I have absolutely no excuse for delaying this post. (Literally proves why I have been an utter tool and idiot).
I ended off previously at the onset of Puja Vacation. What a lovely time it was, 7 days of home after what seemed such a long time. The train journey from Kgp to Mumbai had been eventful with some European Passengers in the opposite berth. Their saucy romance on the upper berth may find a mention in some other tabloid (This is about us, the three idiots, isn't it eh?). The return journey was quite morose as I tried to savour and recall each of 7 days of home.
Right back from the Puja, I had to start preparing for the Electronics Lab Test the very next day. The signs of the Old Man were uncanny and it was prudent that I atleast paid attention to the boring (depleted and unhelpful) Lab manual. Puneet on his return would have had the Old Man for company from Kgp station had he not slipped off like a squirrel. The Lab test passed off rather uneventfully and I was glad. Diwali was on the horizon and it was something which gladdened up my mood.
Babu had tuned up his fiercesome, incredible capacity to entertain. He was back (with a slightly swollen tummy). The fun started when Babu envisaged playing TT (short for Table Tennis). There were a couple of tables in the hall foyer and these were to be shared by around 400 boarders. Babu set out with a disciplined walk (without his Table Tennis bat) to the table, the sole purpose being to investigate if it was occupied. Do note that it was around a 100m of walk to and fro. Babu found the table unoccupied and came back with jubilance to fetch his TT Bat. He walked down to the table, as fate had it, there was someone playing TT there now. Babu came back again. Daroo was patiently observing this excercise and could not help wondering why Babu walked 200m when the TT room was easily visible from the ME block balcony.
Babu gave up on TT pretty much sooner. He now turned to Badminton for solace. He had an accomplice in the cunning Tukai. Babu it seemed had the conception of Badminton as purely whacking the shuttle cock as hard as you could. Yelling along with the whacking was pure satisfaction to him. Tukai it seemed was equally content with this methodology, only that he thankfully omitted the yelling from his game.
Babu thought he had struck gold at the Barber's shop (To visualize this, you will have to see those wild west movies of Bud Spencer or Clint Eastwood where there was a similar setup). Now the barber had been playing the songs of Mohra (Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon & bla bla flick) which had been more than a decade old. The song "Tu cheez badi hain mast mast" bowled over his intellect and in a flash he bought the audio cassette (Thankfully available at that time). The next few days were spent in admiring the melody and the 'grace' of those elder days!
Babu however was obstructed with another event. Diwali was drawing close and it was time for Illu (short for illumination). The event was (and is) the hallmark of Kgp where all the halls battle it out for coming first and thus bagging the bragging rights for the year. It involves stringing thousands of earthern diyas on bamboo mats (called chattais) and illuminating them. Every hall bases this on a central theme. MS too was in it though we were the under dogs being freshies. The theme of MS was "The role of science and technology through Indian history". Thousands of Diyas were required for this and all needed to be strung by metal wire which was the medium of binding them to the chattai. Each of us needed to participate for this by doing atleast 50 a day.
Now being in the fresher year (and still hallucinated by ideas of rocking the world and futile study) not many were eager to do this labor. Hall council and some merry makers resorted to full use of the EPBAX system (intercom in simple terms). There would be announcements regarding the fine that would be imposed through mess dues on a named boarder should he not turn up within a specified time (mostly a minute or two). This system did not last long, as some concerned and alert freshers summoned up the energy to go and query the Dean of Student affairs if this was admissible. EPBAX system was never resorted to after that.
After a week, only a few continued to labour on (we were not amongst that few). Daroo was amongst that few, and it had probably become the goal of his life to see the work finished. Their gallant efforts paid off and with the help of all the boarders in the final couple of days, MS was ready to show off its stuff.
Now the process of exhibiting the chattais is quite formal (I shall put it as succintly and precisely as I recall, additions and corrections are welcome). The chattais are kept ready with the diyas and wicks in their places. The 'Dry test' is conducted (multiple times). This implies burning the wicks and then just dousing them. This makes the tip of the wick easy to light at the time of the competition. Tables (from rooms) are already in place and each boarder is assigned a portion of a chattai (and a candle) to make sure his territory is well lit up. Once the signal is given (typically when it is learnt that the judges are just going to inspect the previous hall), all of the boarders start lighting the Diyas. Some of them have to climb up to heights well above the first storey. The lighting of diyas goes on, there is a monitor who watches the progress and goads the lads on. Updates about the positioning of the judges are given. Once all the chattais are lit, its clearance time. All the tables are quickly pushed away and carried into confinement. This is a very fast process ( I have seen people literally leaping from the tables and others pushing that very table out to be hidden from the sight of the judges). All boarders then take up their places within the dark area where they would be out of sight of the judge.
The procession then arrives with the judges, with them are eminent people like the Director of the insitute, their families and other student reps. All lights of the hall are turned off. Only the diyas remain as a source of illumination. It is impossible not be awed by the bliss of the moment. The procession is welcomed by the committee of the Hall, a group of people who express the theme of the illumination, and show them around. The procession passes, inspects the chattais, the rangolis and the other miscellaneous objects (a very coarse word). Photographs are taken, words of intrigue, wonder and compliments are exchanged and then the procession passes off. The boarders await this moment. No one can stop them now. Watch around 400 dark, greasy, grizzly guys smelling of sweat, who have not bathed for the day. They come out and deliver the characteristic Tempo Shout. They have labored for this very moment. More than a month of preparation and sleepless nights have been the background for this moment. The Tempo shout can be heard half a kilometre away.
The general public is now allowed to enter the hall and marvel at the handiwork of 400 guys. They glance with awe at the creation of art by students who have been the creme de la creme of India. The boarders are to ensure smooth conduit of these people and play the good host. Only after this can they go to their rooms, wash up and then go out to watch the work of their fellow friends in the other halls.
There have been debates (and will go on) whether this is warranted. But Illu is synonymous with Kgp and probably the only college event of its kind in the world (This statement is open for correction). The team spirit and the jubilance developed for those few minutes of explosive joy probably makes the event worth the sleepless nights and the hard work.
Well, it turned out to be an excellent night for MS, photogenic views and also the pot of rasogollas as the prize to savour. We made out to take the round of various halls and watch their creations. Kgp street lights are also turned off and the streets are full with people from and outside the campus, carrying back tales of wonder to their homes.
We went out into the night, virtually the whole ME block. Hotel Dreamland was full and we had to wait for a couple of hours till midnight to snatch the first morsel of food. But the night was cold and worth it. The long walk back to MS was exciting as usual, the stray dogs made it eventful by barking their heads off at us in the cold. It was the first time, I thought I started loving Kgp.
Endsems however began the next week. There were no marks for pulling off a great illu. One day rest and we had to get back to mugging process.
So much for now, Adieu.
I ended off previously at the onset of Puja Vacation. What a lovely time it was, 7 days of home after what seemed such a long time. The train journey from Kgp to Mumbai had been eventful with some European Passengers in the opposite berth. Their saucy romance on the upper berth may find a mention in some other tabloid (This is about us, the three idiots, isn't it eh?). The return journey was quite morose as I tried to savour and recall each of 7 days of home.
Right back from the Puja, I had to start preparing for the Electronics Lab Test the very next day. The signs of the Old Man were uncanny and it was prudent that I atleast paid attention to the boring (depleted and unhelpful) Lab manual. Puneet on his return would have had the Old Man for company from Kgp station had he not slipped off like a squirrel. The Lab test passed off rather uneventfully and I was glad. Diwali was on the horizon and it was something which gladdened up my mood.
Babu had tuned up his fiercesome, incredible capacity to entertain. He was back (with a slightly swollen tummy). The fun started when Babu envisaged playing TT (short for Table Tennis). There were a couple of tables in the hall foyer and these were to be shared by around 400 boarders. Babu set out with a disciplined walk (without his Table Tennis bat) to the table, the sole purpose being to investigate if it was occupied. Do note that it was around a 100m of walk to and fro. Babu found the table unoccupied and came back with jubilance to fetch his TT Bat. He walked down to the table, as fate had it, there was someone playing TT there now. Babu came back again. Daroo was patiently observing this excercise and could not help wondering why Babu walked 200m when the TT room was easily visible from the ME block balcony.
Babu gave up on TT pretty much sooner. He now turned to Badminton for solace. He had an accomplice in the cunning Tukai. Babu it seemed had the conception of Badminton as purely whacking the shuttle cock as hard as you could. Yelling along with the whacking was pure satisfaction to him. Tukai it seemed was equally content with this methodology, only that he thankfully omitted the yelling from his game.
Babu thought he had struck gold at the Barber's shop (To visualize this, you will have to see those wild west movies of Bud Spencer or Clint Eastwood where there was a similar setup). Now the barber had been playing the songs of Mohra (Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon & bla bla flick) which had been more than a decade old. The song "Tu cheez badi hain mast mast" bowled over his intellect and in a flash he bought the audio cassette (Thankfully available at that time). The next few days were spent in admiring the melody and the 'grace' of those elder days!
Babu however was obstructed with another event. Diwali was drawing close and it was time for Illu (short for illumination). The event was (and is) the hallmark of Kgp where all the halls battle it out for coming first and thus bagging the bragging rights for the year. It involves stringing thousands of earthern diyas on bamboo mats (called chattais) and illuminating them. Every hall bases this on a central theme. MS too was in it though we were the under dogs being freshies. The theme of MS was "The role of science and technology through Indian history". Thousands of Diyas were required for this and all needed to be strung by metal wire which was the medium of binding them to the chattai. Each of us needed to participate for this by doing atleast 50 a day.
Now being in the fresher year (and still hallucinated by ideas of rocking the world and futile study) not many were eager to do this labor. Hall council and some merry makers resorted to full use of the EPBAX system (intercom in simple terms). There would be announcements regarding the fine that would be imposed through mess dues on a named boarder should he not turn up within a specified time (mostly a minute or two). This system did not last long, as some concerned and alert freshers summoned up the energy to go and query the Dean of Student affairs if this was admissible. EPBAX system was never resorted to after that.
After a week, only a few continued to labour on (we were not amongst that few). Daroo was amongst that few, and it had probably become the goal of his life to see the work finished. Their gallant efforts paid off and with the help of all the boarders in the final couple of days, MS was ready to show off its stuff.
Now the process of exhibiting the chattais is quite formal (I shall put it as succintly and precisely as I recall, additions and corrections are welcome). The chattais are kept ready with the diyas and wicks in their places. The 'Dry test' is conducted (multiple times). This implies burning the wicks and then just dousing them. This makes the tip of the wick easy to light at the time of the competition. Tables (from rooms) are already in place and each boarder is assigned a portion of a chattai (and a candle) to make sure his territory is well lit up. Once the signal is given (typically when it is learnt that the judges are just going to inspect the previous hall), all of the boarders start lighting the Diyas. Some of them have to climb up to heights well above the first storey. The lighting of diyas goes on, there is a monitor who watches the progress and goads the lads on. Updates about the positioning of the judges are given. Once all the chattais are lit, its clearance time. All the tables are quickly pushed away and carried into confinement. This is a very fast process ( I have seen people literally leaping from the tables and others pushing that very table out to be hidden from the sight of the judges). All boarders then take up their places within the dark area where they would be out of sight of the judge.
The procession then arrives with the judges, with them are eminent people like the Director of the insitute, their families and other student reps. All lights of the hall are turned off. Only the diyas remain as a source of illumination. It is impossible not be awed by the bliss of the moment. The procession is welcomed by the committee of the Hall, a group of people who express the theme of the illumination, and show them around. The procession passes, inspects the chattais, the rangolis and the other miscellaneous objects (a very coarse word). Photographs are taken, words of intrigue, wonder and compliments are exchanged and then the procession passes off. The boarders await this moment. No one can stop them now. Watch around 400 dark, greasy, grizzly guys smelling of sweat, who have not bathed for the day. They come out and deliver the characteristic Tempo Shout. They have labored for this very moment. More than a month of preparation and sleepless nights have been the background for this moment. The Tempo shout can be heard half a kilometre away.
The general public is now allowed to enter the hall and marvel at the handiwork of 400 guys. They glance with awe at the creation of art by students who have been the creme de la creme of India. The boarders are to ensure smooth conduit of these people and play the good host. Only after this can they go to their rooms, wash up and then go out to watch the work of their fellow friends in the other halls.
There have been debates (and will go on) whether this is warranted. But Illu is synonymous with Kgp and probably the only college event of its kind in the world (This statement is open for correction). The team spirit and the jubilance developed for those few minutes of explosive joy probably makes the event worth the sleepless nights and the hard work.
Well, it turned out to be an excellent night for MS, photogenic views and also the pot of rasogollas as the prize to savour. We made out to take the round of various halls and watch their creations. Kgp street lights are also turned off and the streets are full with people from and outside the campus, carrying back tales of wonder to their homes.
We went out into the night, virtually the whole ME block. Hotel Dreamland was full and we had to wait for a couple of hours till midnight to snatch the first morsel of food. But the night was cold and worth it. The long walk back to MS was exciting as usual, the stray dogs made it eventful by barking their heads off at us in the cold. It was the first time, I thought I started loving Kgp.
Endsems however began the next week. There were no marks for pulling off a great illu. One day rest and we had to get back to mugging process.
So much for now, Adieu.
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