Tribute to our Sankar

My stint with RIT started on a Sunday evening when my father dropped me in a “hostel”; a house named Kochuvadakekkara (KV). I had first  joined Adoor engg college and got transferred to RIT after two months as per the options I indicated at the time of interview.

I was greeted by an Ammachie and Achayan (owners of the said ‘house-de-hostel’) and other guy named Anwar, a budding civil engineering student of S1S2, who came from the northern side of Kerala. I was told that there were few other house mates, who had gone their native place on the weekend not in the spirit of seeing their parents but to evade the grooming sessions called ‘ragging’.

I was trying to get acquainted with the new surroundings and gather more information from Anwar on the ragging sessions in RIT.  Just then the door bell sounded and we moved to the foyer to open the door thinking that it could be one of our house mates on their return from home. When I opened the door, I saw a tall, handsome guy with a sports bag on his shoulders. Along with him was his father, a well built, tall personality, seemed like a politician with a high degree of command. Also with him was his mother, a sweet and caring lady carrying a bag probably the luggage of this guy.

Yes a new entrant to our house! We took them to our landlord. His name was Sankar S, Mechanical Engineering, from the capital of our state, Thiruvananthapuram. Just before the parents left, his mother warned him of bad friend circles and advised not to indulge into any bad habits such as drinking, smoking etc. She also advised me and Anwar that since we are away from home there are chances that we may fall into such traps. When Sankar went to see them off to the Nedunkuzhy bus stop, I could see an obedient guy, walking just behind his mother nodding to everything his mother said. Yes Sankar could be a ‘Moms baby’, I thought. His looks told me the same too.

After some time Shankar came back saying “Machu, you got a matchbox?”

I could see a white long cigarette on his lips. We dropped our jaw in gape. Shankar was smiling and searching for a matchbox inside the kitchen and other rooms. As he was lighting the cigarette, there came the next question.

“What a place is this? How can I treat my friends here?”

“What happened?” Anwar asked in an innocent and surprised voice

“No, my friends from Thiruvananthapuram wouldn’t like this place. Machu, how can I invite my friends to stay in this place”? Shankar asked.

“Do friends come so often, that too from TVM?” Anwar couldn't see the point.

“Yes. You know, I am a party guy and cannot leave without them”. Hearing this reply I felt I was from another world. As for me, I couldn't think any of my friends from my native place that was closer to Kottayam than TVM would come to party with me at this place, not even once in a year.

“Forget about boys, what about the girls..!! They are ready to come here for a two day bash once I got a house to stay in” Sankar said.

Anwar stood silent, mouth wide open.

Did I forget to tell that Sankar resembled a chocolate hero in Bollywood may be like Fardeen khan!! Yes, for him girlfriends cannot be just a mirage like it was to us. I was somewhat thrilled with the joy of staying with him especially when girls quite often pay visits and hang around for parties. But for Anwar, it was something dreadful, for he was sure such a guy who will attract seniors and cause a miserable life. Two days after, Sankar left KV to stay in ‘White house’ another ‘house-de-hostel’ more tidy and neat than KV, near Nedunkuzhy and later to ‘Wall house” another ‘house-de-hostel’ hundred times messier and lousier than KV.

But there were no girls and not even boys,  as I imagined in many of my initial nights in KV. Not even a single party like what he claimed on his first day!

That was Sankar.

A guy after joining Whitehouse was caught by locals alleged of using a binocular (you know for what) and became well known among locals.

A guy who stood with his spine straight and declared that he will not be an SFI, inviting attention of all seniors who were in SFI that time.

Who got admired by the girls of our batch, on account of a mockfight and other such activities in class.

Who smilingly admitted to the principal that he tried to ‘copy’ for the series test and accepted a suspension with happy face becoming a hero for his batchmates.

Courageous enough to go up and talk to any girls (no matter junior or senior), who comes in his way.

The first one in RIT to use a cellphone

The only one in our class who enjoyed the ‘present’ by living each moment in its full joy.

One guy who was always happy.

One guy who could chat up any person and impress them, and leave a pleasant awe about himself - of course who often referred to himself as Awesome Sanker.

Sankar left us 11 years ago this day: 06 Sept 2001.

MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE

A Fight

It was just a couple of months into our long RIT journey. We still were not acquainted with every body in class. One of my first friends was Sankar, because we traveled together from Trivandrum. There were other guys from Trivandrum, like Pothen, Pichathi and Poocha but they had to sit through the long journey listening to Oolan's 'Quarters' stories and vegudu was always getting ragged by mostly our batch mates and girls.

One day I and Sankar was walking to college and saw a couple of our friends trying to fight, like its done in films. One person was swinging his hand a mile away from the other persons face and the other would sway his head in the direction of the hand and cry out. This was supposed to look like a real hit to the face and I cant explain their facial expressions as they were repeatedly acting out the oldest trick in films. We walked on and saw a second group doing that. By the time we reached our block we saw many such groups. Every body was busy practicing the trick, in class, in front of the labs and a select few, even in front of the electrical class to impress the girls. We went to the nearest group and asked what this was all about. Somebody told us about how Oolan and one of his senior friends did this trick during freshers day and fooled every body. He told me that oolan is still going around teaching his newest trick from 'Quarters'.

On our way to class Sankar told me “ Da we will show them what a real fight is like. Its time we stop Oolan's Jada”. When we reached our class there was about 10 or 15 studious members of our class and Makru. Sankar looked at me and said “Lets start”.I pushed him on to the front desk were Makru was sitting. He fell over the desk. Every body was startled with the sound. Makru shouted and ran back. Sanker got up, jumped over the desk and pushed me over the teachers chair. I picked up the chair and threw it at him, but made sure that it fell far away from him. I threw him on the black board and it broke off from one side. Foul language and threats were exchanged all through out. In about 10 minutes a good crowd had gathered around the class, almost all the classroom furniture was in disarray, the black board was broken and Makru was crying. I was trying to hit him with a broken piece of furniture. He got hold of it and whispered to me “Da I think its enough, its better we leave now, professors may come soon”. I pushed him to the floor and stormed out of the classroom. Later we met up at Hobnob and laughed almost for an hour. We were happy that we fooled every body and this time it was better than oolans filmy trick.

The next day I got ready, caught the college bus and went straight to the hostel. (classes were obviously not the first in my agenda) . As soon as the I entered the hostel, a couple of 8^th sem Mech's caught hold of me and started asking me about the previous day's fight. I told them all the lies I could make up within that short period. Then as I was walking into a room, some other guys came to me and introduced themselves as Jesus youth members. They started advicing me on the importance of controlling my anger. I was fed up of all this and went to Hobnob for a cigarette. A couple of second year Mech students was there. They were trying to convince me that I should join Solidarity party and they needed people like me to take on SFI in the campus.

The excitement of the previous day had worn off and I was confused. I was sitting there alone and still smoking when Sanker walked in. He seemed happy and excited. He asked me how my day went and I replied that I was getting fed up with all the advices and we wont even have the fun of fooling any body now, since nobody is going to believe that it was a joke. and I asked him why he was so happy. He told me “ If advices come from the right places you can actually enjoy it”. He continued “ You should learn to cash in on opportunities. You are a fool, you went to the men's hostel after such a show and what more did you expect. I asked him “ where were you? He said “ I took a couple of rounds by the electrical class and the advices I got, was from those beauties. I am already friends with some of them . He continued “ OK I am leaving, have to meet ----- near LH. I hid my disappointment and said “ Ok good for you”. On the way out he said “ Da I am planning to continue the counseling sessions for a couple of days more, so we’ll not let anybody see us together for the time being. 'Pinne' u don’t have to get disappointed. Even if you had come to college today you wouldin't have got as much attention as I did”. I asked “ Why” and he replied “ninakku ente athrem Soundaryam illallo”. I wanted to kick his ass, this time for real, but by the time I got up, he was half way down the road to LH.

Meeting with a Junior

Road in front of MH leading to canteen and mech workshop was the one of the most scared pathway for us when we were in S1S2. There were numerous occasions when loud calls for “Attention”, “Fire” etc were heard from MH and we had to stand in attention and use our mini drafter as AK 47 guns to fire towards the mens hostel. Sight of MH was frightening and we never had a neat look of MH till we had our first year university exams.

Year 2000 witnessed some of the beautiful girls join RIT. Lured by this fact I and Jerry went to Civil block to see some of the girls on their first day at RIT. By the time we reached Civil block, it was lunch time and the classes were stopped for lunch. There were no classes for seniors and we were the only seniors in Civil block at that time. While we stood near the steps, somebody put his hand on Jerry’s shoulder and asked “Ethu Brancha...” It was a fresher moderately built, taller than both of us. I could see Jerry was about to explode on him.

Suddenly I intervened and said “Mechanical. Nammal interview inu kandayirunnu ormayille…?”

Jerry understood my intentions and he told “Njyan Jery… Jery Panalell. Thaan Ethu Brancha..?”

“Ohh !! Interview inu kandayirunno? enikku ormayilla.. Ente peru Nishad. Electronics and Communication Engineering. Jyoli kiitan ippol scope ithinaanu”. Fresher introduced himself.

“Alla Mechanicalum athra purakottalla. Athu potte entha peru?” Fresher was eager to meet us.

“Joseph Alex” I tried to copy the mannerism of Mamootty in the movie King as I told this name.

“Evida Veedu”

“Pampadiyil” Jerry answered.

“Randu perum?” Fresher inquired.

“Alla ente veedu pangada -ill aanu. Ee College inte backil aayittu varum”. I told him. There was a toddy shop in Pangada and we used to refer pangada shaap as our ‘tharavaadu’.

“Oh appol ningal Locals aanalle..? Ethayalum ragging ine pedikendallo..!”

“Hey ivide bhayangara ragging aanu ennanu kettathu. Localsineyum veruthe vidilla.” Jerry told

“Enthonnu? Nammal strong ayittu ninnal mathi. Ente tharvadu Kottayathanu. Venamenkil njyan aale irakkum.!. Nammal orumichu ninnal seniorsinu nammale onnum cheyyan pattilla.” He seemed confident in his words.

“Ningal locals support cheyyanam. Nammukku ella Juniors inum orumichu nadakkanam. Appol seniors onnum cheyyilla” Fresher chocked out the strategy.

“Njyan lead cheyyam. Enikku ivare onnum pedi illa” Fresher informed his readiness to be the leader.

“Athupotte evide poya lunch kazhikunne” I asked.

“Ningal alle locals.. ningalku ivide okke ariyamallo. Nedunkuzhiyil onnum nalla hotels illa” Fresher said.

“Ivide thazhe oru nalla sthalam undu. Homely food aanu. Angottu pokaam” Jery told.

We started walking towards the hostel. Fresher told us how he tackled his seniors in SN College where he joined for BSc last year. We really felt impressed. Slowly we came near MH

“Ithu MH alle” fresher inquired.

“Athey, nammukku athinte sideiloode pokaam” Jery told.

“Alla athu veno? Senors aarenkilum nammale kandalo?” fresher seemed nervous.

“Athinentha, ente veedu athinte purakilanu. Pedikenda”. I tried to console him.

After some time we reached in front of MH. Fresher seemed slow in walking. We pulled him towards the MH.

“Nammakku sideiloode pokaam. Nere poyal MH il ethum.” Fresher told

“MH ilekku poyale alle food kittuu” I told him

Fresher’s face became pale. He realized that we were seniors and the saddest part was that he was now in front of MH.

“MH ile food vendenkil nammuku Thampi chettante kadayil pokaam. Pakshe nee cash kodukkanam.” Jery put across an option.

Thus he became the first one of his batch to treat his seniors. Needless to say, we both had a superb lunch with fish fry and beef curry discussing his other heroic deeds in SN College..

Hobnob Uncle and Rumboys

Hobnob – the not so modern yet the only decent coffee shop near RIT was our frequent hangout place. Be it after class, end of a ragging session or after a boring lecture we fell onto Hobnobs’ ambience to unwind ourselves with the coffee, puffs and wills served there.

Hobnob was managed by a man of about 50 years old (I forgot his name) and his son roughly of our age. Though friendly with us he never allowed us to take juniors to his shop and never promoted our ragging affairs in hobnob. He was a typical old man with lots of ego and self esteem that sometimes he forgot that we are his potential clients and the very reason of his existence. He never allowed us to raise our voice beyond a particular decibel and such atrocities of this man made the college union decide to put ‘ban’ on the use of hobnob. This caused us not to avail hobnob facilities but its ambience and the taste of coffee took us to hobnob after two weeks of all such ‘ban’.

Though we returned to hobnob lured by its ambience and coffee, we were longing for a chance to repay him for all his bestial deeds and all the think-tanks of our batch were weaving out plans to make it true. Nonetheless we wanted to do the biggest prank we ever did, inside hobnob.

One day at around 4.00 pm, we were at hobnob with the usual wills, coffee and puffs. Oolan put in the topic on how to retort on our Hobnob uncle. Though everybody contributed positively, Kurumadi wrapped in his short white shirt and golden lined white mundu (dhothi) resembling a ‘Nair groom’ fall into the side of our enemy uncle and advocated for him. According to Kurumadi, all our uncles’ actions were justified with his intention of maintaining the decorum and ambience of his coffee shop and to establish a title of “ragging free zone” for his shop. Moreover Kurumadi opined that though uncles’ behavior hurt us, it should be nullified by his generosity in giving us credit for more than 30 days and keeping all our accounts till the bill is paid.

Though there was a point in what Kurmadi said no one was ready to agree with his views. Moreover, all vengeance we had towards hobnob uncle got channeled towards Kurumadi also. Everybody gave disapproving and fierce glances to Kurumadi. Suddenly Poocha jumped from his chair, advanced towards our uncles’ advocate, caught his mundu in his right hand and ran towards the exit door of hobnob. All these happened within a fraction of a second and even before kurumadi knew what has happened he was deprived of his mundu. All of us got the plan. Even though the plan was not briefed, we all knew what our part was and how to execute it.

Poocha threw the mundu as high as possible into a nearby tree. We all started walking towards the volleyball court as if nothing has happened. Our puzzled uncle peeped into the shop to see his advocate sitting in the corner chair with hands between his two legs as if to stop something from falling down. While we reached volleyball court we could see the old man with a long stick trying hard to take the mundu from the tree. Mundu unlike his master displayed a high degree of loyalty towards us and preferred to stay at the top.

It was the peak business hour for hobnob as the students and teachers came out from college after class and our poor uncle in the midst of his efforts to take the mundu down, need to stop his other clients from entering hobnob. This continued for 10 minutes and Oolan standing at Volleyball court offered free coffee from hobnob to all he met in the road so as to make this drama continue. Seeing the flow of students to hobnob and the uncompromising stand of our loyal mundu, uncle yelled for his wife and asked her to bring a mundu from his wardrobe and handed it over to kurumadi to end the drama.

Though all were happy with what we did at hobnob, everyone was sad on the fact that none could see the pose of kurmadi sitting inside the shop. Uncle later told us that though he was angry that day, he laughed a lot whenever he thought of karumadis’ posture in that corner chair.

Preface

14 years ago, there were only 14 engineering colleges in Kerala. One of them was at Pampady, a sleepy town near Kottayam, beside the KK Road. The college was under the shades of rubber trees and surrounded by hills. Like its students, the college was also in its developing period Buildings were only slowly coming up and so were the labs. There was only one permanent building - that was the Civil Block. That was where the seniors had their classes. The office staff and the Principal sat out of a temporary office building near the entrance. There were only 4 branches (Mech, E&C, EEE and Civil) with batch strength of 50 each. For S1-S2, there were two temporary class-rooms at the foot of the hill that houses Mech Block and the Workshop, and another classroom inside the Workshop building. The time table was scheduled in such a way that at least one batch was out for Geometrical Drawing, Workshop or such classes that are outside of the classrooms.

In 1998, a group of students joined that college. They were the first batch to have had all Lab classes in RIT itself (the seniors had to go to MA College, Kothamangalam to see how machines work). During their time, the administrative block, the Mech Block, the Library building, the Canteen etc. came up. The dependence on the PTM School ground for games was replaced by a small ground within the campus (they called it K. R. Narayanan's Varavu Memorial Ground because the ground was initially prepared for hosting the then President of India, Shri. K. R. Narayanan to formally inaugurate the college in a function which, never happened of course). They grew along with the college and by the time they were ready to face the world, the college had also grown independent.

The four formative years of their life they spend with this college. The college was part of their life. The ragging sessions, classrooms, hostel, canteens, library, drawing hall, festivals whatever it be, everything left lasting impressions in their minds. They were part of everything. They felt the pulse of the college in every heartthrob. They remained true to each other. They lived together, they dreamed together and enjoyed the happiness of being together - for four long years.

In 2002, they moved out from the college. With heart full of memories, they stepped into the life that awaited them. Life that was truly molded by the college, in return to their love. College days retreated into their memories and they donned a nostalgic smile whenever they met and recounted the times which were so dear to them.

10 years later, looking down the lane, those funny deeds arouse the same depth of nostalgia. Scribbling down those funny deeds, they could hear someone from deep inside their heart saying, “those were the best days of our life”.

We are sure; these stories will take you too to your college days. Those innocent, youthful, colorful days of your life.