I don't know where to begin or rather who to begin with. Are they too many of them or there is too less to write. I think the answer lies mid-way.
Kunal made me ponder, who was the first one I bumped into in Manipal? Hmm... practically PG was the very first person I saw belonging to our college and the last one until I graduated from Sheffield; right from the flight I took to Manipal to my convocation at the Octagon. Funny how it didn't strike me until now. Next person I can bang on recollect is Ms. Shanbhag, my supposed roommate until I switched and she got a great friend.
Walking through the hall way of Valley view for the Orientation on Aug 24, 2007, I can't remember any faces I saw. Funny how it just doesn't strike, probably due to the nervousness!
Wait, I can recollect a loud confident voice talking to my mom. Aki was the next person I met. Very genius, very quick and extremely tom-boyish, I had NO idea I'd be knowing her for so so long. It was she who dragged me with her aura saying have you met this other girl from CAL? And I thought, these guys are crazy to have come from California to this town to do what, STUDY? To my disappointment, rather reassurance, CAL stood for our very own Bengali Capital, Calcutta. Phew. I did not know I'd be the co-occupier of 116 with this person from CAL, who I hadn't met yet.
In class on the following Monday after orientation, I came across Kunal, the Bombay-obsessed dude dressed in so called formals due to the fear of being ragged. He introduced me to the one with the large rounded alphabets, my favourite gentleman (literally) Rajnush. I was so excited I had found someone who had sophistication on his tongue and Delhi on his mind. The encounter was short and the repercussions of that even shorter. Engrossed in completely different worlds, we fell in this gap that just grew deeper as the eventful two years passed by.
Shreya from CAL was the one I was destined to stay with for two consecutive years of Manipal. Crazy about clothes and shoes and vacations and magazines etc we couldn't have gone wrong in any sense while choosing a roommate. Sometimes similarities strike and they did. When the issue of different continents sets in, you're in for a big gap.
One day after some lecture ended, these thin scrawny boys (I am sure they look very different now) walked into our section and started talking to their hostel inmates. I don't remember who all were they, but I do know one of them became my great friend, that is, Saurab aka Juicy. I had literally explored Manipal with him , just aimlessly walking around, chatting about our different lives in different cities. As soon as dinner ended at the mess, I used to wait for Saurab to religiously arrive at the gate of 13th block; it was amazing to just converse with someone who was exactly opposite yet so understanding. That too, I must say did not carry on too long as the 70 percent pass mark kicked us around in the butt.
Another light weight and my reallllly good friend, Mr. Chandak with the Chaplin mostache, kept flying around here and there due to reasons known and unknown. I remember meeting him through Saurab. He spoke, but very occasionally and when he did, boy he made sense. He has been my "father" throughout Manipal and even after. Absorbed in his semi conductors and programming, he rarely would look at you if the purpose wasn't important enough. Clan-ned up with his men, I am so proud he has found time for me even though I have been just like a kid bugging/annoying/blaming him or even better. just fighting with him even though the fault was very much my own.
Then there was the curly haired Coorg queen, Subbaiah; very popular with the boys and also on the basket ball ground, she never ever found a single moment when she was troubled/tensed or bounded by issues. There for me throughout Manipal, I have no idea where she is today but I hope is just like she has always been i.e. Smiling.
Closely following Ati from Bangalore, was Mihir with his 'waist on the knees' jeans and flashing boxers. Too much fun to be around and talks too deep to sometimes comprehend, he had times going for him in his little town where language was not a barrier for him and charm was endless. Not to forget his clan of late arrivers in class and constant mocking attitude. Studying with him to fighting because I didn't get things done my way, I had an amazing time just trying to figure him out.
And there were many others who left a significant mark in my mind whether it was borrowing Gossip girl from Meghna or Lindtts from Zoya or 'gossip' from Shrimayi or dance moves from Sonia.
Wonderful for me to have been touch with you guys and even those who are not mentioned here, I swear there have too many moments highlighted in the back of my mind but of course I am getting old to savour every memory! so forgive me !
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