Shades...!!!!!

Some days back i was looking at my college pics, i was able to recall what all fun we used to have there, then suddenly my mind diverted from college to early school life however i was not able to recall much.
I realized that Life Cycle is like Day cycle, our shadow start diminishing with Sun Set, same way as we grow older our memories(Shadow) starts weaning. Then i went deep into gray and separated white from Black.

This post is very much related to my life at IET. If you are not related to IET then you may find this post as boring as you are not aware of characters also. This is not a fiction and all the characters are real, just some of the names are changed. The I.E.T – Place where we spent 4 wonderful years of our life, those 4 years would be remembered always, not only remembered, cherished also. Those 4 years saw the transformation,for most of us,from boys to men. We fought, enjoyed sleepless nights, bunked classes, had crushes and did everything under the sun that could be thought of.

Most of the time everyday was same, outside person could easily term our life there at I.E.T as monotonous however only we know how the enjoyment was there in each minute of every hour for all the days of every month for all 4 years.
I will try to narrate my one such day of final year at I.E.T – Lucknow(or should i say C – Block).



== Day Wednesday
== Time 03.30 hours GMT
== Place C – Block

Ramesh on door – Dude, do you have cigarette?
Me – No, by the way what were you doing and where are Manav and Mayank.
Ramesh – Manav is talking to Pooja and i don't know abt Mayank, may be sleeping. What about you, where were you, i couldn't find you in the room earlier.
Me – Yah we were playing lakdi at Jaine's room.
Ramesh – Who all?
Me – Same Mangal, Jaine, Galot and me. Raja,Laksh Jauhri were also there. They were spectator.
Ramesh – ohh Mr Yoo was also there, that asshole must be chatting with someone on Internet.
Me – No yaar, i guess now a days Yoo brothers have changed the role, Laksh was chatting and Jauhri was observing his bi-seeps in mirror.
Ramesh – Assess remain asses.
Me – Obviously, see yours had they changed to 100 watt bulbs?
Ramesh – come time to go out.
Me – BC it was 1 when we came from LKD now again you want to see Chauani.
Ramesh – At that time i was not feeling very hungry, now also i am feeling acidity, i will drink cold Limca there.
Me – Hmm, no point in arguing with you, what about money, this time if we go with cash Lambu will demand our ass.
Ramesh – I have some change let me count – 3, 7 ,11. I have eleven rupees. How much you have.
Me – 11, great today we can give heavy tip also after food. Let me check my wallet. I have 20.
Ramesh – 31 is enough, 2 parathes 12, 2 teas 6, 3 ciggrate 15, total 33, we need just 2 more rupees.
Me – let me ask Backchod, may be we can have sumptuous meal.
(we both towards Backchod's room)

## We used to be broke most of the time. Though that's a different matter altogether how we used to arrange money for booze. To lend money from people around was also a part of our life there, be it Galot – The universal lender or Paltan or Sawtantr. One thing is sure that we can survive in toughest time of recession or inflation as at I.E.T we learned the art of managing finance crunch. The way we used to arrange 20-30 rupees just for a cup of tea and 2 cigarettes was remarkable.

Ramesh – Paltan, what are you doing.
Paltan – Nothing, was playing lakdi with Ishlaq Sir, then Pandey sir came we watched Mahabharat and now i was watching Blue Film in Ranjit's PC. What about you, how was your class today, i have heard that you got failed in CT and one more thing Siipu was saying that you drunk so much last night. Drinking 100 pipers must be fun. Huhh you are gaining reputation day be day.
Me (interferring in between) – Mr Question Mark, can we update you after coming back from LKD, can you lend me 50 rupees ?
Paltan – I have a 100 rupee note you can take that and what about Shubham, what was the last time he went home and how is your dholl group.
Ramesh – Paltam thanks, we will catch you later.
Ramesh - I don't know how he got all the news he should work in a news agency.
Me - Yaah he will be a great help to Pravesh, together they have more information than wikipedia.
Ramesh – Hmm, Bike do you have key ?
Me – Shanoo took the bike in evening, room must be in the room.
Ramesh – Oki in room or with Galot.
Me – And total expense now is Rs 43 , 33 + 10 for Petrol.
Ramesh – i hope bike has petrol till petrol pump.

== 04.20 hours
== LKD

Ramesh – Chauani, what all do you have.
Chauani – (MC daily same question)allu matar, matar paneer, egg curry, dal fry.
Me – (interrupting in between) Baigan ka Bharta nahi hai kya?
Chauani – No, tell fast i do not have time.
Ramesh – first bring fresh cutted onions with lemons, 2 special teas, and 2 aalu pyaz paratha.
Me – Hey chotu bring one ultra mild.
Ramesh – pehla
Me – who else is here to claim the ciggarate.
Ramesh – i thought of practicing. Do you have any problem? God knows when we will ge our first salary when we can afford to buy complete pack of cigarettes.
Me – It would have been wonderful if we were placed in same company. Anyways leave, today i watched Anwar, i must say, such a horrible movie, we came out after first half only.
Ramesh – Where did you watch ? With complete group or with Anamika.
Me – we all were there Anamika, Mayuri, Galoti and me..
Ramesh – So, today what's the plan, no point in going class i am planning to sleep after breakfast. It's wednesday so there would be poori-aallu.
Me – ohh Yes, wednesday. Ummm when you will go for breakfast say shanno to bring 2 plates in C – 401.
Ramesh – Ass, be awake, we will have together.
Me – No Pal, 10 A.M morning i have plan with Anamika.
Ramesh – What's new in this. You guys have roamed entire Lucknow. You people are such freak.
Chotu – Sir cigarettes.
Me – Bring Matchbox also.
Ramesh – I have.
(Ramesh lighting the matchbox and i lighting the cigarette)
Me – We started with Navy cut, then Regular and now Ultramild seemed final.
Ramesh – Hmmm.

(cigarette passed to Ramesh)
## Chauani bringing food##

== 05.15 hours
== Back to Hostel

Me - I am going to Jaine's room. Are you coming ?
Ramesh – What will i do. Laksh will again say so double standard thing and then he will get scolding from me.
Me – Oki, see you in some time.
Ramesh – Umm, oki, i should also visit their room, it's long time since i meet Yoo Brothers.
Me – And i know exactly, why you want to meet them.

## We, both laughing ##
## @ Jaine's Room ##

Laksh – Hey mote bhai, how are you, you are always so busy, try to visit us poor at least once a day.
Ramesh – BC if you are so desperate to meet me, can't you come upstairs.
Jauhri – Laksh Bhai i agree with Mota.
Ramesh – And you Jauhri, last week i was not able to had chicken even i was in mess @ 1.30 A.M. You know why ? Misterejii told me that Jauhri ate 7 leg pieces and added to that their was also a bet between Panchu Sir and Pandey Sir that who will eat more. As a result acute shortage of food in C-block Mess.
(all laughing)

##Ramesh left after that##

Me – Where are Mangal and Galot?
Jaine – They are good children, not like us, they have slept.
Laksh – So means that Galot is better than you ? Remember your words in future.
Jaine – La##a, I was just giving an example.
Me – So who all will have breakfast today.
##Jaine and Laksh together said YES##
Jauhri – We will also awake Nimbu Raja and Galot.
Me – this awake word brings so enthusiasm in me, How are we supposed to awake them.
Laksh – (cunning smile) we will knock at their doors. What else we can do.
Jaine – What are you doing, lets start our game of Black Queen.
Jauhri – No, i am in if we are playing lakdi else i am also going for sleep.
Me – Oki, no worries, let us play Lakdi.
Jaine – Fine, let me male score card.
##and Lakdi continued till 7.15 in between there were of course 3-4 cigarettes with numbering.


== 07.15 hours
== C – Block

Jauhri – who is shouting outside and this loud music, who has gone mad.
Laksh – Look brothers, Jauhri is saying this as he is a new entry to hostel. Mota is enjoying his Sunrise with fear of the dark.
Jauhri – you don't know Laksh, this dark fear comes out of Mota and made us feraful.
## knock knock ##
## Mota at door ##
Jaine – Come Mota, you will leave 100 years.
Mota – No buddy, with this much alcohol in my blood even 45 years are more, moreover someone has said that Life should be large not long. You agree Mr Gandhi.
Me – Umm, depends Yaar.
Mota – Mr skeptical shed your philosophy and be specific, anyways i came to fag, i know you people must be having so First.
Jaine – Second
Laksh – Third
Me – Zero, and lighting the cigarette.
## after some time we all went to Mess, i can still feel the way we used to awake Raja and other slept people, the way Ramesh used to act like underworld Don and the way he used to bully Jauhri. Ramesh was the one who was always excited about the breakfast. We used to go together to C-block Mess and Shanno was the single point of contact for us. In his unavailability Ram Kumar or even Kanhayi ji used to serve us . No need to remind you all that Ramesh and we all used to eat havily in breakfast. With all these fun and cherished moments one thing more that i feel is the humbleness of C-block Mess workers. We used to order in Mess like anything and they never said No to us. C-block Mess is also an unforgettable part of our Hostel Life. Getting room delivery or ordering special pakodas for our Daru Parties. Misteri ji never said No to us. They even kept food plates reserved for us in our absense.

== 08.45 hours
== 3rd floor C-block

== usual encounter with Prakhar
== Prkhar coming out of washroom in his sports lower with toothbrush in one hand and tooth paste in other hand.

Prakhar – What's there in breakfast.
Ramesh – Poori allu.
Prakhar – Ohh and how come you people awake so early. You didn't slept. Correct ?
Me – You are always right. Even Shipra says so. In the class she always look for you, today we have her class you should go.
Prakhar – Yes, i will go, wnd what about your safia she always make you stand. Like other people are dead in our class.
Me – Because all smart people are dead.
Prakhar – BC, anyways talk to you later , now i am going for breakfast.
Ramesh – When did you sleep last night ?
Prakhar – 3, i was enjoying with Dr then at 2 Lankesh came, we chatted for half n hour, then i came to my room.
Ramesh – And what was Dr downloading last night, speed was so bad.
Prakhar – Porn, what else can he download, now he has a collection of 480 GB.
Ramesh – Great, i will use it before sleeping. Oki, (lighting cigarette) you go for breakfast and in afternoon tell me what happened in class.
Prakhar – oki, sure, bye, good night to both of you.

== 09.00 hrs – off to sleep.
== 13.00 hrs
== phone ringing.

Me – Good Morning
Anamika – Where the hell were you, i am calling since 9 A.M. We were supposed to go out at 10.
Me – I was sleeping baby.
Anamika – sleeping, so late. Why ? What were you doing in night.
Me – ohh, you don't know, last night i was sleeping with Malika, so didn't get the proper sleep. Now could you let me sleep for half -n- hour more.
Anamika – Oki, go, i am not talking to you.
Me – Hey sweetheart i was joking. You were asking as if you don't know what happen in C-block every night, same routine yaar. Lakdi, Lkd etc.
Anamika – Oki, Whatever. Now get ready we have to go to Waves or Fun.
Me – Why? Movie again, yesterday only we watched Anwar yaar, and that was horrible.
Anamika – oki, leave movie i have to do shopping.
Me – Shopping Why ?
Anamika – What why. I am feeling like shopping. Moreover it's a long time since i shopped.
Me – Yes, complete 10 days.
Anamika - Leave yaar, get ready and call me in 15 minutes.
Me – oki and what about other people, should i ask shubham, sachin.
Anamika – yah, you can ask them but i don't think they will come now. If they are not coming now tell them to meet in evening at Angaan.
Me – hmm, good idea.
Anamika – Oki, then bye.
Me – Bye.
Me – Hey one more thing. What about Lunch ? Should we do outside or you already had it in hostel.
Anamika – I had a bit. You also have something however we will have something outside also.
Me – i will not have only something, today is special, if chicken is good then i will have proper meal.
Anamika – oki but know keep the phone and get ready.
Me – Oki, bye.
Anamika – bye.

## A typical morning time in C-Block, not only for me, Ramesh or Manav but for most of the people. I still remeber the way i used to move outside my room at this time and someone could be found saying “Gandhi, morning ho gayi”.
The first thing was to look at second floor who all are standing and just a look downside you can easily find Lemon king and Company discussing about any girl, faculty, Anni, Seema or anything possible under the sun.
So precisely my first sentence after morning was to say Hii to them and to ask about Shubham, “Hey Jauhri, where is shubham”.
And somebody will reply that he is at Mangal's room.
Then my second work of the morning was to visit Ramesh's room and that used to happen like this.

Me – BC, wake up.
Ramesh – Asshole, let me sleep. You go, i will wake after half-n-hour.
Me – So you mean that you are missing special.
Ramesh – Ohh, chicken. No i don't want to miss i know you will go for lunch. Tell Shanno to reserve one plate for me.
Me – Yaah, I am planning to go, however i will go with you, c'mon get up. It's good to eat hot out there.
Me – (pulling his bed-sheet) Come, wake up.
Ramesh – Gandhi leave, what are you doing, if you do this way i will catch cold-hot, already i am not feeling well, feeling like cold and cough. Give me 10 minutes i will wake up.
Me – 10 minutes everything will be over.
Ramesh – (saying Ba Yaar dhaann bo diye tune to / didn't find the ennglish translation) Oki, i am ready. Let's start.
Me – and where are Manav and Machar.
Ramesh – How do i know, i was sleeping, Manav might in Machar's room.
Me – oki, you get up, i will call them.
Ramesh – Ass, at least give me a fag.
Me – Sorry buddy. I don't have.
Ramesh – Asshole.
Me – same to you.

## After taking Manav and sometimes Machar we used to left for lunch, mind this that this is wednesday, otherwise Manav and Ramesh used to go to VKD to have butter Maggi and Bread Malai and it was unfortunate for Jauhri if Ramesh encountered him between. After a sound sleep for 6-7 hours Ramesh was like a hungry tiger who required anyone to harass. Then we used to give further problems to Shanno/Ramkumar with extra demands. This was not the end, we used to disturb Misterjii also by demanding extra extra large piece of that Butter Scotch Ice-cream.
So this was the end of lunch. Needles to mention that cigarettes used to compliment every meal big or small. After this if i am going out immediately then i used to brush my teethes and if the occasion was very special i used to take a call on bathing.
I can say it used to be around 14.20 hours when it was the time for second call from Anamika.
Anamika – Are you Ready.
Me- Yah, sort of. Just 5 minutes, i will call you, bye.
Anamika – Oki, call me fast. I am waiting.
Me – Oki, bye.
It was the time when i used to get ready in 10 minutes, actually what was required, some water splashing on mouth and hairs and to change clothes. That's it. I was ready to move out. One thing good was i didn't like to wear shoes, sleepers were my best companion and then Nescafe was the place where she used to come on her scotty. Where we used to meet. Nescafe was the place where driver used to turn into pillion driver and i used to drive scotty. WOW, the only imagination of Anamika seating beside me on scotty filled my heart with Nostalgia.
Weathers changed, Climate changed, Places changed, Location changed, sometimes vehicles also changed but the common thing was the that afternoon time and our meeting.

== 14.45 hours
== Nescafe (Academic Block).

Me – So where to go ?
Anamika – How dumb, i told you already WAVES.
Me – Oki.
Anamika – And what about Sachin Shubham Mangal. Will they be coming in evening for coffee at Angaan.
Me – I don't know. I communicated this to Galot. Let's see.
Anamika – Hmm, if they are not coming we will go, i want to drink coffee at Angaan.
Me – Oki Boss.

## Then 15.00 hours to 19.45 hours used to pass with Anamika, here i am not writing that stuff for two reasons. First it needs an entire chapter to describe that. I won't be able to compress those lovely movements, so maybe i will cover them sometime next-time and secondly i don't know how much interest will that conversation fetch, might be boring for most of you.

== 19.50 hours
== Nescaffe again (Departure)
Me – Oki then bye, see you tomorrow.
Anamika – Bye.

== 19.55 hours
== VKD
Me – Pehla (first).
Ramesh – I don’t know how much you people can roam, Gandhi you have got huge capacity- in roaming.
Me – Vijendra Bhaiya ek chaiy (One Tea Please).
Me – So ? What about dinner today?
Ramesh – You came without dinner, I have not decided yet, was sleeping just wake up at 7 and now I am here.
Me – Good, sleeping this much. Now you will be awake for night long, I pitty these C block people.
Ramesh – You are one of them.
Me – Unfortunately.
Ramesh – Vijendra, what happened ? give me my maggi, you are taking too much time.

After that we used to spend half and hour at VKD (Vijendra ka Dhabba), our mess, canteen whatever. I am ending the above described day here only, so that you can take your time and go in past and think about remaining quarter of the day.