There are just so many ways that you envision staring an even semester. The New Year's resoluions are sill but a week old, and the guilt factor is exponenially amplified by the fresh receipt of the CG card. Hurried promises are made, and first week of classes religiously attended. And so starts the BITSian life all over again.
For me, this semester had a rather unique start. Hours after registration, two buses full of us trudged along towards Delhi for the BITSAA Global Meet. It was a rather unique journey, interrupted by fog, a broken axle and a chicken coop in the middle of the road (seriously!). We got to Delhi after some 11 hours, in the wee hours of the morning with just about enough time to dress up and go to the BGM.
We were standing there in our rags at the souvenir stall selling Cactus Flowers (the BITS Annual Magazine for the uninformed) to the alumnus and cursing our aching backs when this old lady walked up to the stall. Her age was more than evident, but there was sill a certain dignified gait that made you stand up with respect. She picked up a Cactus Flower lying on the table flipping through the pages. A moment or so later, I decided to start off with the patent line I was telling everyone who visited the stall.
“Maam, this is Cactus Flower, the Annual BITS Literary magazine that is...”
“Young man, I know what this is. I started it.”
Silence.
“I am CR Mitra's wife.”
CR Mitra was the Director of BITS from 1969-1989. Known as the Dynamo Diro, he was famous as as an institution builder and innovator in higher education. All our fests started in his tenure, as did Cactus Flower. He passed away in 2008.
“I was there when it started. APOGEE started someime then. I remember helping bring out the first one.”
Silence again.
“ Well, I have to get going now...”
“Would you like to have a complementary copy mam?”
She stood there for a moment, hesitant, looking at the Cactus Flower in her hand. After a few moments,
she nodded.
“No. I'm moving to the US in a week to stay with my daughter. No place, no place...”
She walked away slowly, into a crowd of people just out from a lecture in the adjacent hall.
Good Bye, Cactus Flower.
For me, this semester had a rather unique start. Hours after registration, two buses full of us trudged along towards Delhi for the BITSAA Global Meet. It was a rather unique journey, interrupted by fog, a broken axle and a chicken coop in the middle of the road (seriously!). We got to Delhi after some 11 hours, in the wee hours of the morning with just about enough time to dress up and go to the BGM.
We were standing there in our rags at the souvenir stall selling Cactus Flowers (the BITS Annual Magazine for the uninformed) to the alumnus and cursing our aching backs when this old lady walked up to the stall. Her age was more than evident, but there was sill a certain dignified gait that made you stand up with respect. She picked up a Cactus Flower lying on the table flipping through the pages. A moment or so later, I decided to start off with the patent line I was telling everyone who visited the stall.
“Maam, this is Cactus Flower, the Annual BITS Literary magazine that is...”
“Young man, I know what this is. I started it.”
Silence.
“I am CR Mitra's wife.”
CR Mitra was the Director of BITS from 1969-1989. Known as the Dynamo Diro, he was famous as as an institution builder and innovator in higher education. All our fests started in his tenure, as did Cactus Flower. He passed away in 2008.
“I was there when it started. APOGEE started someime then. I remember helping bring out the first one.”
Silence again.
“ Well, I have to get going now...”
“Would you like to have a complementary copy mam?”
She stood there for a moment, hesitant, looking at the Cactus Flower in her hand. After a few moments,
she nodded.
“No. I'm moving to the US in a week to stay with my daughter. No place, no place...”
She walked away slowly, into a crowd of people just out from a lecture in the adjacent hall.
Good Bye, Cactus Flower.
3 comments:
very beautiful.keep on writing more of such stuff
Wow. Bittersweet much.
And you blog! What a find :)
@R: thanku :)
@Ki-Ki: Thanks :). I have been an infrequent blogger for some time now. Just checked out your blogs... Kickass stuff :)...
Oh, and the Institute stopped our magazine and created a bi-lingual abomination a week after the Alumni Meet. This was my tribute to Cactus Flower I guess :| .
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