My Calcutta University days

My university memories. Calcutta University was established on 24 January 1857 and is the oldest multidisciplinary university. Some prominent personalities were, Swami Vivekananda, Rabindranath Tagore, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Rajendra Prasad Bankim Chandra Chatterjee became one of the first graduates of the university. I am a proud alumni of this prestigious university. Joined Calcutta University in the late 76 to pursue my MA. literature. Our English classes were on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. Got to make some good friends also. Once when entering university, I saw a blind male student floundering through the gate to reach the stairs. Without thinking, I rushed towards him, held his hand and lead him to his class on the 3rd floor. Within a few months, in the mid 77, I got married. My MIL an elderly and affectionate lady was staying with us. I am fortunate that my MIL and husband allowed me to continue my studies. My MIL used to make sure that I was having enough money with me when I left for university. On returning, I used to see her sitting on the stairs waiting anxiously. The smile that lit up her face at my sight was truly heart warming. I would be delighted to see hot bajji and steaming tea waiting for me. Very soon I conceived. I used to go by a particular No. 5 double decker bus which stopped near the university. If I missed the bus, I had to take 2 buses. I remember running behind the no. 5 bus in my pregnant state when it used to leave the stop and stop some distance away. Once my husband took me to his TOI office. I was wearing a white organdi with orange flowers. A sari my father had given me knowing I loved organdi sarees. At the office, the receptionist a boisterous lady seeing me said that I looked beautiful and surely it was going to be a boy. (Unfortunately, a few years later she passed away at a young age from brain hemmorage.) Later, my husband dropped me at a lane leading to my university as he was in a hurry to reach a place. It was quite a long walk to the university. I started walking and was aghast to see my sari opening out and following a cycle. I stood shocked and bewildered in my petticot and pregnant state. No one around came to help. The cyclist who had gone some distance felt something wrong, turned back and simply freed a stitch of the sari hem that had got caught on his cycle wheel and nonchalantly rode away. I was in tears feeling uneasy with all the stares. I quickly scooped up my torn sari held it and walked slowly to university. Upon reaching, I rushed to the washroom and wore the sare upside down so that the torn area was hidden in the pleats tucked above. A sorry tale of a beautiful sari. It was during my MA exam that an unfortunate incident in the family made me refuse writing the exam. It was my father whose coaxing and advice made me write the exam and clear it. My son was 4 moths old. My witty husband who knew I had not studied well used to make fun saying I bribed Ma Kali to pass my exam. Truly some precious memories of my educattion in Calcutta university. See less

My Gokhale College Days

My Gokhale College Days From school I graduated to college. Since the college was walking distance from my house, along with a sikh neighbor Baljit Kaur's daughter Pinky, I went to the college to get my admission for BA (Hons') English. It was a women's college. The recruiter looked at Pinky and asked if she was my sisiter. When I answered in the negative, he said she resembled me. The fact was no one ever thought I was a Malayali. It was either a North Indian, a Bengali or a Kashmiri. My sibling Paddu menon and my son too don't look like Malayalees. Going through my board result, I was asked to take up pyschology as I had scored good marks in the subject. But I was insistent that I wanted to take English. It was then I realized the there was a test for all those who had opted for English (Hons.) I managed to scrape through. There were students too who were not lucky enough to pursue their English (Hons) I was lucky to scrape through with a warning. The college was just across the famous SSKM Hospital called PG Hospital those days. Our college gates used to be kept locked as a story went around that a student had run off with a hospital staff. We had uniform sarees. White with coloured border. I had a pleasant surprise when my mother gave a voile white sari with a red printed border with a printed red pallu. It was a beautiful saree. Then there were many sarees bought for my college sojourn. I had later given my sarees to printing shops that were all over the area and nearby places. Now such shops are hardly seen. I used to go to college with Jassbir, a sikh friend, my neighbour from my previous house. I got a chance to visit The Gurudwara near the college. Used to go not with ant regigious fervour but to get the Kada prasad a wheat halwa. Till today my fav prasad. I always had to go past her house. Somehow her mother trusted me, so waited for me to pick up her daughter. But the moment we reached college, she used to go away with her boyfriend. Her father was a goon and everyone feared him. My friend had even married the Begali boy on the sly. Later I came to know that her father had beaten up the boy and taken awaay his daughter. Don't know what happenedd to her. When we usedd to walk to college, there was a wood furniture shop and a staff used to keep looking at us as we went past the shop. It got too much, so I told my friend that in future, we would walk on the opposite side. Don't know whether it was providence, as we were walking on the opposite side, the huge lampost near the shop toppled and fell, I shuddr to think what wwould have happenedd if we had taken that way and not taken the opposite footpath? I made some wonderful Bengali friends. All had thought I was a Bengali. It was then that I saw my old school teacher Paromita and she turned out to be one of my professors. A professor Mrs Sinha once was explaining a Shakespearean tale and came out with a word asking to be translated to Hindi. Though I was good at Hindi, I wasn't able to place it, so did the other students. Finally, she came out with the word DIwana. All my professors were vry good in their teaching. We had women's scout. My friend who used to come to college after her visit to her boyfriend and I used to skip the class and go to see movies. Had gone to see Rafoo Chakkar when the whole college had gon to watch WTT (Word Table Tennis). The movies I had seen with my friens were Yadon KI Baraat, Julie, Agni Rekha to name a few. Used to frolic arounf Parkstreet and at Chinese restaurants. Mrs. Sinha used to take us to British Counsil to watch classics like Shakesperean plays made into movies, charles Dicken's and Oliver Gold Smith stories made into movies. I used to take my younger brother with me, Two sisters studied with me. Their house was in the suburbs and people all over knew it as Gol Badi. It was because of the design. A beautiful palatial house. Enjoyed lovely Bong dishes at all my friends houses. A friend soon got married while in college. She was very pretty but slightly overweight. My father had provied us with his company car as her house was quite far. The house was an independant and beautiful sprawling house. The marriage was held in the open illuminated premises. My friend was fully decked up in her bridal finery and looked heavenly. A small boy was staring at her. She chanced to ask him how she lookeed. The boy immediately said in Bengali, Gonesh Thakur. People around were shell shocked not knowing how to react. After the graduation test I was whisked off by my paternal uncle to kerala saying I needed a good rest. Stayed with my cousinn sister In Alleppey for 3 months. Had even gone with her for the inaugural opening Of Chinmaya Vidhyalaya. All the high and mighty of Kerala were present. Bhima Jewellery owner too had presided over the meeting. He was quite aged in the year 1976. Saw a lot of movies and had a wonderful stay with my cousin's maternal cousin in Ernakulam. It was there at a theatre called Little Shenoys, we saw the Hindi movie Charas, a dharam Hema starrer. At my aunts house in Alleppy, it was mathi or Sardine everyday. Relished the simple dishes she made. Learned to make plastic wicker bags from my cousin. One day my aunt said whoever came and stayed there got married soon. Infact left Allepy in September 1976 and got married in May 1977, It was a memorable 3 month stay. Once a family was having a Devi Puja in their house. We had all gone. It was a very friendly neighourhood. Every family knew each other. Mostly teachers from Thiruvam badi High school. The Thirumbadi Sree Krishna temple was ancient and beautiful. A huge temple. The appams given as pradad were hevenly. It was on a Krisha Janmashtami we had got the appams, big sized. Coming back to Devi Puja. As the priest was chanting the slogas, a a telegaram meant for me was delivered. It was from my father saying I had graduated. The pujari noticed this and asked to see the girl who had graduated. Truly God;s grace to be blessed by him. Even had gone to the famous Ambalaapuzha Sree Krishna temple and had got a container full of the famous payasam. as fortunate to see The Indra Gandhi trophy VallmKali or boar race on Onam day. A memorable experience. After returning to Kolkatta my father handed me the MA admission fomm.

Memories of school life

South Point School is an English-medium and co-educational school which was founded on 1 April 1954 at 16 Mandeville Gardens, Kolkata. All students had collected on 1st April but it was a pleaseant shock for all as it was the day it was founded but not open. We all felt we were made April Fool. Founded when I was 2 days old. My memories of South Point High School, a co ed school My sibling and I got admission in South Point in the early 60s. It was my maternal uncle who got us the admission. I don't have much memory of my class 1 to 4. Remember in class 5, a rich marwari boy had invited the whole class for his birthday. It was celebrated in the premises of The famous Lighthouse Theatre. After the fun and frolic, we were shown a fairy tale movie and handed over fairy tale wooden jig jaw puzzles as return gifts. My paternal uncle too used to gift us such jig jaw puzzles. My sis and I loved spending time placing the pieces on the alloted slots. Wonderful past time unlike the modern time. In class 6, we had a teacher right out of a fairy tale. A witch in the tales. She was rude, haughty and wicked. She used to teach us history. The history book was Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's Letters from a Father to His Daughter. Truly a wonderful history book. Though a good teacher, her vicious behaviour made the students dislike her. There was a mentally challanged girl sitting on the front bench. The moment the teacher walked in, she used to show repulsion and make sure the child sat away from her. Once she was boxing a boy student's ear for such a long time that he had to free himself in pain and anger. Our class teacher used to be a very affectionate and friendly lady. The class used to look forward to the surprise party she used to give. In class 7, the English teacher used to be the beautiful fairy look alike from the fairy tales. She was very beautiful with her hair tied in a bun on her head. As soon as she left class, the boys used to say- sadhu gachati. It was indeed a ssurprise when she turned out to be my professor at college. Then came to know she was also working in bengali movies. her name was Paromita. In class 8, the school used to have rows of classes on either side on the first floor. The class opposite class 8 used to be a dissection class. The stench emanating was unbearable. But we had to suffer for 1 year. The boys had craft classes and the girls embroidery and knitting. In the drawing class somehow the boys were sidelined. The master always appreciated the girl student's paintings., mine included. My painting was even framed and hung on the classroom wall. The boys felt cheated and had decided not to have anything with the drawing class and used to indulge in their own activities when it was the drawing period. Another past time was discussing latest movies. I used to be an ardent fan of Rajesh Khanna and there were other fans in class. We used to drool over him and his movies. I had the hobby of writing letters to the famous stars and receiving their signed autographed postcard size photos. Nothing preserved. While in class nine, other than Rajesh Khanna, there was a very handsome student whom all girls including me adored.. Girls used to be bewitched including me. He was seen going around with a very beautiful girl student. The George Bernard Shaw comedy, Arms and the man was staged in the school auditorium. The handsome boy and beautiful girl were the main actors. In class nine in my English class, we were asked to write a story by our master. I managed to translate a Malayalam story told by my mother. The master liked it so much that he told me he is keeping it himself. Then it was shifting to a new school building in Ballygunge Place. Then it was shifting of old school to a new school in Ballygunge place. It still is a beautiful building taken over by Birlas. Another memory is of my Konkani friend who once confided in me that a female student had a crush on her father. When I saw him, I knew the reason. He was tall and handsome. Those days he used to be the director of T Board. My friend was the second among 6 siblings. Had gone to her sprawling house and had a delicious Konkoni lunch. Her mother was a very homely lady. My friend had even presented her friends with bru botttles. In West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBSE), the board exam was after class 11. The students had to choose their stream from Science, Humanities and Commerce. The syllabus used to be from class 9 to 11. 3 years syllabus. I was a Humanities student.My subjects were Hindi, English, Psychology, Sanskrit and Home Science. My friends had sanskrit tuition. I managed to get marks in the 50s without any tuition. pass mark was 35. Home science class was interesting. It was on cooking and house keeping. It was 2 papers for each subject and the total marks were 1200. There was arts and craft class. The students had to make Alpana, a Bengali Rangoli with white designs on black chart. There was also clay vase painting with beautiful designs made by students and later varnished for the sleek look. I had taken Hindi as my first language along with English. It was beacause, with English as 1st language, it was Bengali as second language. We used to have 4 teachers to teach English and Hindi. Separate teachers for prose, poetry, grammar and composition. Same thing with Hindi. One of our Hindi teachers, a ,male, used to look very stern. We used to call him Ringmaster. There was a Hindi test taken by him. On the day of the result, I was absent. My friends had told me how he had praised me on my work. My Hindi teachers were Mrs Vijayalakshmi, Mr Tripathi (the ring master) Mr Mishta and Mr pandey. Don't remember the English teachers. In class 11 at the fag end, we had a new psychology master. He was very handsome. Though I admired him, I did not go to the length of the other girls who made a beeling to the wash room to freshen and beautify themselves. It was a pleasant surprise when he recogized me at college where he had come on a visit. I had once gone to pick up my son from school, he was in LKG. A person approached me saying he recognized me. On looking closely, I realized he was my drawing master. Happy people recognize me but I rarely do. In the humanities stream a boy used to be a bookworm whereas his brother in the science stream used to be very carefree. When board results were out, the brother in the science stream had come state first. Missing those glorious school days. Happy to have studied in a school which always was among the top 10.

The Dream

Dream Humanity with golden dreams amassing wealth of a wonderful honeymoon young males in complete admiration of beauty in front of them loved ones waiting in anticipation for return of their beloveds the hopes and the dreams shattered in a moment, with a deafening sound Mother Earth's fury for the devastation  of her lovely home for man's selfish motives making one remember that it is the Almighty who decides and not Man.

Life

Life The poor slogs to earn their livlihood to boost Man's ego toiling away in building the rich Man's dreams palace and mansions, 7 star hotels where the elite cools their heels enjoys their wealth not realizing what they enjoy is the poor man's sweat and blood sometimes leaving their families crossing the seven seas to see that their families are happy sacrificing their hapiness life is truly ironical massive structures set up but does the poor enjoy a day's stay in the buildings constucted after they are completed other than the dust and pollution inhaled when toiling away to complete te rich man's passion and dreams

On Parents and Children

What parents set as example, children learn. If parents set good examples, children behave accordingly. But all depends on how God wants it to be. There are good and honest parents with wicked and sinful children. But as parents, it is their duty to set good examples and for the children to take it or not is their concern. Some children hate the advices given but will surely learn or already learnt when they are taught a lesson or going to be taught a lesson. ill treating parents is one of the worst crimes.Parents sacrifice so much in bringing up their children. Children taking care of a parent or parents when they are penniless is very rare. There are children who praise parents sky high to get public praise, shower their love and respect on parents' photos hanging on walls after their demise when in real life parents are scorned and not given any respect. They are not given food or decent clothes but after demise, expensive rituals and grand feast are given. Some even shamelessly say that a mother taking care of her children is because it is her duty. Some daughters believe that a mother's place is with her son, she should live with her sons and not daughters. Why such narrow mindedness when a mother is the same for both son and daughter. There are parent/parents sometimes having to separate to stay with their children to adjust to their children's whims and fancies. Did parents anytime separate children thinking they are a burden? Parent/parents may sometimes be nagging, unadjusting and creating problems. Children too would have been the same, but parents bore it. Why can't children? A mother however nagging or cruel she is is after all is a mother. Even becomes a whore to take care of her children's needs. Mothers should give their the due respect and not be scorned for what she does. There are children whose ego does not allow them to adjust with their mothers. There are children who take off all the possessions of their parents and abandon them. They should remember they too have children. Good deed begets good deed. There are grand-children who adore grand parents and grand-children who along with their parents humilate their grand parents. Life is a vicious circle, bad deeds are like a boomerang, it will return back. There are a few children who take care of a parent/parents not expecting anything. The parent may have given all her possession to her child. In spite of it, the child does not show interest in taking care of her in old age. There are daughters and noble hearted sons-in-law who take care of mothers even without expecting anything from them. \ How can children who neglect parents live without their conscience pricking them? Such children are surely leading hypocritical and artificial lives. Parents' blessings are the true form of blessings. Even if they are not good parents, the children need not behave like them. Then there will be no difference Parents will be setting a very bad example to the growing children. This way there will be no goodness left on earth. There may be squabbles and fights between mother and daughter, but in the end she has to rest assured that she is being taken care of in spite of everything and has a home and not spend her life in any old age home. Truly said a single mother can take care of her 10 children but 10 children cannot take care of their single mother. In whichever house a mother is taken care of lovingly by the son and his wife, the house and the inmates are sure to earn God's blessings or they have to face the wrath of Shanidev (the Lord of Karma) for bad karma. A mythology says that when Lord Narasinmha becomes Nar and Narayan, they were wandering in a forest when they see a young husband and wife having an arguement. The wife was asking her husband to kill his mother and bring her heart. The husband enamoured with his wife decides to do so. Nar and Narayan change his mind, so he is filled with remorse after killing his mother. As he is proceeding to meet his wife, he trips on a stone and falls down and the heart is thrown at a distance. A voice is heard. "Son are you all right'. The son looks around and sees that the voice is coming from the heart.He is heartbroken, forsakes his evil wife, and finds solace in Nar and Narayan.

Tears

Tears tears of joy tears of sorrow tears come to eyes where the heart is full of love tears are not seen in the eyes of the stony hearts tears are the water that appears when a heart realizes the sins committed for selfish motives for a life lived ignobly hail the tears that appear in joy and in sorrow a sign that humanity exists