Back 2 Square 1(1996)

I landed up at home that evening after my jailbreak. My parents were stunned to see me so soon. They laughed at me and offered me 2 options. 1. Join a college in salem and be a days scholar or 2. Go back to Kongu. Both of which is like taking a bitter pill. For about a week I was contemplating and then decided on option 2. I consoled myself saying though it’s a jail, its far away from home and my destination on the next jailbreak would not be my home.

I landed up at the hostel after 10days time. By then my roommates (Dinesh & Yuvaraj) had come and they were giving me a weird look. I explained what had happened and settled in my bed. I introduced myself and checked about their circumstance landing up here. I was hoping they also carried the same sentiments about this college and hostel. Dinesh was super duper delighted to be here because he comes from even more remote village and this was what he was looking forward to. Yuvaraj had this insane look and informed that all through his schools he had been in hostel and it doesn’t make any difference to him. I kicked myself to be in such a place with a geek after all this ordeal.

My life was mechanized, getting up at 6am and wait in the toilet queue then get bathed in cold water, dress up by 6.30, reach the mess by 7am to have steaming cold bricks (idly) and coloured water (sambhar), go back to room, queue up for the college bus, come back at 1 for lunch, then back to college and then back to room by 4.30pm, take rest till the senior knocks the door for ragging. The college being strict, even some of the day scholar seniors will land up in the hostel to rag us. 5 to 7.30 and 9 to 12 was entertainment time. That’s when we will be ragged individually and then in groups.

Every time we see a senior we have to catch our cock and jump up to salute them. They also composed an anthem that we have to sing and then salute the way as mentioned when we are called up for group ragging. The funniest was when my department senior landed up in the hostel to rag us, me and dinesh were asked to bend and turn opposite side, then to lock each others hands through the legs and run around the hostel barking like a dog. Though it was painful, it was hilarious to run in the corridor as a dog. I was informed that we have to go through all this for 2 months and we will be given a welcome party.

In this 2 months I did everything from mono acting, barking like a dog, running almost nude, swimming in the verandah, playing imaginary cricket, dancing, singing, dog fight and the list goes on. It was funny to see some of my hostel mates crying while doing such things. Since I didn’t have any other choice than to go through all this I started liking it.

The fun didn’t stop here…I had something more in store in my classes.