ME ,MYSELF – THE FOURTH
Its been more than a year that I wrote about Me & Myself. No, I’d not forgotten to do that. Always wanted to write on Me & Myself after every 5 episodes,
ALAS!!!
Lets begin where we left:
My school : Schooling was at DEHU ( near PUNE)—classes 3rd-8th) and Jabalpur I did my 9th & 10th) with the finishing ie: 11th at St Joseph’s Convent -Bhopal. ( Those days we finished schooling in class
11.
A time of shifting from school to college was the transition from being a school student to a collegiate. I joined MLB College Bhopal.
When you transition from school to college, a lot happens: Uniforms become a thing of the past, the regimentation of strict schooling coupled with stiffer doctrines by parents also undergoes some change. They visibly looked more relaxed. While we grown up kids start looking more carefully at ourselves. We start to think: I’m a big GIRL now!
Mom and me went to Chintamani Chowk- a popular haunt for shopping those days. Picked up half a dozen sets of fabric and soon the measurements , the tailoring, and a new wardrobe was being planned. ( Mind you- quite a few salwar suits ( chooridaar were in fashion those days) were tailored by my mom. Most mom did this, and me too would sit some times to run the machine .
Well, college was the usual as any college would be. A dilapidated college bus would pick us up (to nd fro), and we would all sing songs with ANTAKSHADI and yes, I used to be my fathers guide to take their official guests around the historical town . Those days were fun. I used to be picked up from college in a car with our guests, took them around the imposing SECRETATIAT>> BIRLA MANDIR>>>T>T> NAGAR( SHOPPING OF KOSA SAREES from M.P.EMPORIUM>>HATAI KHEDA DAM>> and then the CHINTAMANIN CHOWK. Here in ladies would go berserk at seeing huge mounds of loose fabric of varying qualities and at very cost effective rates. is. I would then take them to ZARI WALA AND PAREKH BROTHERS. The famous Pot-e ( very small glass beads) ke purses and potlees.
The Finale would be 4 Poori aloo sabzi patla patla boondi raiita and pickle sabzi –ALL just for Rs 1/- The Gulab jamun was another Rs 1/- per piece. I recently went to Chowk bazzar and definitely the same sabzi poori was the unspoken destination: this time it was 75Rs . But did we enjoy it!!! Yes ofcourse. The taste was/ is still the same.
So my Initial college days were really uneventful at MLB college.Wait let me tell you a couple of anecdotes: MlB college annual function: A selected few
Took part in the annual function. “Hare Rama hare Krishna” was a hit movie those days: See me here dresses to enact ‘Zeenat Amman “ role while ‘ Afshan Zahir”
Did the boyz role. Ive been trying desperately to locate her also!!!
Ah Yes, But wait!!!
Another poignant story of my LIFE : .
Our Premed exams were nearing, we were all vying to appear for our entrances here there and every where.
I was a very studious kind- something like 20 hours of studies types. Did not know how to relax. I would get tense when some friend would call and say that she had covered the syllabus and I had not. My anxiety grew to such a level that one day I suddenly declared that I would not want to study further, would stay at home and do nothing. My family got worried, they told me that I was so keen to become a doctor..what if u do not appear for the exam? How would you become a doc, if not Doctor then what would I do?
I blurted: I would become an air hostess, a film actress because they needn’t study further. The family must have passed through a bad time I’m sure.
They took me to the Army psychiatrist in MH Bhopal. He said- Nothing was wrong, asked me to Relax. But I would still not study. Then one day my Father n one of his friends ( who was equally concxerned about my mental status)-COL KALSI took me to meet the Principal- of MLB college _ Mrs Indu Mehta.
Spoke with her, explained to her my situation . She counseled me- all to no avail. I said – I do not want to appear in the coming exams.
She hob nobbed with the staff, and asked my father to bring me the next day.
NEXT DAY:
The HOD’s of BIOLOGY/ PHSYICS/ CHEMISTRY all were there.
They then spoke their mind:
“It is against our rules to divulge such information, but since you are a very good student we are taking the liberty and explaining that you have done exceptionally well in the practical exams. YOU have maxed two out of the three practical’s. Only Chemistry you have scored 98/100. Bio/ Phsyics 100/100. You will definitely do very well, Fear not. DO not study if u do not want to. Just relax, but appear in the exams.”
Such was the peer pressure of the HOD’s and the PRINCIPAL’S motherly affection that she showered over me –I agreed to appear without studying .You might find it ironical, you might feel this is all a bluff. But I did not study next ten days. I would have panic attacks- would start to cry if I was but asked to study. Parents were told not to pressurize me.
We used to have an open air cinema hall in the Bhopal cantt ( father being in Army- we had such privileges)
I would see a movie in the open air theater, come home , flip through the notes and go and appear for exams the next day.
I did not expect to pass. The faculty had their own version , and were very confident and kept reassuring my father.
Lo & behold I stood 9 th in the order of Merit that year in the univ.
See what a nervous break down can do to you.
All because one girl- another Army officer’s daughter would call and tell me every day..I have finished my third revision. Oh My God! You haven’t even started the second revision.
So lesson learnt:
Never compare.
Never trust any one completely.
Take your own time -see your own limits.
I guess, I was a good student, very much in control, but some times things do happen.
They happen to every one , once in a while. They happened to me as well.
Having written my funny but poignant story I need to tell you one more: There was a friend: Parvati Naidu. She was in the same batch, daughter of a clerk of the MES( Military engineering services). She would come home , pick up a crying non studying girl from her house, take me to her house. We would have sambhar rice sabzi sitting on the floor of her two room house. She would tell me- “Don’t study, but help me to understand some queries.”
Being asked to help, I would readily explain, teach and make her understand. In the bargain I guess she helped me to indirectly revise. Then we would go to see the movie, and then sleep and face exam the next day.
So I owe my gratefulness to Our Principal ma’am, the science faculty, Parvati Naidu, my parents and the fauji sahayak-Gian Singh bahiya ( pumping me with glasses full of fresh nimbu pani to boost my morale ) who stood by me in times of distress!!!
I wonder where she is today. Still looking for her.
Friends this is all about my self in Me & Myself the fourth
My First year of premed at MLB College BHOPAL
Tra – la – la – laaaaaa !!!
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