Inside the Den: Convocation Part II

Over the next hour...i meet familiar faces and occasional stares...by now I am comfortably set into the Durgapur evening and the guitar is out...I have an audience...it couldn't ask for more!! The chai keeps running and so does the smoke...the longing for that taste has been satisfied for the moment. We all eagerly await the arrival of Haria.. After countless doses of chai and smoke and exactly two Poch, Shani is ready to close down for the day..its getting dark...and we move to Arun's room - my pad for the 3 day gala. Certain things that i observe on my way towards Hall 5 - - the entrance to the campus near hall 4 has been closed and fortified by the newly built campus wall. - there are signboards in front of every building - the Thela's serving aloo paratha and chola batura are no longer there - the Mess has been redone with better flooring and new Nilkamal Table and chairs - the bathrooms have been redone with better equipment and flooring - the lights in all the wings still dont work - most of the students are glued to their computer screens...LAN wires running in a complex network and multiplayer games being played with vigour.. - Gtalk runs throughout the campus as the next best medium to contact someone after the cellfone - Techno is almost empty....so are the streets where people used to simply loiter during my time.. ......It is depressing to see the campus this way...but I guess this must be better than the ragging scene, the SAM going crowd, getting into fights, watching softcore movies in Bench and Luxor, doing rounds of Bench for no reason, aiming for Teku.....all the things that contributed a lot to my college life... I settle into Arun's room and there I find the most hairiest guy I have ever seen on campus..I am shocked. It is Aks. Super long hair...shoulder length...no shave either...dark pitch black lips and somewhat white teeth within..thin physique and a mild hump...and ultra dirty clothes. A total shocker. I congratulate him for his look...I thought of telling him why...he has made it to the Hall of Fame of Dirtiest people in REC Durgapur (currently NIT Durgapur.) I am told that Tulsi, one of the members of THE GANG* has gone home for personal reasons. He is the prime jester...I miss him anyway. *THE GANG is the current batch of final year students who are practising the arts of getting high, listening to loud rock music, get pissed drunk and feel the Durgapur blues despite all this... I have met three members of THE GANG already viz. Imtiyaz, Arun and Aks aka fugly (fuckin' ugly). More people come into the den...Kelu is shy and manages to say a Hi and settle down in one of the corners beside his best mate - Imtiyaz..they are Nitro partners I am told. Again I am staring at Imtiyaz strumming the guitar...he is one of the best wannabes I have seen yet. He has a girlfriend too...proves my theory on Wannabes. I meet another guy - Benzene - who is partly into the Gang mostly because his room shares a wall with the den...adjusting to the loud noise and supporting with a lot of logistics most of the time. Such people are very important for The Gang. Then a personality walks in, who's discovery is the most prime among all the happenings over the three-day period. Alamin. This guy is simply amazing. He is excited with every move, he has this excitement running all around his face...all bustling with energy...so much that he stammers a bit. Every time I look at him...his face brightens up with attention. Later in the evening I find that Alamin is one of the most active members of THE GANG..and also the most confused. His fervour to arrange for/look after our logistical requirements is simply a sensation in itself. Some more people come in..I recall their names but not their faces. There is news that Hariya has entered the campus...I ask Arun to call Hariya's cell phone for the nth time and find out how long it will take him to get to the Den. By now half of Hall 5 knows who's coming. My eyes meet Alamin's eyes...without a blink he pulls out his cell phone and makes 3 calls...Confirmation: Haria is in the building. I dont know at this moment what amazes me more...Alamin-in-action or Haria's entry. This is a new generation of DGPians we are talking about. Where people across hostels plan for a night out at Sam over Gtalk or Ymsngr or whatever and still are late..where people no longer call up the LH landline..they catch hold of some girl classmate online and the whole wing probably chat with her on the same id...where dumb women are met with Franship statements over orkut and the entire hostel knows about them and hit at will...where even your pretty schoolmates are not spared.. we are talking about a new level of transparency and security and newer fetishes here.. Suddenly there is noise outside the hostel which is louder than within the Den...and THE GANG and I am ready to give Haria a Red Carpet welcome..Alamin is confused how to react to this situation..he finds me looking at him..turns away to his cell phone..Aks is disinterested as usual and sits crouched at the PC inside the den..Imitiyaz is outside with the guitar and teaching Kelu some new tune..Kelu listens..Benzene comments smilingly about Imtiyaz's inability to play..nobody listens..moves to stand in front of his door...Arun is excited too..probably contemplating to say something to mark the ocassion. A dark figure approaches with a bobbing walk with two silhouttes following. The former, Anup...latter, ConceptLevelMan Roshan and the man himself. Loud cheers...some handshakes and hugs..the party is on...the night is live. Again people get busy in settling down and rolling...introductions are made..pleasantries exchanged... > kahan tha...tera fone try kar kar ke thak gaya. >> woh mera battery low tha...light le > itna time Howrah se?? >> woh train ka jhol ho gaya..delay tha. Mera guitar laaya > haan...harmonica bhool gaya. yahan pe bhi kisi ke paas nahin hai >> mereko laga tha tu bhulega is liye main apna laaya.... > kya baat kar raha hai...sahi..sahi >> arre yaar mujhe subah waala flight lena chahiya tha.. > light le abhi..baith..Shani se mila kya? We settle down. The Gang is busy playing music to suit our tastes...to set the mood for the evening..to get it going. There is a lot of energy in the whole scene..a lot of excitement..something that I think I last felt when I was in 2nd year or something like that..unknownst to me and probably all of us in there..there is this expectation that binds us all together..but we dont know what we want to occur.. Joints are passed around and suddenly I find myself sitting in the centre in the room...sharing space with me Haria...facing me and whole lotta crowd..some faces from 2 yrs past..longer hair on most of them.. I donot have a wall to lean on...something that I prefer at such moments..and in my search I just get up and walk out the room...its too smoky i complain...Haria also moves out...a lot of eyes following us..it is getting kind of awkward now..we have our small talk..assesing the situation. I update him about my entry and happenings since..he is excited. We talk about Shani. It seems there is a package/parcel that has been left with Shani..it was sent by Jitu via one of our batchmates Abhik 2 weeks ago...we wonder what it could be. We both pray for it to be what we think it is.. We are standing in the farthest wing of Hall 5 from the mess, first floor...when I see a familiar shadow walking in the ground below, beyond the hall 5 boundary wall. It is Babloo...behind him - Shani. They were called by none other than Alamin while we were talking. This is going to be a very strange night. We wait for them...more noise..hugs..connections...Roshan leaves...we move back into the den. Someone hands over the guitar to me...and one more to Haria. They have already been tuned..something that can never be expected in our case. Haria produces the harmonica...we start our little get together. All along the watchtower - Dave Matthews rendition. More songs follow...fotographs are taken...some videos too...my first public performance with the harmonica. Shani and Babloo are right there with us..sharing the stage...Babloo rolls one of his trademark ultra long joints. 20 mins later..we all are high. More songs follow. Haria says- abey yaar Daaru hota to sahi hota. I nod.. Alamin jumps into action from one corner of the room... Cool hai, Haria...Daaru kya chahiye..main jugadta hoon.. This is Haria's first interaction with Alamin. Haan, jo bhi ho chalega...old monk..whisky. half. Fone calls are made. 30 mins later...some people have moved out..they are done with the evening. Our bottle arrives. Along with some AndaTadka. The smell of Sam food... Eat, drink..music...catching up... At 3.30 am, we call it a day. Its been 21 hours since I have slept. End of Day 1.