This guy didn’t find a better place to introduce him with me. I was coming out of the rest-room near my room in the first year hostel. I was almost looking like a Santa with white snow covering my face – preparing for a shave. This guy, with his brush in his mouth, paste-cream slipping out, approached me. A typical Chetty-slang, started enquiring about me and my family background. Slowly we discovered that both of us are from the same native. I generally try to avoid people of my cast but Krishna and Raama are exceptional. We didn’t much mingle much until we met in a function in Chennai. It was the first time I met his parents though. Me, Raama and his dad were at the last seats of the gathering waiting to catch the first rows for dinner. But things were getting delayed because of some long discussions. On top of this, one aunty amongst the crowd started to sing some devotional song. I crazily started letting comments free flow. When every discussion came to end, people started moving towards the dining hall. Raama politely pulled me towards the singer. “Machi, this is my mom… and Ma, this is Panay, my classmate”. I was lost. Couldn’t even apologize. If I remember right, until second year completion, Raama was staying with few of our other classmates on the next street. Our relationship grew only after he shifted to MSR Bhavan.Oops… before I forget let me mark his original name. Until first year, he was called M.Ramanathan. Don’t know if it is bcoz of another Ramanathan’s name causing confusion or for some good fortune – he changed his name to what he is called now ‘Raamakarthikeyan M’. That in fact made it easy for us to call him ‘Raama’. I personally like the way Santhosh calls at him – ‘Dei, va-lan-tha’va-nea’. Also the way/slang Raama himself pronouncing his name ‘Raam Karthik’. Actually he should be called ‘Raavanan’. We guys have also honored him with a title. This is for his nature of studying during exam. Raama hardly listens at any lecture delivered in class; rather I have to say he frankly attends classes. Kannaps is his perfect companion to bunk classes. Even during study hols or even a day before exam Raama hardly sits to read anything.
He has good relationship with varity of people within and outside our class. He is so good that he visits them all even without any purpose. But he doesn’t fail to visit them during exams. He will figure who is reading which part of the syllabus. He will then get into a mode of a Marketing Manager. He talks deals with others who are covering other parts of the syllabus. He makes sure that there is someone assured help for owing to explain him some portion of the syllabus. After a sometime, he takes his bike and start execution of the mission. He learns from one and explains it to the other. He makes sure that he explains something to whomever teaches him. At the end of it – he has learnt everything. The good aspect of this kind of exam-preparation (even I have experienced) is that, when we explain something to someone we never forget it. At the same time when we have someone explaining, it becomes rather a discussion and easier to understand than to spend time reading few pages. Really hats-off to Raama for cultivating this kind of a mode of studying. Even we guys (though not book worms) would wait for Raama to return home. For this only reason he is honored with a title ‘K.K.Er’ – “Ka-thai K’ta Engineer Raama Kathikeyan’. I think Krishna had the privilege of formulating this title.
Raama was in fact the Placement Secretary for the Computer Science department when we were in the final year. I thought he took on this, only to cover V’a. I was proved wrong later. He was smart and worked hard to get things done. Spoke to many people and went to many places. Finally came up with a broucher for the department. This was later used by the department for at least 4 years to invite companies for on-campus placement. He had organized many tests and other activities which help many. His efforts really brought some good fortune. Companies started to come to our university for placement.
Okay… enough of all this buttering talks about Raama. Let’s chill out a little. “Hey Raama, if you have already out-spoken to Meena then you are safe. If not I am sorry machi…”
Until college, even now, we spend for anything for each other; except that I wouldn’t spend for his cigrates. But there is an exception – I had to buy him a packet, or may be one or two piece for something silly that I had had done to him. There were a couple of incidents that happened in our room which flashes even now when I see a piece of cigrate lying orphan in my Bangalore room.
Raama & I shared the same room which had a telephone and an attached toilet-bathroom. His shelf is just above mine. In fact it is the top most which doesn’t matter him at all (for this tall guy). One summer weekend afternoon, this guy teased me for something and as usual drove down to fag. But I went crazy after that. I wanted to take revenge; I am not so humorous to tease him, then. I turned dull to my room. There was something glittering on the top shelf. It was a cigrate packet. My criminal brain started working. I took out one cigrate and walked to the terrace with a match box. Loosened some tobacco at the white ended. Powdered the head of a few match sticks. Stuffed them at the loosened end and finally patched up with some tobacco. I was conscious it shouldn’t create any suspection. I was so very anxious that I cannot wait until he takes this piece. So I took off the other pieces in the box leaving only this.
Our road side Romeo, after roaming like a loafer, came home in the evening. As usual took the packet to the terrace (his smoking zone). Something unexpected happened. He suspected Rams and Raj for the missing cigrates and was scolding them. I had to interfere to take him off the scene. Cribbing Raama walked back his smoking zone. …few seconds later, an expected but un usual sound. Throwing down everything he was holding came down searching for me as he was sure that I should have done that.
MSR Bhavan not only was a resident for young Doctors and Engineers, but also for scientists. The two scientist mankind has ever seen. Rams and Raama. These two buggers, one evening were experimenting if Petrol would actually catch fire. Rather, it would have made sense if they try to understand ‘why?’ it catches fire. The fantastic laboratory where they chose to do this experiment is our sit-out at the kitchen. LPG is not more than 2-3 yards where they were. Like Rawle and Hardy (Raama and Rams) at the sitout – Raama holding little petrol in the bottle cap and Rams firing it. These guys should have at least kept it on the floor. The bottle was carefully kept open near the LPG. It is so obvious that Raama’s hand catches fire – it did. Poor guy, spilled it over his leg. Then our scientists started jumping after seeking success (dam it… they jumped out for fire burns). This all action undoubtedly pushed off the petrol bottle. Petrol started flowing towards the LPG. Cannot even imagine if things would have gone serious. Thanks to our cook-amma and the wash woman. They shut down fire with sack bags and other stuffs kept around.
Krishna also has the privilege to give away one more title to Raama. And only he calls him so… This also suits Raama well – ‘Bu-ru-da Mannan’.
Raama not only blows up technical contents on the answer paper, he also blows up matter. Raama’s dad is not only a banker by profession but he is a banker for Raama too. Raama gets money on just a phone call; sometimes even a call is not required. But there is for sure a call from his dad, asking for over spending. There was one such call once in a weekday morning. Raama was still sleeping when we (B-batch guys) getting ready for lab session. The phone rang and Rams picked it. Raama was waked up then. Raama soared his throat and started to talk. I guess (rather for sure) his dad would have asked what Raama was doing then. This guys reply was “…having breakfast and then have to get ready to college”. I couldn’t even recall what he had said. The next obvious question his dad asked him was about the expense chart – ‘reason for over spending’ for that month. Seems like this guy asked some extra money from his mom. This guy, without any hesitation compliant his dad that our wash-basin had dropped off and collapsed. The over expense is because that we have to place them back as the owner didn’t agree for putting it back. His father smartly calculated and said that it would not cost so much as other (we other guys) would also share and not only Raama. Now he is caught. Poor Raama had to think look before even getting off from the bed. Now that Rams passed around him, Raama got a idea. Rams looks innocent. That was the catch for Raama. So he started building up his to his dad about the innocence of Rams. He told that Rams misplaced the house-rent amount when he was on the way to house-owner’s house. And this expense is because we have to put in extra amount to compensate this and Rams would pay us later. Hearing all this, we guys stood as a status where ever we were then.
What I wrote above is only a little. If I have to write all, then I have to write a separate blog with this title. If you guys can help – we can do that also. That will be a best gift to his kid (bed-time stories).
The only silly reason Raama loses his temper is when he talks to our cook-amma. Their chemistry is rather a dangerous one. I really love watching them fight. Raama looks at amma, as if she is somewhere deep into the ground and she looks at him, as someone on the top of the palm tree. This happens occasionally. It is a good seasonal show.
Raama turns a caring son any day when his parents are leaving the town. He would take pain going till the bus stand or station and call them up to check if the bus has started, have the crossed this place and that place. They should have been feeling proud of such a caring son. The moment the bus crosses the city limit, Raama is already in the bar crossing his limits. After reading this, his wife should be conscious enough to judge him if she is out of town.
I am happy that Raama is abroad when I write this. He is in US for a two month assignment. Otherwise, he will call me to buse me.
