintained in our branch but I may not be visible to me. Whatever it is it shall also pass
When asked, people often suggest mutual consent, collaboration as the solution for the above problem but this also fades away as a hypothetical consideration which only can foster on under idle conditions. What it looks like to me is that one has to give in some commitment to know each other as a person, support one another for any initiative or work; rest all depends on fate. People have conflicting views and assertions, that’s why we differ from each other and we have tensions in life; but we know, a fabulous day is made only when sun and moon do not intervene each other. These differentiation, classification of people is the root cause of all problems. But then it may be the law of nature (struggle for …… survival of fittest………) that our opinions do not match and urges us on for this futile struggle.

Sudhir Saha

Spring of life

It was just personified,
Spring had already set in, and summer lurking at the horizon. Our results were to be declared in a few days. It was the same feeling all over, after the final examinations were over, around 1st week of March. Trees aching with what seemed to be over laden amount of flowers and fruits. Sun just sent in its soothing warm glory and the wind used to be pleasantly cool. It was usually 3rd Sundays of march every year, we used to get dressed and be prepared for the war .It was like if you had done bad in exams, you ought to face the sharp (s)words, collaterally with all the mistakes u had done previously . The mistakes just seemed to magnify. If you had done well you can do any thing you like, like hang out with friends, play until u drop etc... And what an irony we hustled past the crowd to reach our respective class rooms for our results, which we dreaded the most , expecting a disaster .But to every ones great disappointment I usually did well. Got a few complains about making some mischief now and then in the class, That was the best part because I was excused even if I had murdered someone. It was my sisters’ result that disappointed my parents a bit.
The days to follow then, was like we were in heaven. The mild weather absorbed us in its excellence. The birds chirping, the trees waved us good day, and the streets lonely and eccentric. There was a peepal tree with numerous sacred threads embracing its girth. A path led from under its shade to a playground where we toiled the whole day conjuring strategies, plans. All the cricketing brains we had were poured out till we were sapped out of our skin. We were fascinated, time and again to the distinct shrill cheer of the birds above studding the clear blue sky with its presence. This mingled with the shout of our mothers calling us for lunch. Being, not so unruly we descended to our pavilion.
Then, we also had to buy all the books and notebooks as prescribed for the next year term. What I enjoyed most was putting cover to the books and the notebooks; it was easy and gave subtle enjoyment. The light atmosphere, the festive mood with Holi around, it was just fun. The entire trees and plants seem to have re-grown themselves into the newest shade of green and flourishing with total liberty. And later in the evening all our friend in the neighborhood used to gather for a walk around the market place. It was just beautiful, the smell and aura around making a thousand promises of juicy delicacies in terms of fruits to come. It persuaded me to get lost admiring its beauty till eternity and unite with its soul to explore the secrets of nature.
The path lay with flowers like royal carpets, escorted by the greenest grass and the gigantic trees. The labyrinth of shadows from above has its own way to cook the warmth of sun to our favorite feeling. Oh god! How badly I remember those days, making me only to wonder whether I’m sufficed with what I had and can happily lead myself to eternal experience.


Sudhir Saha

A goodday

What to say! it was just mesmerizing from the start .I woke up to what I thought to be another gloomy show off, of the nature. As usual I got up late and was as usual engaged in my daily stuffs,the hastiness of the moment, those scattered books, voices of my mom compelling me to have my breakfast. finally, i got ready to drive off to our insti. I went outside it was then, when I actually got a feel of the climate. The day was unusually lit up despite the clouds, soft breeze that persistently gave me goose pimples, swayed the top branches of the tree. I drove off and gradually the climate engrossed me in its aura .it was just impossible not to admire the sulky and saturated weather, the vehicles passing by, the people scurrying along , the roadside shops, I began to love everything that was around me.
i almost had forgotten about our awaiting maths test. There was not a thing I had read and the environment outside made it hard for me to concentrate on even how to score any meager bit of marks. It was as though the rustling of leaves,the gray shade of landscape, the splattering drops on the window i mean the whole scene outside made me fall in love with it.
The test went alright somehow having, copied the answers from the students behind me. We didn't had any class since then so, we went on to our way to the hostel. The buildings, the weak moss layers on it and the smell of some fresh fungi sprouting nearby,they looked sober and sophisticated at the same time. The grass freshly cut and maneuvered reflected a soothing shade, the large tree outside the chemical department and its falling leaves were tuned to the praise of the birds. a letargic feeling seemed to be prevalent among our branch mates so we were mucking around and having fun along with our studies for the lab test.
Meanwhile, the rumors were heated up about a viva quiz instead of written test, thus we scurried through the pages as fast as possible. Next i remember that, all of us gathered in front of our lab “hoping for the best but prepared for the worst”. A pair of student had the viva at a time, and it was my turn at the 2nd call. It was a tense moment for me when my partner identified the MFI machine as the compression molding machine; I had tried to put up my best anyways to compensate the damage done by him. The lab ended and I was interrogated again by my branch mates.
I went on to show some documents to our HOD and had a chat with a professor. After such anxiety and bit tiredness which was accumulated from our test and all the studies before, showed up to disengage gradually and what a way! The heavens opened up immediately, i drove home through the light drizzle. As the shower soaked me the coolness of it drenched all the tiredness simultaneously. The scantily opened shops, the glistening road and the washed trees alongside, the spine-chilling wind commanding the drizzle in their desired direction, upon their wish. It was just unresisting; after searching a bit among the fewer number of opened shops I sipped some coffee at one. A film of water over the road was processed to fine shower by the rolling truck’s tyre, shoving directly onto my face working as a desert cooler it was just amazing, the feeling the environment wanted to imply proliferated over me. it just made me remember the best days that I ever had on a rainy day finally and as I reached home I let myself say 'mama pakode banao aaj'.

Sudhir Saha
Written on 17/11/09