IIT-Kgp & IIM-Cal

-i bunch these two together, cos the boys of kgp go to joka and re-enact the whole kgp lifestyle again! for those who don't know, IIT-Kgp = Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur & IIM-Cal = Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. both are premier institutions of higher learning in india.. the IIT system producing the cream of the engineering crop.. which upon graduation either takes a software job, joins IIM or goes to the US for MS!!
-going back to kgp was such a sentimental trip.. the dreary train ride from howrah.. jumping tracks on platform 3.. the rickety cycle-rickshaw ride to campus.. chedi's at puri gate.. the entrance to RK.. the whitewashed corridors.. the hall foyer (i quickly take a peek to see if they still have my name on the Honors Board.. yes they do!!).. past the unevenly clumped footer field.. up the dark cement stairs.. and there i am again.. RK-CTM.. this is my wing!!
-walking down the narrowish corridor, the 'scoreboard' is still painted on the wall, albeit the paint peeling. C-313 has been painted, so none of the graffiti that adorned one whole wall.. and the Victoria's Secret wallpaper on the other wall is long gone.. the hundreds of empties in the balcony have been trashed.. this was my room for three years. i partied, drank, hung out, entertained in this room.. i painted all the walls here.. i sneaked my gf in when the watchman was asleep.. i set up multiple speakers all over the room from a home-made amp to create the ultimate home theater.. i did so much in this room.. laughed, cried, studied (kinda!).. i lived and died in this room, over and over again.
-i'm very proud of the boys in the wing now.. they have kept the RK-CTM name flying high. we had a great little party the one night i was there.. the wing is much smarter now, with people scoring 9.0+ CGs.. and high-flying internships.. most of the big drinkers and smokers have moved on.. and people seem almost scared to try pot.. but oh well.. it's all good.
-kgp itself seemed the same.. you can't gauge the college when you go during SpringFest.. it takes on a different life then.. it felt a bit funny walking around and not knowing most of the people, but it felt great when you'd walk past a group of kids and immediately muted whispers would break out in awe going "is that mittra?! oh god, yes it is!!".. especially in the SF arena.. where i virtually lived for the entire period of the four SFs i saw.. and personally worked with most of the kids running the show. met the current Steering Com. and i have to say they have great ideas, things we never even thought of.. Kgp is in good hands..
-watched Indian Ocean and Strings.. Indian Ocean were as great as always.. especially the newer stuff from the Black Friday album.. while i didn't really like Strings.. everyone else did.. i had great company (thank you DeepBlueSea!!) and didn't notice time pass at all!! one sight completely blew my mind though.. one of the slower songs.. all lights dimmed.. ten thousand kids humming.. and instead of lighters.. some five to six thousand Nokia cellphones, with their trademark blue-green screens, being waved in the air in unison.. like a million fireflies at a convention in an amphitheatre.. beautiful.
-IIM-Cal in joka was fun in a different way.. all the RK boys had a get together the night i was there.. got some booze, scored some pot.. and remembered glory days! my best friend from undergrad tayal.. wingies raju & slowmo.. ankur, mehta, doku, pondy, gollu.. and they regaled us with stories of how they have completely kept up their RK heritage by living absolutely the same way here as they did there.. really good to see all of you boys too :-))