1.06 Eelake-sons - Beats

Part 1.06 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read the other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

 ~~~~

Elections at BITS Pilani are the most boring afffair ever.

No anti campaigning.

Duh!

Run by goons called members of the election commission (GEC: La Elakeson Commissien Goone) the only interesting thing is speculations on who will be sacrificed this time. As a tradition every year these GECs pick up a random candidate and cancel his (always) / her (the only motive of ‘her’ is to make this statement politically correct) nomination.

****

This year’s election was between two (for the lack of a better metaphor) tigers. Let’s call them Tiger A and Tiger B. Now Tiger A had always worked hard, he was a CBT (Tigris Beste Collegie... Eh?) and a GSA  winner. Tiger B on the other hand was a sincere tiger, keeping everyone happy.

As you can see it was going to be an interesting election.

Tiger A and B started a widespread and massive campaign. Roping in as much support as they could. Everyone had to choose sides. I did too.

Then came the much awaited audi-ragging.

In an audi-ragging the GEC choose a panel of chipmunks to rag (question the validity of the manifestoes) the Tigers.

It is still an unproven rumour that Tiger B ate one of the chipmunks. Tiger A was seen handing over bribe to head chipmunk.

Two days before the voting the GEC made the ceremonious decision to declare that Tiger A was in fact a Chihuahua. Read as, cancelled the nomination of Tiger B.
We (I and 2000 other BITSians) decided to not vote for the Chihuahua resulting in a victory where No One won and rest is history!

****

One day I got a call from Sashi.

Come to IPC, its urgent. Really urgent!

Wondering what could have gone wrong I rushed to IPC. As I entered I could see Sashi smiling. In a very cautious way he pointed his finger towards the corner seat.

There she was. Sitting in a white dress, the light of the world. Anamika.

I had to talk to her today.

Gathering my courage. I tiptoed along the aisle. Silently taking the seat beside her (yes, it was empty ). She had opened the new social social networking site, Facebook. I was on Facebook too. (Orkut was the way to go those days). While I was making my mind on the best words to strike a conversation, I noticed she was facing some difficulty with her computer.

I offered my two words, “Go to network settings and disable the proxy.”

Continuing, “Network settings will be under.....”

She cut me off, “Done that. There is some real problem with the DNS server here in resolving the local addresses. As long as you use the IP address for local sites you will be okay.”

She closed her session. Got up. Took her bag and left.

~~~~

In next part, the heat of Academics.

---

In real life:
If you are really interested in what happened in the SU elections, read my post http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/2009/07/year-after-none-won-elections-at-bits.html

1.05 Crash! Bang! Boom! - Beats

This post was due long, long ago. Apologies to all who were following the series.

Part 1.05 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read the other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

~~~~

It was as if someone had slowed down time. I saw her move a lock of hair from her face. She went to the first floor. I involuntarily followed her. I caught a familiar but irritating smell. I ignored.

I hid behind the shelves. What if she was a senior? I peeked through the gaps. She and her friends were leaving. I stepped back.

CRASH!

Something heavy hit my head. I had collided with someone standing on a stool behind me, ending with a thick bound volume on my head. I quickly muttered an apology, handed over the book and ran out.

She had disappeared. I could not find her.

****

Within a week on campus the walls of the Messes were full of notices of club/dept. interactions. My language is horrible. So, EPC, EDC, Symposiarch, HAS, HPC and HDC were ruled out. Didn’t even think about Music Club, DOT, Arbits or Jhankar as acting, singing or dancing was out of question.

Finally, I decided on ACM. I could always become a GBM. Their session in the LTC turned out to be more of a promotional affair than a recruitment session. Later, they asked the interested people to assemble in the LTC-QT. After the 2 hour session on Newsletters, Free Windows DVDs and confusing tech related stuff, I was feeling drowsy. Anyway, I stayed. Not because I was a techie kind, but because the girl from the library was also there.

Someone passed a paper for everyone to write our names. She was the first one to pen it down. Nice! When the paper came to me, I glanced at the top.

Anamika, 9772018000, 2008B5PS....

I couldn’t read more. It had started raining.

The halls had been locked. We sat on the stairs. Someone suggested a game of Mafia.

What?

It took some time for everyone to understand the rules. I was a mafia in the first round. I pointed my gun at Anamika.

BANG!

Two more mafias had joined me. Anamika was dead. We had won. She was the village leader. :)

****

I didn’t get in ACM.

So, I joined DOSA. The biggest department. Department of Spectators.

BOOM!

The SU elections arrived. There were loudspeakers everywhere. Jeeps. Pamphlets. We couldn’t even sleep at night.

Ok. Ok. Enough! Now the reality. The SU Elections at BITS turned out to be the most mundane of their type. Pamphlets, posters, promotional material of any kind were prohibited. No, campaigning at night. Huh!! Ever seen an election like this?

~~~~

In next part, the unusual SU elections.

---

In real life:

The first floor of the Library is the home of Journals. The old ones were archived and bound into thick volumes. The smell in the library was of old paper, which is an integral part of the archives section. And, 9772018000 is my number.

1.04 The Beauty and The Gulab Jamuns - Beats

Part 1.04 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read the other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

~~~~

I left my room at 6 o’clock. VK#129, was the dreaded destination.

People should eat in their own messes. Why had the senior decided to take a tour of RB Mess on the first day? Why was he in front of me? Why did my sambhar fall on him? Had one of the three things not happened, I would have been a free man now.

I prayed he would not be there. I nimbly knocked at the door.

He was there. After, making me sit inside. He said, ‘I will make you wash my shirt!’ And went out.

I saw some Hollywood actress adorned his desktop wallpaper, I didn’t know who. I wondered where he had gone. Probably, to bring some washing powder.

The mystery was soon solved he entered with 2 of friends.

‘Your intro!’
I mumbled my name and branch. I guessed as soon as I gave my proper intro they would shift to something else. So, better keep them engaged on intro as long as I could.

‘What is this? Don’t you know the format?’
‘No’
‘Didn’t anyone teach you?’
‘No’

I wondered, if I will answer all questions at BITS as ‘No’. Getting me to a proper intro took about 20 minutes. Wow! Only 40 minutes till dinner, now.

There was a knock at the door. Someone entered carrying two plates of Gulab Jamuns. Everyone in the room jumped on them, except me of course. But, he moved them out of their reach.

‘These are for the cutie pie here’
No one had called me that before!

‘It is drugged.’
‘It contains ....

More, warnings continued. I reasoned. They can’t drug me now. There is no way to carry me out unnoticed. And, they can’t have me lying unconscious for long. And, anyway they all had jumped at the sight of the Gulab Jamuns.

I took two.

‘No, ragging for you if you finish this plate.’

I counted. 7 more. WTF, 7 again? Anyway, eating is better than ragging.

It was dinner time. I was granted leave.

****

I had no more room for dinner. I decided to take a walk to the library. It was there that I saw the most beautiful girl ever. She was with two of her friends. I could see her hair swaying in the light breeze.

Ok. Ok. It was not so dramatic, there was no breeze it was the fan. But, she was attractive and her hair looked beautiful.

~~~~

In the next part, club interactions and finding out more about the girl. Next post will be from campus. :)

---

In real life:

I still wonder, whether those Gulab Jamuns were really for me? And, the room VK#129, is my room during my second year at college.

1.03 Scary Ragging - Beats

Part 1.03 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read the other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

~~~~

Later on we came to know that, we were allowed out of hostel throughout the night.

Next morning, I had my interview with Dean, PSD. In his office the assistants had properly pinned up my application to BITS. To, my horror I noticed that my three page letter about errors in BITSAT was also there.

Last thing I wanted the Dean to see was that letter. The assistant handed me my application and ushered me in the Dean’s chamber.

‘Good Morning, Sir!’
‘Good Morning indeed.’

He took my application. Hopefully my morning would be good and he would not notice the letter.

‘Did you pass boards this year?’
‘No’
‘I see you appeared for BITSAT last year too. Did you apply for admission?’
‘No’
‘Did you clear last year’s cutoff?’
‘No’
‘Did you take any coaching?’
‘No’

I could see him making some marks on his clipboard. I hoped he would ask me something that didn’t have no as an answer.

‘OK. About your hobbies. Do you sing, dance?’
‘No’
‘Do you like listening to music?’
‘No’
‘OK. Do you have any questions?’
‘No, Sir’
‘Very well. Then I think you can leave.’
‘Thank you, Sir!’

7 Nos and my interview was over. Why did everything had to be 7? The good part was he didn’t see my letter.

****

After lunch a few seniors came to our wing. They assembled us in one room.

‘You!’, pointing at me a scary looking senior said. ‘Give me your intro! You know the format right?’
‘No’, I lied. Though, I had rehearsed it last night.

Somebody knocked on the door. I opened it. Rakesh entered wearing shorts.

‘What are you wearing?’

Before Rakesh could muster any answer, the senior continued.

‘Is this the way to come before seniors?’
‘Where are your manners?’
‘I will make you sit on the overhanging there and change your clothes!’
‘Go! Change and come.’

Rakesh left.

‘Now, you give me your intro.’

I mumbled my name and branch. Opened the door and rushed out. I was trembling. Will there be any repercussions? Thoughts like Raghvan Committee, Supreme Court Order, SWD, Warden were swarming in my head.

Sashi came out.

‘You scared those guys in there. They sent me to make sure you don’t complain.’
I smiled. Said, ‘Can I? They didn’t do anything to me.’

I went to my room. My watch showed 5:30 PM. Half an hour till my meeting with the senior from mess. But, this time I would be alone.......

~~~~

In the next part, the kind of ragging I didn’t expect.

---

In real life:
For part 1.02: I did confuse one senior as a fresher and addressed him as ‘तुम!’. But, thankfully the coming of our warden saved me from the awkwardness of the situation.

1.02 What’s in a name? - Beats

Part 1.02 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read the other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

~~~~

The fiasco at the mess earned me an invitation to the senior’s room. Ah, this on day one?

My mind raced looking for alternatives. I could not go at all..... Would he remember me? Or, I could go just before a lecture....

But, he solved the mystery for me.... ‘Meet me tomorrow at six, before dinner!’ .... 7 magical words, my death sentence.... I nodded my head, I could barely nibble my roti. Reason: I had choked....

Back at my room, my roomie offered some advice.

‘Meet the warden’.... Tell him what? I dropped sambhar on a senior and was too dumb to apologise?
‘Use the SWD anti-ragging service’.... He hadn’t ragged me yet!!

To get my mind off I went out to meet my wingies.... They were already busy talking in a group outside....

A quick intro took place. There were six of them.....

Som, Mech.
Indu, Mech.
Sashi, Mech.
Vidhu, Mech.

What? Can this really be a coincidence..... Did the BITS guys believed in numerology or something?

Rakesh, B.Pharm.

This drove the final nail in.... it reminded me of my Hindi Classes. All names were synonyms of ‘Moon’.... ah..

There was one guy left, was he too shy? I tried to be friendly. I placed my hand on this shoulder.

‘Dude, what are you afraid of? What about you?’

‘Ravi, Bio and Pharmacy.’

Finally, a ‘sun’. Already, telling everyone B.Pharms as dual? He seemed discouraged. I felt, I should cheer him up. Others had fallen silent.

He added, ‘4th Year.’

What? Another senior? I promised myself, I would wipe out the word ‘Dude’ from my dictionary... Waiting for my predicament, I could see the silent smirks on the faces of my wingies.

I silently prayed to each and every God I could recall..... God you are not blind nor deaf nor dumb....

No, he was not. I could hear God’s voice....

He was speaking to me, ‘Warden!’

‘Yes, God but the warden in not here! Please save me!’

‘No, not the God. Idiot! The warden is coming! Run! We are out of our rooms at 10 in the night!! Run!!’

It was not God. My wingies were shouting. Someone had spotted the warden on his rounds. We ran into the closest room..... The senior disappeared into the toilet.

~~~~

In the next part, my meeting with the senior on whom I had dropped sambhar and my first taste of ‘Ragging’.

---

In real life:

In reality rather five of my wingies were Mechites. Two of them had names which were synonyms of ‘Sun’.

1.01 Looser’s Day Out - Beats

Part 1.01 of a multipart fiction about college life.

Read other parts by going to: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats

~~~~

Note: The spelling and grammar mistakes are intentional.
Extra Note: Any kind of mistake is intentional.

I entered BITS with a high head, after all I had got admission to the bestest college in the country.

****

At the reception.

At the reception counter the official asked us to line up. He demanded everyone to take out some document. I fumbled in my folder. Luck was on my side. I got the paper out first. Partly to jump the queue and partly to impress the beautiful girl in front, I held the paper high above my head. The official looked impressed. He took my paper. As he read it the smile on his face changed to a frown. He pointed at the board above, ‘Can’t you read? Yours is the next counter!’

****

At the orientation.

I was gaping with awe at the grand Auditorium. The girl in front of me turned back to talk to someone, he was not there. She saw me and said, ‘You don’t wear braces. Why is your jaw hanging?’

The VC was explaining about the flexibilities. I was sitting at the back. He said, ‘You all have got this timetable booklet. Didn’t you?’ I instinctively raised my timetable and shouted, ‘Yes, Sir!’ Everyone around me turned to look at me as if I had done something funny. Luckily, the VC hadn’t heard me, he was too far. I sunk lower in my chair.

****

At the mess.

There was a long queue. I so much hate queues!!! :( As I approached the food the queue turned into a crowd. To escape out I held my tray higher, was a bad idea though. My sambhar fell on the guy in front. I was lucky it didn’t fall on me. But, not much he was a senior.

****

Three brilliant strokes of luck in a day. I had never been luckier. Still I messed up. I wished I didn’t get lucky anymore.

Beats: Rhythm of College Life

A multipart fiction about college life. Resulting from my loss to the tiny desperate writer within me. Since the victory was not complete I will write this in small parts. As and when the writer surfaces.

To Read,

Just look for the tag ‘Beats’ on my blog, or

Goto: http://sweetnpure.blogspot.com/search/label/Beats.

A year after NONE won the Elections at BITS-Pilani: Part of Chronicles of my freshman year at BITS

BITSians are the elite few who get the option to vote for ‘None’ in the elections. And, right in my freshman year ‘None’ got crowned the President of the BITS Students’ Union.

The Students’ Union (SU) election was laced up with every type political excitement possible albeit in a controlled environment. The hum of elections started even before the nominations were filed. Friends of a particular candidate for the post of SU President (Prez) very sweetly offered us (us being me and my freshmen friends) advice and help regarding college matters. They obviously didn’t forget to mention the academic laurels achieved by their friend at the end of their pep talk. We were reminded to keep mum about the friendly advice as campaigning was not allowed till then. This was my first interaction with college politics. The election for the SU Prez took many interesting twists and turns thereafter.

After the nominations were finalized, the fight became more bitter. There were just two candidates running for the post of Prez. With each passing day supporters of each candidate pulled out a new trick to woo the electorate.

Then came the legendary Audi Debate, better known as Audi Ragging. Hey, I always wanted to shout out slogans for the candidate I supported but the EC had issued a strict warning against any such chanting. Since, I did not wish to be thrown out I satisfied myself with clapping extra loud for him. Eventually, towards the end people did break out with loud cheers. Though to my joy, I did see a clear winner emerge in this verbal battle.

Regionalism obviously doesn’t appeal to the well informed mass here, but as indigenous as BITSian can get they devised a new way to play this card. Someone accused a candidate of wooing voters on the ground of regionalism. Ah! We all thought how cheap! Here is someone asking for my vote since I belong to his state, how wicked. More accusations flowed in. Then poof came the Election Commission (EC) with its cane. Out came a verdict with warnings of heavy retributions in case it was disobeyed. The EC had put up a blanket ban on the campaigns of a candidate.

Hah! We got a sigh of relief. No more campaigns for the weekend. Not that we were troubled, in anyway. The rules of EC are very strict here. A toe out of line here or there and EC makes you invisible from the whole scene.

One evening we heard strange rumours about EC banning a candidate from contesting the election. Well, we didn’t believe in them. Out of two candidates if you throw out one, then there is no competition. Next day there were notices all over the campus stating that the rumours were indeed true. Ah! This hurt, when in reality no one I knew had ever found any of the accusations to be true.

Then was the night of uncertainty. A motion to dissolve the entire EC was moved in front of the present Union Council. It failed, as it required a support of four-fifths of the Council for such a motion to pass. Though, members of the GBM did sign a referendum for the cause. It would have easily amassed the required two-third votes overnight. This, seeing the enthusiasm of the GBM which clearly didn’t see merit in the actions of the EC. Eventually, the referendum was useless as the motion had already failed before the Union Council. I vaguely remember that the motion had got 8 of the required 10 votes in favour; 4 votes were against it in the present Union Council of 12 members.

So, under these circumstances we cast our votes. But, then God always has his will. There were two options in the electronic ballot. One with the name of the remaining candidate, and the other saying ‘None’. But, no one really believed that ‘None’ could win, after all why will someone sweat outside the polling booth to just to say that he/she wanted a headless Union Council.

But then, I saw people standing in queues for over an hour just to cast a vote for ‘None’. There was someone who had misplaced his I.D. card and had come with the registration slip to cast his vote. There were SMSes floating around, warning dire consequences of a re-election if ‘None’ did win. But, who cared the GBM had got an opportunity to vent out its emotions and out it poured.

At the night when the results were announced, no one could actually believe it. ‘None’ had actually won. Hundreds of people broke out in a joyous march, singing ‘Singh is King’. Incidentally, ‘Singh is King’ is the first movie of BITSian life for my wing.

I don’t know what it was. Whether, people saw the EC as tyrannical or it was a sympathy wave or people got trigger happy with an option or it was just the true support for someone. But, what I saw was that people had clearly exercised their option to choose.

Standing here, a year after what I feel is that, it was not a simple victory for ‘None’. It was a loss for BITS. There had been two exemplary candidates with great visions and neither had won. Who knows who could have won between the two, had both contested? It was a close call any day.

About Me

I thought I can blab on endlessly about myself, but you won't have to endure much.

So in short,
I am a First Year student of M.Sc. (Hons) Mathematics at BITS, Pilani. I did my schooling from DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, Ranchi, yes Mahendra Singh Dhoni also completed his schooling here.

I like reading books, English and Hindi alike. I used to collect stamps, but emails put an end to it. I even used to draw well, but now that ability remains specifically for scientific diagrams and figures.

As, a person I think a thousand times before taking a decision but, when I take it I stick with my choices to the end. I either like things or do not like them, but when I like something I am dedicated to it. Every thing is black and white for me with no grey areas at all. Throughout my life I have lived on my values, and things which tried to interfere with them had to go out of my life.

I am very much into traditional Indian values and culture (including superstitions), but being a scientific man I do apply my rationale and sense on things. So, I am a nice blend of Science and Religion, notice the capitalization. When you will talk to me you will find me to be either an atheist or a pious man but not both at the same time. Even my mother is surprised by this. But, I personally know the reason. You will find me what you think you want me to be, I am always the same. The same logic applies for everyone, you believe a person is what you think he/she is not what he/she really is.

To not make it an overdose, let me stop. I will write a complete post about myself someday.