Pune Memoirs (Third year): Friends and blissful moments

Pune Memoirs:

2005-06

Third year, Fergusson College Road:

Boyz growing old past the halcyon college days and flaneurs ushered into the first day of the year 2007. Namaskar was our madirah facing our alma mater Fergusson College. The story goes into fast forward mode a year after I left college and shifted to Mumbai. Holiday time means home, Pune to be in the company of friends. The alcohol flew and my favorite in those days was always Imperial Blue with tons of ice and soda often hanging out with Ajitabh Bhaiya, Tootoo, Sane and a couple of peeps on this New Year evening.

I was in for some gyaan. I feel blessed to have such friends who have always encouraged me to push myself to edge in rediscovering and claiming the soul. Being someone who is shy and always hesitating to make the move on anything in life, Tootoo took my case and was convinced that I gotta release the energy within blocking me and another dear friend AK who is into creative arts, told me to trudge the Parvati Hills and scream loudly to remove all fears and excess energy. I shouldn’t be bothered about people and just call them off in Marathi, ‘bhariya.’ Thanks the sky for such wonderful friends.

I remember Ajitabh Bhaiya told me in Hindi that jo they are telling me it’s not to put me down or make me feel small but rather to bring me closer to myself in facing challenges. Tootoo patted Ajitabh Bhaiya to remark how he likes the way he puts things beautifully. True! There is always poetry in his words. The pals pointed out how when I sit with them, I am here but my mind wanders in another world. Ajitabh Bhaiya speaks to me about individuality which is so important in life for personal growth and not to lose the self in the world. The words still ring fresh in the ears, soul and mind. “Tumne kabhi socha ke haar baar duniya ke baare mein sochte aur woh log aage jaate hai aur tera kya hoga. Think about yourself. It’s important not to be lost in this world.”

It’s the kind of pep up conversation that I sorely miss today when everyone has gone into their respective ways in life. True friends are always the ones who don’t lack the spine to criticize us on the face, shower sea of praise and for that matter, help us to overcome obstacles. I remember Tootoo asking what will happen if he slap me out of the blue and he knows I cannot justify where he might end up lying that I swore at him. It’s his way of pushing me to come face-to-face with reality to conquer my demons.

Cut back to the final year in college. I had the gift of speaking interruptedly and blabbering non-stop so much that once Namita made a bet to ask me to keep silent for five minutes.  Just imagine, there was a couple of us at the table and I just did that, making funny expressions, not uttering a single word. I clinched the bet. The year was 2006. It was the time I roamed aimlessly, plodding my steps from FC Road to JM Road and DBC on foot in the sweltering heat. Being surrounded by friends was such a bonus in the city and sitting for the entire day in Savera and remember Adi came once in the morning and told Ana (the waiter), Usska ek putla banao yahan pe (Make his statue here) so that when I leave the city, people will bow in front of my statue before wading inside. It was hilarious. I was amused.

An entire year flitted with ease in the company of friends, sitting at Savera watching the bikes, cars and rickshaw screeching their way past the hotel and college. Whining time at savera with coffee, smoke and friends for blissful company gave us a window to the world and my favorite pastime was watching the drizzle, such a pleasurable exercise for the mind’s contentment.  The friends that we make for a lifetime, from Sudhendu Bhai to Ajitabh Bhaiya, Tootoo, Jiju, CV, Sharma ji, Koks, Bobby Ji-yeah it’s Chanda’s nick and so many with whom we indulged in time pass. I vividly recall Sharma’s ji dialogue, ‘Paisa kya hai ek kagaz ka tukda’ whenever I would be putting my share for the booze. He’s one dude I have lost touch with and so wanna catch up It’s been ages.

There was also one random guy whom one day, I and Tootoo while walking to Walkeshwar for coffee came across and dude was on our trail like cops. He doggedly decided not to leave us by an inch insisting that we rather sit at Barista because of chicks while we wanted a comfy place for not-so-pricey coffee. He was simply phunny. Poor me, he kept calling to catch up because I was in no mood because of the kind of questions spouted like fire and felt like a barricade of guns swiveling on me. The funny thing is that he was looking for chicks and all that, to make a girlfriend, telling he will come to Fergie, someday. I just snapped and told him, ‘Dude! I am not a pimp!’

So many characters, weirdos, fun-loving and scary that can send one in a tizzy. FC Road is one such place. I vividly recall some kids who must be from the slum area and accompanied by an adult would sing in loud voice and blow in a conch, skinny bodies smeared with colors. They would scamper to-and-fro right in front of Savera that gives the view of FC gate.  Quite a smart way to get a few rupee(s). Imagine those kids doing a somersault in front of Savera’s entrance and they would often be chased off but they stood undeterred. One peculiar scary habit was to whack their bodies with a serpent length belt that made a thud noise and the sound shook me off. I wondered how they expertly do it and the unbearable pain in their flesh. It’s scary to hurt oneself like that and I shivered to think of bruises. Incredibly hard for someone who hasn’t witnessed it to believe. But, it’s true.

I remember being shaken off once while sharing fag and coffee with Sudhendhu bhai at Savera. He smiled. I was like, ‘Fuck! It’s so scary.’ He said, ‘Why are you scared of such antics!’ Those days. They feel like a reverie one has woken up from after a decade or stories concocted in the head. Good days never stay permanently but the kind of souls we meet or moments are etched forever in our hearts. At times, I feel like reaching an elixir of sort.

The start of the year was the time to beat the hangover and the final year wasn’t really about shit loads of alcohol on new year eve since Adi and his ex of those days went for a quick trip to Goa in 2005/6. As midnight struck, calling friends and sms-ing Happy New Year at a time where whatsapp was still in the embryo was one thing we would be doing religiously like an assignment. Of course, the morning chai had only one destination, Savera where we would be meeting everyone with hugs and handshake to wish the best for new year. Now, it belongs to another era and yet the beauty of existence and timeless souls remain. Things do change. It tugs the heart but it’s the law of nature.

PS:

Yesterday, I had an interesting conversation via whatsapp after nine years with Ajitabh Bhaiya reminiscing about life in Pune and he is now with the family in Bihar. The start of the year couldn’t get better but I did receive a jolt when he told me another friend, Rafique Bhai in Pune passed away three years back. It came as a shock and makes me wonder on the precariousness of life. I shall sign off but with the promise of coming regularly with more tales on Pune Memoirs. It’s getting therapeutic for me. A brief post laden with anecdotes but I had to write it. It’s a release of hidden emotions and energy.

Have a prosperous 2018 and make every dream, moment count.

With Love

V