The Ragged up THIRD SEMESTER

AUGUST 2013

College. Semester 1.

We were freshers then. Seniors had called at the good old 'adda' - the OAT (open air theatre).
"han bhai, shudhh hindi mein intro... roll no 1? ... "
"collar chadhaa...sleeves down.."
"seniors ko wish karni hai.."
"ye baal bade bade, kal kate hue hone chaahiye..." . All said with flaunting senority, apparent seriousness but still some smile and fun.

Okay so this is how it happens. Its every year's story. Architecture requires interaction. It happened with our seniors, their seniors, their seniors' seniors ... forming a tradition.

Sheets, Models, Seniors, Interaction...more interaction...friends, fun, parties...some more interaction and a senior-junior bond is formed.

You develop rivalries with some seniors while some become your favorite.


AUGUST 2014

New Semester. Semester 3.

We are seniors now. And what does every senior batch await for? Juniors.
Although we had it clear that we would not make any enforced interaction with them, still some element of excitement prevailed somewhere.

History got repeated. But not exactly.

An interaction with first year on the second day of college: Some were all set to dust off the senority with old historical dialogs while some only came to enjoy the show.
The evening went with laughter and fun, trying to feel senior every second. So how about another interaction session?
Fourth day of college ended with another interaction session which had some old historical dialogs, some instructions and some fun.


*One Week after the college had begun*
A man--specy, sharp nose, short-heighted, fair complexion , probably in his early forties--barged in the computer lab with three other people ready to shout.

All silence. He began to throw questions continuosly. Did you call juniors in OAT? We have recieved a complaint? Yes? Why? Do you have the least idea what have you done? Ragging!
Yes Ragging!
A written statement was to be given. Students not involved got segregated and hence the first reason for the division in the class.

Ragging? Seriously? This came as a huge thunderclap.

Days followed under suspense and tension. Huge talks over the incident. Heaps of applications to the Dean, HoD, Director followed.
Parents were also tensed. Afterall, 28 students were caught in the web. The basic belief prevailing at that time --28 looked like a huge number which surely could not be suspended, given hostel-out but only put some fine.

Now ready for another slap?
The notice came after two weeks of tension, meetings, discussions of BoD... SUSPENDED UNTILL FURTHER NOTICE, HOSTEL-OUT FOR AN YEAR, SCHOLARSHIP SNATCHED!

Tears rolling down from every other face. Parents pleaded the Director but all hit on a blank wall.

Students were like : We'll make protests..this is all wrong...We'll file a complaint against the media... (mere words, no actions: We had nothing in our hand now)

Students were not being allowed to even enter the department as if they were criminals. Why such a big punishment? When nothing happened ? What happened at OAT was ragging? Really? But this is what had happened with us last year. We did not term that as ragging. Or was that ragging? Have we been fooled by our seniors? Just asking somebody what's his/her name is...Ragging? Crap!
Suspension followed. Almost all my friends left.

Every week a chance to talk with the Director was looked upon but in vain. He wanted to suspend the Architecture students, some old prevalant grudges perhaps, that's why he did that.
--"Raddi dept. ke Raddi students" !

The blame game had begun now and hence the second reason for the division in the class.
"because of that guy, we got suspended" ... "this fellow, he was well present at OAT, how come he got saved?" ... "what was the need to interact...who initiated this plan?" ... "His name is not in the list?" ... "Why are rest of the people attending classes when we have been thrown out?" ... "Has our class got some unity?"

They had gone now. Everything had turned quiet.

I was left with a few people, all bound to attend classes, make all sheets, do all work without rest of the class. Mental labour!

We stopped looking at the juniors. They didn't seem to deserve least of the help. Blow to everyone!
 

SEPTEMBER 2014

September had begun and vague hopes floated in the sky.
Their names flashed on the TV news channel, newspapers with more self-invented rumours, all fibber!
What more embarrassment could one ask for? When people on the college road stared at us when we held those sheets while marching towards the department. The most trending question -- You weren't involved? You got saved? Take Care! 

The most ruining thought---if the students are not allowed to sit in the mid-term exams, their whole year shall rot in hell. Already architecture has five years in store!

Another night, we heard some news. They had been allowed to appear in the exams. In short, they were back. All charges removed. Our class was back.
But just that.
Now, looking back I see that old laughters, get-togethers, parties, friendliness have taken a back-seat. What appears to be apparently united class has now undergone heaps of divisions--division of thoughts, likes, dislikes, work, friendship...all contributed by mere perhaps big mounts of misunderstandings and egoes.

The rest of the semester flew in a blink of the eye. Little hi, little bye! 
Everything seems to sublime into normalcy now.
Just a few egoists make it rough.

Like time turns flames to embers, hope this semester's ruckus ends up into ashes...

(to be continued...)