I have not been penning my thoughts for quite a while, but this one can not go unnoticed and undocumented. Hence I'm back at MS after a hiatus of almost 1 year.
Recently, we organised at reunion of my schoolmates at the school campus after a 20 year gap! Yes, that's correct, full 20 years!!!
Although, this is a personal account, I am sure many here will find some commonality with my experience.
So the 16th of October 2010 will be etched in the memory of me and several of my classmates for the rest of our lives, for what it turned out to be.
I was a part of Methodist High School, Kanpur for 11 glorious years. I was admitted at the start of Std 2nd and went on till the end of std 12th. At less than 3 ft 6 in to begin with, I was always the 2nd tiniest of creatures around. Thanks to Rishi Chauhan, who took the honors all along. Of course, I shot up during Std 11th-12th and left school at 5 ft 8.5 in, but few remember me as that. The few teachers who still teach at the school, could still recognise me after 20 long years!!! Of course, they are still surprised at my height!
The get together was envisioned by a classmate who now serves the India army as a Lt Col. His planning abilities were never to be doubted. It started about a year and a half ago, thanks to Facebook, helping us find many school friends. Finding old friends became a habit over the last year or so. With the momentum rising, the date drew nearer. Though most of us were in touch over FB and other media, the feeling of visiting our school campus together was too exciting to be expalined in words.
There are quite a few classmates staying in Kanpur as of today. Many of them helped set up the stage of the reunion. The school principal was kind enough to grant the organisers amongst us for permission to hold the get together in the school campus. Thanks to this we were able to relive some of the great memorable moments at the place where all happened.
I was thrilled to meet Sir Gaur, the Maths teacher who helped me build a belief in myself. He, apparantly was more thrilled than me, and recognised me instantaneously. I also met Mrs Siddiqui, our all-in-one teacher who taught us various subjects fron Class 2nd till Class 12th. She used to call me "Mr Serious" during those days. She referred to me by the same name yet again! She also enquired from my wife if I am still as "serious". (What a joke! :-)). The surprise package came when I entered the school canteen to ask for some refreshments and was served by Pappu - the same guy who used to do it 25 odd years ago! His warm smile when he looked at me was too good to be missed. He too remembered me - I never expected that though! The patties etc that we got to relish were absolutely the same in taste as those used to be 20 + years back. Nothing had changed. I have neven had better meat patties in my life anywhere. Others felt the same too.
We took a stroll around the campus remembering something or the other of the past that happened there. The sports field, the library, the staff room, the chappel, the primary section, the cycle stand etc and many more. It felt as if it were just yesterday that we walked here. Some of the sights did remind me of not completing homework, or being not ready for a test.
Meeting so many school friends and teachers after so long was a great experience as well. The contacts were already shared via FaceBook, but the vibes could be shared just by meeting each other. We are already comtemplating an annual event at the school.
We followed it up with a grand party at Kamla Retreat, an area close to Allen forest, having an uncanny tranquility within the city of Kanpur. Another 4+ hours of entertainment was not enough to quench our thirst, however, it added more flavor to the get together.
Finally, its a testimony to my school, its teachers and students of the quality of education we attained, where more than anything else, we were tought to be good humans. I feel we are living to our school's repute!
Waiting eagerly for the next reunion on 2011.
