Taming of the tiger

July 2000. IIT Delhi.

I was coming back with moisture in my eyes after seeing off my parents at hostel gate.

I had just taken admission in IIT Delhi, the place of my dreams. An year back I saw some students climbing down the stairs of MS near the director's office and I wondered how blissful there life would be! It was love at first sight. A passionate love story began and I parted with my beloved with an inviolable commitment to return to her after an year, AT ANY COST. I took a resolute decision to climb those stairs. And I did.

Well, the blissful life was about to begin. Within first 2 days I understood that I am under observation. I saw my fellow batchmates being escorted by seniors and sent back with anguished expressions. I could also see the dreadful apprehension in their eyes when seniors thronged our wing. Many a times the seniors peered into my room but retreated with frustration and doubly ignited violence in their eyes after seeing my parents . Curiously, I found a tinge of contempt in their eyes coz they could not make me subject to their perverse entertainment.

Well, before you misconstrue or infer anything let me warn you- Ragging is strictly prohibited in IITD. Letters are sent from the director every year catagorically declaring the impregnability of anti-ragging norms and possible consequences of infringement by any senior. So 'Healthy Interaction' happens in each of the 8 (now 9, one more girls hostel :) hostels. This post is based on a true story which took plce in the karakoram house of IITD. And moi happens to be the protagonist of this action-packed thriller... is kahani mein emotions hai, drama hai, tragedy hai...

I heard the footsteps of the blood-thirsty predators. One of them knocked my door and commanded me to come out. There was noone to save me. The Gods(my parents) were going farther from me moment by moment. And one of the demons abducted me to the 'auschwitz' where Nitin Anand was having fun of his lifetime with another demon. I had(and have) a stupid habit of flourishing my smile (which is generally considered to be obscene) and attract attention. I will not dilate upon the series of 'smile wipes' and other rituals which followed in each of the ragging.. err....'healthy interaction' sessions. But this time it was different. I was still emotional and was missing my parents badly, like I used to when they would leave me crying in the hostel(I was in UKG then). These morons committed the same mistake which the monitor of my UKG class did: they confused my sentimentality with my frailty. And they paid for this mistake, similarly, heavily.

- chal intro de.

- I am Abhishek. I am from Ranchi.My All India..

- oye!! bihari hai tu!! haan chal bolta rah, ruk kyon gaya?

- My all India rank is 889 and I am in chemical engg dept.

- saale ninety kya tera baap maarega?

ONE

- girl friend hai teri?

- no sir.

- saale jhooth mat bol. shakal to dekh saale ki. abe hero lagta hai tu to. sach bata. koi to hogi.

- sach bol raha hoon sir. koi nahi hai.

- abe ******* samajhta hai kya? tere paas **** hai ki nahi?

-

- kya bore hai yaar tu. ok bata frequency kitni hai teri?

-

- abe ********* bol.

TWO

- sir please dont abuse.

- kyon? tujhe fight hai?

- nahi koi fight ki baat nahi hai. lekin mujhe problem hoti hai.

- saale RECs mein thappad maarte hain gaal par. yahan to hum choo bhi nahi rahe.

- aap maar leejiye sir, lekin main gaali nahi sunoonga.

- nahi sunega?

- nahi.

- NAHI SUNEGA?

- nahi.

- theek hai. ja apne room mein.

My funda was simple. Seniors are respectable but parents are Gods. Noone was allowed to defile the sacrosanct. Period.

I admit I was nervous. The bloody bastard yelled my life out of me. But I was pretending macho. It was more difficult than the street fights where the number of your enemies are limited. And it was IIT for God's sake!

- abe koun ********* hai jo gaaliyaan nahi sunta? baahar nikaal saale ko.

THREE

Oh God! Forgive them for they know not what are they doing.

- kyon be! suna hai tu gaaliyaan nahi sunta!

- yes sir. mujhe thodi problem hoti hai.

- (*&^%$#@!)

And shortly after that something followed which was entirely unprecedented in the history of Karakoram house, perhaps IITD. A senior was said to be beaten by a fresher.

There is a forbidden area, the area where foolishness intersects with fearlessness, and trespassers are usually prosecuted. I had ventured to intrude in, not for the first time in my life. I was absolutely oblivious of the consequences. But that doesnt mean they didnt exist. They did follow, and not unexpectedly.

I found myself as a blacklisted fresher. And the most wanted one. For a few the most respected one too.

The hell broke loose for other Abhisheks who were persecuted as soon as they uttered their cursed name. They didnt quite know what hit them. And I saw hostile gazes and stabbing fingers in the dining hall everyday pointing towards me. Everyone wanted to see and perhaps mutilate the face which had dared to challenge the dominion of seniors. The hurt lot was in a mood of merciless repression.

But Truth prevails.

I never wanted to insult or injure anyone's pride. They also understood that by keeping an eye ... or many eyes on my behaviour in subsequent days. And anyways, submission of a stud is always flattering. I kept on winning hearts. Just after the completion of 'fresher's period' I was offered the membership of mess as well as maintenance committee. Later on I was entrusted with the responsibility of the coordinator of infrastructure in TRYST, something people vie for. Just on the basis of my untainted reputation.

Satyameva Jayate.