April 30^th had been the defining day in the annals of the world history..mostly for great, earth shattering reasons..Hitler's death, Vietnam's freedom etc…It had been so for me too…three years ago that was the day, when I came out of my college ( and some other last too)..that was the day when I finished my engineering…(that was the day when I saw some of my colleagues for the last time..though I get to meet my real close guys very often, I would like to meet others too... )then other two April 30^th came and went…they didn't give me the content as the 2002 April 30^th gave me…but this April 30^th gave me yet another taste of that day….I had been to my alma mater, but this time..it was my school in Neyveli…wow!!
Wonderful memories cuddle me from all sides…the library, the auditorium, the playground, the prayer ground…Ohhhh!!! I miss you my school…met some of my teachers….they remember me….felt so good…really good… sat beneath our lunch time tree…the same tree, which we would have kicked, huddled, broke the branches off, shrugged it after rain and enjoyed the down pour…really nostalgic…met the principals…much water had flown beneath the bridge…almost all the staff and teachers remain....went to my class…XII A…it has a peculiar taste..went to my bench..after 7 years…all along my education, I had sat at the third bench…third row..third column…that's the middle ground…comfortable for all the not-so-open issues…reading novels, teasing out, launching rockets/ chalk pieces…and yet listen to the class and seem to be an obedient guy...so many things possible…
So many new buildings…but the scent remains the same…the banyan tree…the endless swings that we made in them..nostalgic…the staff room…the submissions, the slip tests, the monthly tests and the exams…punishments, homeworks, class works…Uffff..
The prayer ground is of peculiar importance to me( and some 10 others)…we were the elite group, that got caught for apparently teasing the gals and beaten during the morning prayer session…but the truth is that we teased the Sir…but he being unable to admit that we teased him, complained that we teased the gals…
The incident still remains fresh in my mind…It happened when I was in XII standard...the entire class was awaiting the computer lab practicals…we were divided into batches and all the gals were in a single batch..so, when that batch went into the lab, guys would be free…so, we sat beneath the trees and started the bhakar…we had "pseudonym"ed our computer Sir and we used to refer him by that name…one of the guys(not me…I wasn't that courageous then..) just shouted the name, when the Sir was walking towards the Lab followed by the girls…he had heard it…when we went into the lab, he called us and started advising on why we should treat the gals studying with us with dignity and not tease them…the guy who teased him, went to him and said in face that we teased not the gals but him…Sir's face..Ohhhh…it is hilarious to think of it even now…but he caught the entire batch and said all of us teased the gals…He even agreed for a deal…that we would admit who did it and he would leave all others…none revealed the name…so, the next day…all 11 were called in the prayer meeting and were beaten in hand…the princi remembered the incident and asked who did it…I couldn't tell it now…