I have this great apathy for ‘Rock’ music. I always identified the genre with really loud music, trance, hard rock. Without any offense to the die-hard followers of ‘Rock,’ the Deep Purples, AC/DCs of the world don’t do anything for me; or maybe, I am too ignorant or uncouth to enjoy that class of music.
For me, I was always more comfortable with the Boney Ms, Abba, Bryan Adams of the world. I love to listen to soft hindi numbers and the melodies of old time classics. No wonder, I wasn’t very enthusiastic when ‘Rock on’ was released.
I was terrified of sitting through two to three hours of a music genre, which I had no ears for. Also, the roller coaster ride of a bunch of people, whose passion and livelihood I did not identify with, didn’t seem too exciting a proposal.
Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when, at last, I watched ‘Rock on’ this week. It was a very riveting movie and I could easily connect with a lot of the characters. The free spirited bonhomie that was very apparent between the friends was so likeable that I was instantly taken back to my own college days.
Though as a bunch of freaking youngsters, we did not have the talent these guys possessed, the 'enthusiasm' wasn’t lacking in us too. Right from dancing impromptu on stage, to killing time in absolute random activities, to chatting endlessly about things that made no sense, we too went all out to enjoy life to the limits.
Cheers to the free spirited nature of youth.
Cheers to the absolutely mad Delhi gang…the swagger, the craziness, the fun! Guys, we had a lovely time together and I raise a toast to those days left behind….
Since, I am getting all misty eyed and nostalgic, here are a few lines that I had written some years back:
I cherish those days when I was the kid of the class,
You all pampered me endlessly and made so much fuss.
The chocolates and the endearments I miss them so,
If I could get them back, I would want nothing more.
I miss those days when teachers spoke to the class,
The 'class' was restricted to the front rows alas,
Our story-telling sessions and endless chatters at the back,
I miss them so and I want them back.
The groups that we made and the groups that were formed,
The internal conflicts and clashes that broke and made new bonds,
I remember the way we pulled each others’ legs,
To get them back, I could sacrifice whatever it takes.
Do you guys remember our camp at F64-
When messengers were sent to call us but for the classes we did not go,
How we looked forward to the punishments and the suspensions,
Days that offered us endless fun and activities that remain unmentioned.
I miss those days, I miss them so..
If only I could get them back, I would want nothing more.
The late night movies and the midnight hide and seek that we played
When night watchmen mistook us for thieves that went unchained--
When chilli chicken and red meat were so much of a treat-
And a big bowl of ice cream drowned all pangs of defeat
If only I could get those days back, I would jump with joy-
For there remained hidden the few favorite things of my life.
1 comment:
Ya Jayatri,
‘Rock On’ truly rocked.
…and so did our institute days …. rathers the days when we all used to stay in Sarita Vihar.
All our big and petty tiffs notwithstanding, I could do anything to get a slice of those wonder-years back.
You were so good in the ‘Banno Rani’ number, in seeing the world through a poetic lens, in getting the perfect combination of spices for all the chicken/mutton preparations, basically in everything you touched; u were always the darling of our batch ... even to this day !!
Sandy (Chat) would always get into a pressure cooker situation when a presentations or class tests would be round the corner … otherwise he would be busy with Lalita …
Lalita, the cat-walker, was never serious with Sandy. Was she? She always feigned romance to get access to our hip-hop-n-happening group …. At least that was the buzz amongst us.
Rahul Nanavati would create the maximum buzz. He would always be the news-maker – delectable or nefarious. He, however, had an elephantine ego. Everything would undergo the ‘ego-treatment’ and would then be measured by other saner parameters.
Talking of sanity, Aman Nanda showed some great (in)sanity at anything and everything he did; he would enter the room 10 minutes prior to a presentation, get the gist of his slides(that would be prepared by somebody else who would have nothing important or worthwhile to do) and would end up giving a perfect presentation.
I miss Paromita a lot. She would always be so calm, cool and composed. A strong whiff of ‘Dazzling’ – the perfume would announce her coming. She never lost a single shade of mascara or elegance – did she?
And Namrata would always miss all shades of normal and civilized girl. She would hit hard at anything or anyone who staged even an iota of belligerence in her circle of (ab)normal living.
But her one time best friend-turned foe-turned friend anew , i.e. Vani was so sweet. However, she lost a lot of happiness in trying to force Aman back into her life, who was crazy chasing Payal.
But the sweetest couple was rakhu and Shelly; Never part of any controversy but always an integral part of all masti. Do you recall Rakhu’s reading trysts in Dravidium’s law classes?
I can go on and on Jayatri. Galat nus pakad liya hai.
A shoddy tape recorder was such a prized asset; spending time with girls was never as phenomenal as it sounds; everyday would be a party... we attended classes only if we had nothing else to do; exams would be a joke while movies and games were always a priority; even outstation trips were decided at a snap of a finger; time was wasted without the slightest realization that those were probably the best moments of our lives we were living.
I would however like to meet the Sandy of those days who would be so bindass, yet philosophical-and end-up-being-stupid about life; who was the only one without a G.F(that was the ‘in’ expression then) but was happy with all the friends around. I would love to meet all, including myself, all over again.
Oh, you have really written this blog well - congrats !!
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