(In the ground)
The junior batch comes in and the much awaited ragging session, legally named as personality development program starts.
After having slogged their a***s the whole day from 5 am till 12 noon, juniors they sit in long lines shouting their serial numbers after having barely slept an hour for the past 3 days for no good reason.
(In my room)
12:00 - 12:30 The day changes, mr. sleeps starts to knock my eye-lids off balance.
12:30 - 1:00 mr. sleep could have won over me long back had it not been for the "one good thing for the life time". I lay down deep in thought (still keeping mr. sleep at bay) as my ego and alter-ego fight it out for the nth time. ego: "aah.. forget it! last year i too had the same fate, other than two odd incidents i slogged over there whole night without sleep, afterall it's fun! let's do the pdp and if not, atleast lets not spoil the fun of my batchmates"alter-ego (in a philosophical tone): "fine, if u want to forget how happy u felt when that senior rescued you and how disgusted u felt with life when u have to stay awake two nights in a row, very well! rest in peace, but u'll regret this later"
1:00 - 1:30: The last word "regret this later" is the last phrase i ever want to hear from my concscience and i heard it. Now, i've got no other option other than killing my sleep and venture out on the so-called "humanitarian cause" which i modestly call "paying back the honors to my few good seniors". Donned in a colorful tee and a faded shorts i venture out under the mask of a "harsh and demanding senior" calling people at will and taking their intros in a rather harsh demeanour.
(Back to the ground)
1:30 - 2:00: The junior in front of me looked awe struck at the sudden change in the tone. He bagan to wonder why the same senior (read me) who till a minute back was talking to him in a harsh tone asking the same stupid questions, frightening and commanding him and suddenly, as we walk a few steps away from humanity the tone has changed into a friendly one. All sorts of doubts wander through his mind. "Is this senior faking something?", "Is he going to rag me personally, that would be more hell", or just in case "Is he actually good?". As he stands there stranded and confused he hears the magical words resonate from my vocal chords."Do you want to go and sleep"
2:00 - 2:30: I see the look in his face. His eyes speak for themselves. Though "thank you sir" is the only word that's uttered, i could hear lot more of what his eyes has spoken en route our way to the hostel where he was safely dropped near his lobby.List of few un-uttered phrases"aah.. finally i get some sleep""why ain't every senior like this""huh... at last""Thank god! not another sleepless night"
2:30 - 3:00: One of my batchmates holds me and accuses me of saving the juniors from the pdp's
ba#1: so.. you're spoiling the fun
me: heh! (and try to walk away)
ba#1: This is very bad. Do you know that you are actually spoiling them by not letting them interact
me: Dude! Tell me the names of five seniors out of the 100 odd over there who are actually there to enlighten the juniors
ba#1: (followed by a prolonged silence) but still they can clear their doubts and interact with thier batchmates
me: As far as clearing the doubts and interactions are concerned, they have got a whole year to do that and i hope you haven't forgotten the fact that you and I were amongst those umpteen numbers who cribbed day and night about this pdp and were disgusted with life and career choice.
Tell me one thing very frankly, do you see anything other than sadistic pleasure and female despotism in these sessions
ba#1: despotism?
me: hehe.. self-coined term for those who are really desperate to have a girl/boy friend
ba#1: ha ha ha.. true dude! but still...
me: (interrrupting) there are not stills and poses here... Are you joining me or not
And hence the army rose to strenghts.
May be the 10 odd spartans ain't enough to rescue the whole suffering bunch. But they sure would make a difference.
May be they could barely manage to let only a few tens get their rightful sleep when they actually needed it. But they gave the spirit and inspiration.
May be they saved them only once during the whole week. But they passed on the feeling of indebtedness.
