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(Diwakar/Raghunath/Shiva Lingam/Rajagopalan/Kothanda Raman/Venkatraman)
The date and venue was fixed at least a couple of months back and We, the batch mates of 1968 decided to book all of us by the Bangalore bound double Decker train which commenced its journey at 7.25 AM from the Central Station. We were pleasantly joined by 2 more students from the 1965 and 1975 batch Prema and Gita from Chennai. The train journey consisting of 8 of us was so much fun and laughter that the journey appeared to be short!
A massive 250 persons were there at the Press club by about 6.30 PM when the program commenced. I could see people meeting friends and batch mates with such delight and awe forgetting their present age, with the same feeling that they had many years back! I also witnessed funny scenes when friends looked stunned seeing each other without words but glee on their eyes and comforting each other that they looked the same when they were in School. After hugs that lasted for more than minutes, each one stood apart looking at each other and would analyse the other pointing out certain factors such loss of 'that' pound of flesh/gain in pounds/ baldness/grey hair/ white hair in the eye brows/checking out that its not the wig/wrinkles/pigmentation etc.. slowly culminating in heat that could melt the very purpose of the meet!! Nevertheless, it was all about friendship and soon everyone settled to be a part of the program that was to begin. I also noticed some of the older men with colored hair and moustache and desperately trying to tuck their tummies in just to impress the opposite sex batch mates/classmates as if everything is young even now with them?? The girls, now the ladies on their part dressed up their best and trying to present their bygone youth to the assembled Alumni evoked quite a bit of laughter and the scene was comical enough to relish the episode and cherish it for many more years to come! Of course, there were young and enthusiastic schoolmates who were much younger in age and added that glitter to the function.
The prepaid amount at the time of registration included food and drinks on the house! I could see a small crowd thronging the Bar counter and never stepped aside gulping their favourite drink like "Jal Jeera"! I could spot some of the batch mates who would never even write the word alcohol or even utter it, holding the glass on their hands and saying cheers! I wondered if the changed profile was due to excessive thrust of religious activities and upbringing by their households who were so pious and god fearing? On the whole, it was very interesting to see people change for better and mingle with open mind with everyone present there. I also got teased and advised constantly by another classmate of mine who kept on reminding me about loosing weight and this happened every time I bumped into him in the venue till such time, I requested him to change the topic and find some other parameter!! Some habits never die and many of the old batch mates never thought that they also sail in the same Boat!!
It was a great experience to be with old friends and classmates and I am sure everyone will cherish these memories for life!!
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