Hunting for Ragging but Hunt

That was a Sunday night 10:30 pm at Tambaram railway station – late 2001. We were at least fifteen, waiting to board the train to Chidambaram. It was actually for Sriram (olli) sister's wedding reception – all our friends were in Chennai for that weekend. A techi gang from E&I, our notorious Comp Sci and Mech Arun. The train arrived at the platform and if I remember right, it was Muthiah and Arun started scanning the name charts. They were not looking for any girl's name in our compartment rather they were looking for some one who is of a year less than us – ' Hunting for Ragging'. That was our first few days after we stepped into the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the great Annamalai University.

There were traces of freshers in our compartment. We were all getting ready to rag them. But as time went we heard the TT blowing his steel whistle. Only then we realized that two more have to join us and all our tickets were with them (that's none other than Krishna and Ganesh). It was like a movie climax – the train that we have to board started to move slowly and the electric train (in which these guys came) had just arrived. Though both the trains are next to next they have to run over the railway-steel bridge to come to the other platform. By then, our train speeded up and we guys peeped into the train one after the other assuming that either Krishna or Ganesh will get into the train with the ticket. Unfortunately both of them got in – they were faster than ever before. It was like the last ball of the match and one run required to win against Australia or Pakistan.

As they were settling down, the talks of ragging took its own momentum. Arun and some one else walked across compartments to see where these freshers are hiding (like how we did when we were in first year). They came back saying that they found the prey but the bigger lions are tasting them. Since our guys were already prepared for ragging and didn't want to miss the chance – Arun went back and requested our seniors to send them to our compartment after they are done with ragging.

Just in a minute few guys came to our compartment. They looked very scared with fear in eyes – 'fear of ragging'. It was at least for 1 hour our guys ragged those three like anything. Ganesh, Santhosh, Sriram and Arun were at peaks. Specially "the grandy's vada and the crow" story. We had asked them to tell the story and if we get any doubt then they have to clarify it and again start from the beginning. The highlight was Ganesh's question (this was asked after the story was told at least 10 – 15 times). 'Is the crow black or white?'. Then, as usual – the 'Annamalai Salute'... We were having so much fun.

'Hunting for Ragging but Hunt'. Slowly the tone of the freshers started varying. They were little funny and started pulling our legs. They said that they have their brothers in final years and as they spoke our juniors also came to our compartment. They also joined with freshers and they started to rag us. Now is the big shock. Those guys whom we were thing as freshers were actually our seniors' fellow batch mates. Also they said that they are 'Anti Ragging Committee' members for Engineering department and one of them were our then VC's relative. It was like a graveyard silence. We wished it should be a nightmare. All our faces were blank, shocked and worried. They started scarring much in telling about the consequences that we would have to face. One of them who pretended as fresher was looking for the guy in us who asked him - 'Is the crow black or white?'. After a lot of warnings they left us saying that we would meet soon in the inquiry hall.

We all were completely lost. Luckily there wasn't any blame games within us. The next day we all were scarred to go to class room. Any clerk or senior enters our class room we would only think that they have come for us – invitation to inquiry. When ever we see any one of those guys in our collider we would vanish from there. Unfortunately our seniors were also on the same floor. Every day it is like an hide and seek game. But as days went we came to know that there is no such 'Anti Ragging Committee' in our university itself.

Ragging is one of the stage in any ones college life. It is generally the way how seniors introduce them self to juniors. In our case – juniors (we) ragged seniors and had to hide from them. Though it was scary and thrilling then – it is all fun when we recollect those moments.

Crispy Creepy Weekend – 09/12

Because of back to back religious festivals Bangalore IT professionals were gifted with a long weekend. Most of the people rushed home towns that Thursday evening. All buses towards Tamil Nadu and to various other districts with in Karnataka were overwhelming with non-பெங்களூர்'ians. Bangalore city was fully packed with traffic towards bus/railway stations. It would take at half-an hour to cross one kilometer. And that’s one reason why I didn’t plan to go home.

My room mates were no exception – I presume they would have left office pretty early than usual. Taking that as an advantage I planned for many things. Hey hold-on. I know, dirty minds have dirty thoughts. Let me clearly say what my plans were… It is like washing my room, watching some good movies in volume, some useful surfing, completes the long pending wblogs on Hackers, etc., I don’t know if it is my rasi or in capability to execute things that I have planned. This time too; adding to the records.

Friday afternoon, after completely cleaning my room, I laid down for a nap. I knew Vodafone sisters would call up at unusual times for advertising new offers. So I kept my mobile on silent mode and went to sleep. It is not more than a quarter of an hour – a loud ring tone woke me up. That was my landline. I didn’t attend the call but I knew who that was. Check my mobile – quite a few missed calls. That was from none other than our Madurai Maddy Mr Rams. Before I come out of this shock there was another shock when I called him on his mobile. I was at his house in the next couple of minutes. I saw two young (but actually old) gentle men appearing matured in family life seated with their better-halves at their sides. Mrs & Mr Ramasubramanian and Mrs & Mr Rajasekar - Raj’s daughter playing around. That was an unannounced get-together.

We started to chat with some home made snacks passed across. In fact the Mrs Rams came back from home town that morning. Hope you guys remember the invitation I Rams had sent out to all. I am still confused who was our first target that day. When ever I target Rams for boozing when his wife was not around I only see his wife reacting. Be it for boozing, Kaushalya, or for the AXE effect or for the FAT that he has in body – I only see his wife jumping in for his rescue, and this guys – as usual with his giggling and belly dance. Then after, we targeted Raj. You guys very well know what we have to tease him. I was not an exception, though. Later, we all planned to move to Raj’s house to spend that night there. But we pushed it to the next day as no one was planned of that.

Saturday evening, we all again gathered at Raj’s house. Some good Tamil movies were been telecasted for Ganesh chadurthi. As we were nearing dinner time both mistresses disappeared into the kitchen. I was in fact waiting for the dinner to get over so that I can start targeting mistresses. That was only to defend our friends and not their husbands. There were lots of complaints on Rams and Raj. These poor guys had lot almost all freedoms they had. Freedom of sighting, freedom of boozing, freedom of smoking, freedom of driving and many other freedoms. Since all you other guys are at different locations I had to solely rescue them. I don’t know what all struggles you guys are facing at your end.

As we were talking about all these freedom I got a call on my mobile. I don’t know if that was a coincident – it was Raama, he was boozing when he called me.

Next morning we spent most of the time in planning where to go for the rest of the day but by then I got a call from office and had to leave. Raj and Rams spent the rest of the day together at a bowling center.

Guys, Raj’s daughter has grown up now and pretty cleaver in remembering things.

Wish we all should meet once soon...