Because Together We Can and Together We Will…

‘Because #Together We Can and Together We Will’ This was the motivational tag line between me and 2-3 of my friends who were also my roommates while I was doing my engineering. There were times when we felt down on confidence, when we felt as if the world was against us, when we felt that the forces of nature were conspiring to defeat us. It was in those dark moments, that we would hold each other’s hands and repeat our magical mantra and instantly would feel the negativity around us dissipating in thin air.

I remember an incident very vividly when this little motivational gig of ours had a big influence on the way our engineering life panned out. Engineering exams are laced with poison that every student has to swallow and life often becomes lonely and tedious while studying for those exams which will in all probability, will shape the careers and determine where life will take them in the future. A single blot on the scorecard is frowned upon by prospective employers and the scorecard is supposed to be a mirror of the students’ abilities which is often not a correct reflection of the same.

It was before one such exam, the name of which was enough to strike fear in the heart of students, to paralyze them with dread and terror, EMT which was shortened for Electro Magnetic Field Theory, that I was very low on confidence. The vast nature of the field and the absurdly difficult problems posed by the subject had me all sweating and feeling the heat just the day before the exam. It was not as if I had not studied for the subject but I was not confident at all if I could reproduce the goods in the exam. That was what mattered at the end, everyone remembered and gave importance to the scores not how hard or how many hours one put in to studying.

The night before the exam, as before every exam I and 2 of my roommates went for a short walk around the hostel campus after our dinner. That was the time when studies, at most times took a back seat and we just chatted about frivolous things. My friends knew my anxiety of the upcoming test and decided to give me a nice little pep talk. While we were lying down on the green grass of our lawn, facing the innumerable stars that twinkled without a care in the world, my friends made me look in the direction of the star which was shining the brightest and seemed a little bigger than the rest of them. I tilted my head slightly to get a clear view of that large shining star. My friends said to me that I was like that star and that I would be alright in my exam. They reminded me about how I had done well previously as well when the chips were down, they told me about the time I had topped my CS exam while studying in the jungle all night, they harked about how I was one of the few guys who had passed the very tough Math paper the last year, etc… We often saw shooting stars in the sky when we were lying down facing the night sky and we saw one just as my friends were talking to me. We all became silent for a moment, closed our eyes and as always made a little wish. When we opened our eyes, and looked into one another’s I knew that there was only one wish that they could have yearned for that night.

Just then, as we were getting up, holding on to each other’s hands for support, we said in a chorus ‘Because Together We Can and Together We Will…’ That little time spent with my friends fired me up and approached the exam not with trepidation but with a renewed confidence. I managed to scrape through that test and really had my friends all to thank for as without them, I would surely have been tense and made a hash of things as a result.

My Journey From Home To Hostel ... #StartANewLife

My 12th standard HSC board exams had just got over and I had decided that I will do engineering just like many of my friends. The wait for results was an excruciating one but that time gave many of us friends some time to contemplate about our future and the choices that we were going to make. The results were announced and I did not get very good marks, not that I was expecting to top the exams but the results left me disconsolate and worried if I will be able to secure admission in a good engineering college in Mumbai. The admission process for engineering stream is a long drawn one which can go on for several months.

We had to fill up a form in which along with all our personal and academic details, we were required to fill in the 'Top 50 Colleges along with the Field of our choice' in descending order. So that was it, everyone filled up that form like their life depended on that sheet of paper. Since many of us friends had got similar marks we filled up the form in the same way. The best 40-45 Colleges of Mumbai were filled at the top and then the last 5-10 choices were filled keeping in mind our moderate marks. They were supposed to be the fail-safe in case we did not secure a place in the top 40 colleges, the chance for which was minute.

I filled up colleges only from Mumbai itself as I did not want to relocate and live in a hostel. The mere thought of it made me uncomfortable. Nobody in our whole family had ever done engineering, forget about staying away from the family in some hostel. My friends, however had no such tough decisions to make and they included some colleges which were situated out of Mumbai and could take in students with a little lesser marks. As expected, I did not get selected at any of the top colleges of Mumbai and time was fast running out. I had to make a decision soon.

One day, suddenly, out of nowhere, I received a call from one of my childhood school friends who told me that he had taken up engineering at a college in Ratnagiri. We had not been in contact since school as we had taken admission in different colleges. When I told him about my current predicament, he told me that his college still had a few seats left in the field of my choice and that I should try over there.

I told him that I will tell him in a few days about my decision and also asked him about how was the college, its environs, its students, etc. He told me that many of the students were from Mumbai and the college was located at a good place. Then we talked about our good school days and the mischief that we used to have together.

I had a talk about this with my Father and together we decided that in order to progress one has to make sacrifices and live away from the family. Change was the only thing that is constant in the world and without change the world would stagnate. My Mother was not approving of me going away to live in a hostel but me and my Dad persuaded her. I told my friend about my decision and he was elated, he assured me that all would be fine. I paid the fees and took admission in an engineering college that I had never heard of before.

I was very circumspect about this whole 'Living in a Hostel' affair and set out from my home towards my destination with a heavy heart and perhaps with a tear in my eye. When I reached at my college, my friend was there to welcome me. He showed me around the campus and I was delighted to know that he had arranged for us to be room-mates! 

I remember that I could not sleep for many days at that place, the room was too small as compared to my house in Mumbai and the bathrooms stank. The food at the mess was the worst, it was insipid and tasteless. I was homesick and badly wanted to return home. With Diwali approaching, we friends were involved in a dare devil act to escape from the hostel, my first of the very many adventures that I would have during my engineering days.

Slowly, I settled in at my new home away from home and made new friends. The hostel life gave me so many experiences to savor, so many memories to cherish. I learnt so much during those days; how to do my own work, how to enjoy while studying, how to take decisions independently, how to survive without sleep and food, etc. I and my friend remained room-mates for the next four years and had a blast. Those late night vada-pavs, the mid-night birthday parties, spending the whole night playing card sessions, playing cricket on the terrace, studying in the jungle for an exam!!

When the time came to leave the hostel and return back home, we were all very very sad. I remember that we did not want that time to get over, those days spent at the hostel was the best time of my life. That was nearly 13 years ago. Even today whenever, we talk, the talk invariably starts from our college days and proceeds further. Change, as my Father had rightfully said, was the only constant and changing for the better was the only way to success.

Hostel Memories - Story of Optimism about Life!!

The last semester engineering exams are going on and everybody is so excited. The students have spent four long years in a hostel, miles away from families and friends, slogging away day and night to realize the dreams of their parents and to build their own career. Plans are being chalked out every single day, we will do this, we will take a vacation there, we will shout like crazy in a chorus after the last exam, etc… There is a ‘Days to Freedom’ counter that has been set up on the wall of my hostel corridor. The last 31 days are written on the wall and with each passing day one number is stricken off by a member of the hostel with his autograph. The hostel is a mixed bag of emotions; everybody is excited and nervous, sad and anxious, some are confident and assured while some are apprehensive and confused… There is that strange sensation of impending joy and happiness mixed with a tinge of anxiety and sadness which is just around the corner but which is very difficult to put in words.

Only the last two papers remain now. Last 9 days before a new batch of engineers graduate and join the grind of corporate lives. Just a day before the second last exam, a friend and fellow hostelite suffers from what appears a heart attack and dies while on the way to the hospital. Let us call that friend ‘Amar’ because he will always remain alive in our memories and hence is immortal. Amar was a friendly and jovial boy; a little shy and quiet, always ready to help other students in times of their difficulties. He was not spectacular with his grades but he was not a failure either. The whole hostel was in a state of shock and pain. We had lost a friend, a friend with whom we had spent the past four years and someone who was on the cusp of being an engineer. There was speculation that he may have had a bad paper and might be under stress but I had seen Amar for 4 years and he was not the kind to be distressed over fewer marks in a subject.

We did not know how to react to such a loss; I guess none of us had seen death from such close quarters. The hostel which was always buzzing during the exams was silent as a morgue. Almost all of us attended his funeral later that day with tears in our eyes. Yes, we had to study for the exam slated for the next day but that was the last thing on our mind. Sometimes, something’s are just more important than studying for an exam. We tried to comfort his parents but they were inconsolable. His mother cried non-stop and we told her that she may have lost one son that day but she has surely found another 20.

It was over the next 8 days that made me feel so much like a human being. The loss of a fellow student and friend had brought the rest of us closer to each other so much more intimately. We all stood united in the face of adversity and we behaved like mature and responsible people. The boys engineering hostel is a boisterous, raucous and messy place at the best of times. But it was all very quiet in the corridors since that incident. It was decided that the ‘Days to Freedom’ counter would not be updated in the memory of Amar. Where Amar had signed, we wrote messages for him. After the last exam there was no wild celebrations or chantings, loud music which was a norm after each exam was conspicuous by its absence. There was a heaviness hanging around the hostel and the eyes seemed weary. There could not be any victory party after a comrade had been left behind.

It has been more than 8 years since that fateful day but it is still very much clear in my head. It took a death as we students came together, showed solidarity and just the way we conducted ourselves in the face of grief is something that makes me proud even today. There were some heart touching scenes throughout the incident and it filled me with so much hope about our future. The love and emotions that flowed, the moment when we all observed a two minute silence for him after the last exam got over; those moments filled me with optimism about life, about love.

My hostel memories came rushing back recently when Phil Hughes died after being stuck by a bouncer at SCG. The way the whole cricket fraternity came together was just in a way that we had done. Cricket actually took a back seat and when it resumed it was a better place to be in. When Johnson stuck Kohli flush on the helmet in the first test, he seemed petrified. All the Aussie players seemed genuinely concerned and surrounded Kohli enquiring about his well being. In the normal course of events, they would have sledged him and giggled but death teaches us all so much. Remember Venkatesh Prasad once hitting Ponting on the head down under in the 90’s and rushing to inquire about his health but Ponting had just waved him away with an abuse. Yes, how times change and change for the better. Sometimes, it just takes death to teach us how to live.

Tell us your favourite story of optimism - optimism about life, about love, about the world and its future.

It's the World Cup All Over Again

A Special Guest Post from my friend Narsimha Sarma Veturi who writes beautiful stories at his space - Neither Here Nor There and is an ardent cricket fan. We do regularly chat about cricket on Indiblogger especially about how India are doing. In this post Narsimha turns back the clock and tells us his Favorite World Cup Moments starting from 1992.

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The first time I saw Cricket live on TV, was also the first time I saw The Cricket World Cup, which was also the first time I saw Sachin Tendulkar bat. Though, he didn’t score much on that day, he was a star already and I saw an expectation being built up steadily within my family members as Ravi Shastri blocked forever, before he came in. I don’t remember much else from that Benson and Hedges Edition, except the two enduring images of Ajay Jadeja’s magnificent catch to dismiss Allan Border in the same match, and that of the South Africans losing their semifinal in dubious circumstances. I thought that there was something illegal happening behind the scenes that let the chase remodeled from 22 off 13 balls, to 22 off 1 ball.

The Wills World Cup 1996 was when the Cricket Fever truly caught up with me, as I watched the whole tournament live on Television. Sachin Tendulkar was a great hero by then, and he lived up to all the hype being the face, and the rest of the body as well, of the Indian Campaign. The best match, however, was, as usual, was against Pakistan. There are a lot of highlights of this match that I can remember till date, right from Siddhu’s classy knock, to Jadeja’s destruction of WaqarYounis. The Venkatesh Prasad sendoff to Aamir Sohail is still a popular Youtube classic. However, nothing prepared me for the heartbreak of the Kolkata Semifinal. Azhar won the toss and put Sri Lanka in, a decision which even he thought he regretted. Having seen off India’s prime tormentors in the league game, Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharana in the first over, I thought it would be a cake walk for us. Even the target of 258 was something I thought Sachin would help India achieve, until he got stumped off Jayasuriya for 65, which remains painful and haunting till date. The rest is a piece of history, I can never forget, nor I would want to particularly recall, suffice to say that I cried into the night, hugging my pillow, making it wet with my tears, before falling asleep, eventually.

1999 World Cup was a kind of mixed bag, where our chances were forever impacted by our narrow loss to Zimbabwe, which continues to haunt me whenever I think of that particular campaign in England. Owing to summer holidays, and travelling to marriages, I could not catch much of the action live. We had a couple of good wins against England and Pakistan, not to forget the demolition of Sri Lanka. The best match was against England. The tournament rules had it that the rain affected games, will be continued as they were, next day. England were in a comfortable position after some 20 odd overs chasing a modest total when the rain interrupted. The next day, when the match resumed, Srinath got Thorpe LBW, and England crumbled under pressure. Still, a largely forgettable campaign for us, as we didn’t compete well in the Super Sixes, except, against Pakistan. The most enduring image will be the end of the greatest ODI ever, which earned the chokers tag to the South Africans in their Semi Final against Australia. It can’t be scripted better.

The 2003 edition was a largely successful campaign for us, except for the final,especially after the disastrous tour to NZ days before the World Cup. Being a bit more pragmatic at that time, I could see that Australians were the clear favorites. A side story worth mentioning, was that Sourav won the toss on the day and put the Aussies in on a flat track, a regrettable decision, much like the one Azhar made against the Lankans in 1996, both of the matches ended in a defeat for us. Another side story was that Mohammad Kaif’s house was pelted with stones by angry mob after India’s defeat to Australia in the league stage, and it was heartening to see India comeback in an emphatic fashion, being undefeated against any other team they faced. Sachin Tendulkar scored a mountain of runs again, and still the hopes depended on him for the major part of the series. It didn’t help for the excitement of the campaign that India had to face Kenya in the Semis, which I felt was not worth a contest on such a big stage. The best match of the 2003 World Cup, for us, was again, against Pakistan. I don’t think any words would justify the excitement felt by the Indians after that match. Stephen Fleming’s classy, match winning knock of 134* against South Africa in a rain curtailed game, and Bevan and Bichel’s jailbreak against England were also extremely fascinating to watch.

The 2007 World Cup hosted by the West Indies, was a disaster for India and for ICC as well, as the edition turned out to be poorly managed and poorly attended. If India’s loss to Bangladesh in their opening match was painful to sit through, the collapse against Sri Lanka was every bit taxing on the Indian Fan. I saw the match against Sri Lanka on a giant screen, specially brought by our college for the match, and I vowed never to watch a WC match on a giant screen again. I haven’t followed the rest of the World Cup much, so I don’t remember much about it, except that Australia won it, and they deserved it, exactly like the previous 2 editions.

2 years ago, my friends and their families met for a re-union of sorts, and as part of a game, everyone revealed their best moments in their life. When my turn came, I said that 2nd April 2011, when India won the World Cup with Sachin Tendulkar in the playing XI, contributing throughout the tournament in India’s success, was the best moment of my life, and I still maintain it. It is a culmination of a journey that started in 1992, and a Cricketing Nirvana for me. I saw every match live, cheered for every boundary scored and wicket taken, cheered louder at South Africa’s exit in the QF, because I thought they will definitely have given us a harder time. I shudder to think of what might have happened if we didn't win 2011 World Cup.

So, the 2015 World Cup for, is like trying to fall in love with it all over again, since the 2011 edition fulfilled me beyond my expectations. The wait for it, the journey to it, my own growth as a person, all contributed in making that event a memorable one. I don’t know if the current edition would make me as excited as I was for the past ones. I’m older now and I think I spent all my energy on the final hurrah of 2011. I will watch all the matches, because the tournament still holds a lot of importance for ODI Cricket, of which I’m definitely a fan, but I don’t think I would take a loss as bad as I did in 1996. I’m expecting a Semifinal berth for India, which is a realistic expectation to begin with, but I probably won’t sulk as much if India underwhelms me.

The Biggest Fear of an Engineering Student and Rising above it!!

Engineering Exams. The mere mention strikes fear in the hearts of students. Actually fear is a small word, the correct word for engineering exams are monsters, striking terror and horror in the students. I completed my engineering from a college which was affiliated to the Mumbai University but was situated 400 kms from the mega city itself. I had never lived away from my parents, I had no clue what hostel life is all about. Then there was the small case of dealing with living in the constant fear of the upcoming semester exams. In the previous batch only 1, yes ONLY 1 student had managed to clear all exams in the first attempt. Fear was a constant as the exam dates were announced and those fat reference books were still gathering dust on our study tables.

With just a month remaining for the first semester exams to begin, most of the students were already burning the mid-night oil. I knew I had to do something as I was completely blank and had not started my preparations yet. My room mates were in the same situation. I was beginning to wonder if I had made the right decision by selecting engineering as my career option. I had never failed in my life, ever. But engineering exams were scaring me, mocking me as day after day passed without me making any significant breakthrough through my course.

With 20 odd days remaining, I made a call. I made a timetable - a to do list for myself. This was the thing I had done for all my 12 years in school. There were 5 subjects in total and I gave each subject 4 days, it looked impossible to cram so much in so few a days but a start had to be made.

With steely determination and a bit of apprehension I was ready to go. The first few days were difficult as I hardly took my eyes off my books. I managed to take an evening walk daily after my dinner to get some fresh air even with my break-my-back schedule. Nights were hell as it was cold but I did not want to fail, how would I say to my parents that the son in whom they had trusted so much had failed. I slept for only a couple of hours for each of those 20 odd days. I was beginning to feel a bit confident by the time the exams started but I knew that it would be touch and go.

I still remember when I sat down for the first engineering exam, the moment I saw that question paper, a chill ran down my spine, I could feel a bead of sweat form on the back of my neck. The paper was tough beyond my wildest imaginations. But I could not give up at so late a moment. I started writing down whatever I knew, I wrote half answers, drew diagrams as much as I knew. The rest of the exams were no different, I realized by the end of my exams that no one can say with confidence that he or she is fully prepared for these monstrous engineering exams.

The results would be declared after about a month and now there was nothing I could do but wait for those results to be announced on the college notice board. The day finally arrived, the news of the results being displayed spread like wild fire in our hostel. While I made my way towards the college slowly dragging my feet with a silent prayer on my lips, I saw some students returning with a frown on their faces. No words were exchanged as the results were writ large on their faces.

I reached there and glanced through the results, I witnessed a miracle. I had passed all the 5 subjects. Yes, I had not topped any of them but I had not failed. There was a time when I would be disappointed after scoring a 90 during my school days, on that day I had scored 42 and had a big smile on my face. I lingered around the notice board for a long time, most of the students had returned to their rooms long back. Only a few students remained, they had all passed all the subjects in the first attempt like me. We were only 9 who had done that, I remember us all hugging each other like we had scaled the Mt. Everest - actually we had if the circumstances were taken into the account.

The engineering exams always struck fear through the remaining 4 years, but I was more confident about taking them head on, I had pledged to be better prepared from the next time and the moment of triumph came when I scored a distinction in my final year, the joy on my face was priceless.

Nostalgia - India Vs Australia, Adelaide 2003

My mind often rewinds back to that day about 11 years back. The year is 2003, month December. It is bitterly cold and I am having a slug-fight as my 1st semester engineering exams are going on. At the very same time, the Indian Cricket team is also undergoing a severe examination of endurance, concentration, physical stamina and mental strength in the middle of a glorious Australian summer Down Under.

I followed the series by waking up at about 4.30 am (talk about cricket fans happily sacrificing sleep) and running to the terrace of my hostel (read walking like zombie's at unearthly hours!!) to listen to the commentary on All India Radio (AIR). My friend Amit would always be by my side as he too was a crazy cricket fan, just like me. Wrapped in jackets and fighting cold winds we would perch ourselves on the hostel parapet and carefully hoist the transistor up at one side near the water pipeline (we had a theory that keeping it near metal bars would result in better reception). We would have a feeling of being in paradise for we would experience heavy fog during the early morning and coupled with the commentary from an Australian tour would only make things better for us. It may sound incredible but in those days our hostel campus did not have a single TV set where we could watch live cricket action. During the college hours my friend would always activate the GPRS on his mobile phone and we would happily follow cricket, on the move and would follow the match by checking the scores on StarSports (I think it was called espnstar.com at that time) by continuously and maniacally refreshing the 'live-commentary' page. If we were lucky enough to get the signal we would catch some commentary by sharing the ear-phone, one each. As we were perennial back-benchers we were never caught.

After India had drawn the first test (which in itself was a rarity and felt almost like a win to us win-depraved-average-die-hard Indian Cricket Fan), we were eagerly looking forward to the battle of the second test. Australia batted first and with Ricky Ponting in imperious form, made an imposing 556. Punter contributed 242 of those. With India at 85/4, a large defeat loomed on the horizon. But we still had hope as the Kolkata-Miracle pair of Dravid and Laxman joined hands. When Laxman finally departed, about 300 runs later, they had performed the miracle once again - this time in Adelaide!!! India had replied with 523.

Australia were bundled out for a meager 196 in the second innings, the highlight being Sachin's twin strikes as Dravid held two marvelous reflex catches at slip to send back Damien Martyn and Aussie captain Steve Waugh. India required 230 to win with about 200 required on the final day, certainly not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

That day, with India poised for a famous win against Australia, we had our Applied Science Exam. The fifth morning of the tantalizingly poised match, we were up earlier than usual and quickly settled on the terrace of our hostel as was our routine during match days. We used to have 4-5 days break in between exams and we would slog after match hours to put in about 10 hours of studies and we believed that we had prepared well enough to at least scrape the exam!! Dravid held fort as wickets fell at regular intervals. Amit and I were lamenting the fact that we would not be able to witness what should be a dream-come-true-moment for every Indian cricket fan. We checked the scores until the final bell rang before the exam when we were required to switch off and submit the mobile phone to the invigilator and occupy our allotted seats. India still needed about 50 runs with 6 wickets standing, more importantly, with Dravid and Laxman at the crease!!!

With heavy hearts, we parted with our cell phone and took our respective exam seats. Generally during exam days, I have always perceived the clock as a villain with its hands zooming ahead but that day even they seemed to move rather slowly almost defying the laws of physics. My attention was divided and every passing minute seemed like hours. Finally, about 130 minutes passed by and we had already scribbled quite a bit. I and Amit exchanged a few quick glances and decided that we can wait no longer. Another 5-10 minutes were spent going through the examination paper and checking our scribbled answers. I gazed around me. Most of the students were busy writing, some were lost in their own world as they had nothing to contribute while some tried to sneak passing looks at the paper of the student seated ahead!!! But we had made up our mind. We got up from our seats and handed over the examination paper to the invigilator. Many students shot curious glances in our direction. Its tough enough to complete an engineering paper in the stipulated 180 minutes and we were submitting our papers well before time (And since it was our 1st year, it was a real struggle to come to terms with engineering papers. It is quite a leap when compared to the 12th or the 10th standard board examinations. Hence the surprise and shock of fellow classmates.)!!

Next thing we knew, we were out of the classroom and excitedly fiddling with Amit's mobile phone! Amit switched on the mobile and it slowly flickered to life almost teasing us. Starsports was then duly opened and with a gleam and a hint of a tear in his eyes, Amit let out a loud scream – We Won!! Yes, Mate.. We Won Down Under! The entire hallway resonated with his voice and a few teachers came running out. Returning back to our senses at what he had just done, we ran for our lives and hi-fied each other while jumping in the air! That incident was real fun!! Engineering hostel life, all of 4 years were filled with many incidents which are deeply ingrained in my mind.

This incident often brings me up to date with the frailties and the single minded dedication of an average Indian Cricket Fan - the lengths that he can traverse to support his team. With meager resources he is willing to put at stake his health, his career and almost everything that he possesses just so that he can derive that joy of watching his team play which may seem insignificant to the world but means the world to him.

My First Guest Post - A Tribute to Sachin, the God of Cricket

Well as Sachin is all geared up and set to play his final, his 200^th Test Match for India against the visiting West Indies team at his home ground, the Wankhede Stadium, I wish him all the luck. I am also getting nostalgic remembering all those days from the 1990’s and 2000’s where Sachin would, more often than not play a lone hand for India.

I was delighted when Arti of My Yatra Diary fame, well she is no less then Sachin when it comes to the world of blogging, invited me to do a guest post on the Little Master on her famous blog!! I have written a heartfelt account of my association with the God of Cricket, Sachin, over at My Yatra Diary.

Cricket is our Religion... Tendulkar is our God

Here is a small excerpt from my post

I once experienced what it must be like to be in the stands, when the ground is full, when Sachin is out there in the middle. Surprisingly, that match did not even involve India! Sri Lanka was playing New Zealand at Wankhede during the 2011 ICC World Cup and suddenly, during the second innings when New Zealand was batting the entire ground erupted with chants of Saaachin-Sachiiiiin, Saaachin-Sachiiiiin. The roar was defeaning, the crowd delirious in its chanting. I saw cricket fans dancing and shouting their throats hoarse when Sachin was not even at the ground!! I too joined them, the maddening hymn reaching a feverish pitch. This continued for a good 10-15 minutes. The Mumbai crowd had probably got its money’s worth in those few moments when they showered their lad with unabashed love and remembrance.

Do read the whole article here

Please share your Sachin memories in the comments section, either over there or here in this post!!

A Whiff of Nostalgia - My Smelly to Smiley Contest Post

The sense of smell has to be the most complex and indeed the most powerful of all human senses. While a particular smell can be pleasant to some, the same smell can be utterly disgusting to others and yet at the same time it might not even be detected by a third person!

Our brain remembers every smell we encounter, storing them all in some unrecognizable dark corner of its vast expanses, and we are instantly reminded of our experiences associated with the particular smell as soon as we bump into it again, sometimes after many long years. Nearly everyone has had experiences wherein a faint smell somewhere has triggered a wave of nostalgic memories hitting them like a tsunami.

So when I read about this particular contest on ‘Indiblogger’ which is sponsored by ‘Ambi Pur - a brand dealing with air freshners’, I was instantly transported to my childhood days. All those fragrances came rushing back, the good and bad memories allied with them, making me all nostalgic about the good old days.

A Normal Day

The mornings would be full of that flowery fragrance as Grandma would bring an assortment of flowers from the nearby garden which would be offered to the Gods. No sooner did the golden dust began its dance in the first rays of the sun, the gentle early morning breeze would fill up my nostrils with the aroma of hot ginger-basil tea brewing headily in our kitchen. The balmy scent of shoe polish on my black leather shoes often reminds me of my daily drudgery while I was in school. Today, when I apply my latest aftershave, I instantly remember that whiff of Old Spice Cologne that my Father would use when I was a kid.

Interestingly and perhaps a bit surprisingly, my memory fails to serve up any special recollections relating to odour during the 6 odd hours that I spent in the school. Perhaps I was too busy enjoying with my friends to take any notice of smells around me because one thing that I am sure about, is that I was not busy studying!! But luckily for me the contest asks for ‘nostalgic memories you associate with different smells or fragrances in your home’. Anyways I do remember one particular smell from my school days which I will share later on.

Afternoons were spent watching TV or doing homework or catching up on some sleep. Evenings were reserved for playing cricket and I remember how sweaty everyone would smell after running around for 2-3 hours continuously. After returning home, I would take a bath and get fresh and have my dinner. Then was the time for some more TV or homework depending on various multiple factors which I do not desire to dwell into in any great detail. There was this rule where we had to have a glass of hot milk just before retiring for the day and I remember that smell of milk very well. Just like every other kid, I used to hate it! I still detest it but now I have turmeric milk every night which, well, does not smell bad and at the same time is very good for health!!

Summers

The nearly 2 month long summer vacation was like a boon from heaven for kids from my generation. This was our little window where we were free from books and school and homework (there were no tuition classes during the vacations nor were we enrolled in various other classes like the kids of today and schools would not give homework to complete during the vacations) and were free to spend our time as we wished. How well I remember that giddy concoction of bodily stinks when 10 sweaty, sticky kids would simultaneously hug one another affectionately after winning a game of gully cricket from a seemingly hopeless position!!!

Summer vacations would also mean trips to places where we had never been before. I remember the smell of the cool mountainous breeze with lofty peaks and gently flowing rivers completing our surroundings as also the smell of the salty sea air by the sea-side with the growling ocean and the palm trees providing the perfect setting for the most riveting sunset!

One aroma which I absolutely worship is what ensues when cold curd is poured on hot steaming rice! I used to have curd-rice almost daily during the summer season and this was one smell which I eagerly awaited each day.

Rains

That earthy smell when the first rain drops gently kiss the earth. Who does not have memories associated with that moment, memories where, the first rain drop of the year would cause a commotion in the building with kids scampering out in the open to get drenched, later playing a game of cricket in the rain!! But unfortunately that pleasant scent of ‘parched-mud-soaking-in-water’ would be short lived as the stench from the garbage dump nearby was enough to make one nauseous. Now there is ‘Ambi Pur - Meadow and Rain’ to make sure that the wet mud smell remains with you long after the first rains have arrived!!

Winters

I do not remember any particular scent from the winters, but, in general, the air smelt much better in winter then what it did in the summers! The crisp and the cool morning air was something that I loved taking in, it was so stimulating!

Festivals/ Special Occasions

India is known as the land of festivals and the sights and smells are undeniably something that lingers on with you for a long time. The memories of these festivals, the different unique smells associated with each of them are enough to send my mind into a spiral.

I fondly remember Diwali for the mélange of odours that it presented – from the sickly sweet aroma of the kheer topped with pistachios and saffron, to the fumy, suffocating air from all the burnt fireworks, to the aromatic fragrance of the various flowers used for decorating the house, to the earthly smell of the mud diyas, to the smell of love and affection that was showered on kids. Everyone seemed happy, everyone had a smile on the face, everyone would welcome you warmly… that world was not such a bad place to live in after all!!

I get all nostalgic during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival each year reminiscing about the smell of Modaks which would fill the atmosphere in Mumbai.

The aroma of the sugary sweet Jalebis and the savory Fafdas served along with the raw pineapple and besan chutney would make me impatient while standing in the queue of the sweetmeat shop as I awaited my turn on the Dusshera day!!

Remember I talked about that one lingering fragrance from my school days? The aroma of the black fruitcake filled with raisins and fruits and nuts still hangs around in the air - one that I savored on the Christmas Day for 12 straight years, making me remember my school days warmheartedly.

My birthday meant that I could ask for my favorite dish to be prepared and my Mother would happily oblige. That particular dish was, more often than not, almost always – Pav Bhaji! My mind easily transports me to those days when the house would be filled with the smell of that aromatic, pungent and spicy bhaji… that huge dollop of butter melting away happily on top of it making it smell all the more addictive!! Nothing beats that remarkable whiff of home-made Pav Bhaji, yes; my mother is the best cook in the world!!

Miscellaneous

There are so many more smells dawdling around in my home today that make me nostalgic about my childhood days – the smell of the tadka as the cumin seeds would crackle in the hot ghee filling the air with a nutty flavor and then the addition of asafoetida would make the air turn heady and finally the addition of curry leaves would complete what would be a pretty intricate odour, the fragrance of incense, the minty aroma of fresh pudinah chutney which my Grandmother would grind with a small cylindrical stone on a larger flat stone (the entire apparatus known as Shil Lodi), the delicate scent of the Jasmine gajra which my mother would sometimes wear, the fragrance of mehndi during festivals, etc

Writing for this contest made me realize how much the smells around us influence us. They have the power to make us happy and to make us sad. Every smell has stories waiting to be told and memories waiting to be kindled. So what is your story and what are your memories? Share them!!

This post is my entry for the Smelly to Smiley! Contest held on Indiblogger and sponsored by Ambi Pur. If you like my post please do vote for it here.