Further down the road, looking back at the path...

Okay, so this is a long time in coming, and I know I promised this a while back, here it goes… The last two years of my highschool have been a total blast. And the entire credit goes to, as Suparna Ma’am would put it, us bunch of ‘junglees’. The XI-B of our time is, undoubtedly, the best Bhavans has ever had. No where can we find a group of people with talent so abound, that we know not how to utilize the overabundance. We do, however, proudly declare that academics is one area where we need to kick a bit, but hey, we can’t be good at everything, can we. So, let me begin, in Ibadat style, but with a Bikram-tadka, to describe some of our class’s best known personalities – the ones that I am proud to call my friends. And how can I begin writing without adding a DISCLAIMER? Here it is… The following pieces are written with the best of intentions at heart. Please do not take offence at the ‘candid’ statements made here. If I fail to mention your name anywhere, please attribute it to my silliness, ‘cause in no way are you any less important than those mentioned here – you’re just a little bit more ‘normal’. ;)

Avneet Hira

the one on the right

I have to start with this one. The first day in class, she (or rather, he) was a blast. And she has continued to be one throughout. Even though her comments were ‘misquoted’ by a certain few, we were able to sort things out between ourselves, and I was able to convince her that I am NOT a gentleman… :P Seriously, though, she is a dear; one of the few people in my life whom I can undoubtedly put in my never-to-forget-best-friends’ category. Our ‘candid’ talks about anything and everything under the sun have been a pleasure, and it is great to know that she has you back.

Saurabh Bhatia

the one on the right

It’s strange. ‘Cause when I thought that I’d write about him, I thought I had a lot to say but am speechless (wordless) now. His first day in class, I remember, he tried to one-up Rakesh Sir and was brutally snubbed. That set the tone for the following years to come where I got to know that nothing pierces his thick skin. And he remains as obstinate as ever. He is an enigma. I have had the (dis)pleasure of knowing him at his worst, and occasionally, at his best. His slapstick sense of humor is hilarious, but as always, he forgets that slapstickness (I don’t think that is a word, but what the heck!) can be so annoying at times – especially in public. Never having a penny for himself, this person is like a life to our class. His antics are the sole entertainment for both us, and the teachers. I quote a certain teacher when she said, “Isn’t Saurabh Bhatia here today? No wonder it is so quiet!” That describes him well. Loud, sometimes obnoxious, but in the end, a sweetheart.

Ishita Bhatnagar

on the right

“Ishita, bas karo pleeeeeeeeeze!” This is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about her. Gosh, the look on her face was priceless when Suparna Ma’am said that, and so was it on that occasion when she called me a Bitch in front of Inderpreet Ma’am. Ishita is one person that you can never feel bored with. Her sense of humour is out of this world, and by that, I mean it in a positive sense. She is the always-ready-to-have-fun kind of a girl who would rather dance than read. After all, we’re ‘Phijically Phit!”

Nikita Dobhal

the only girl in this pic

What do I say about her? She is the silent observer of our group. In the start, she was always busy talking with Aseem, so she never had anything to say to us. Later, she was busy thinking, so she never had anything to say to us. But, I will always treasure our Physics class chat sessions that helped me put my slumber at bay. The days you did not come, I did actually fall asleep. The best part about her is that even though she will not say much, but she is fiercely loyal. You can be rest assured that she will be there to lend a shoulder to you when you need it the most and least expect it.

Ibadat Sahney

Ahem! Ahem! She reminds me of….well…me. I mean, if I were to be a female, I would surely be like Ibadat. I don’t think there is another person on this planet who would understand my kinda jokes. In her words, “We are always in sync with each other.” And I can’t put it any better. I will start a sentence, and I won’t ever have to finish it, ‘cause Ibu will already be laughing. Same with me… She mentioned the car-ride in her blog, and I need to mention that here as well. Ibu, my car’s axle still squeaks!! And I can still see Angad holding his head in the back-seat!! LOL

Aseem Kharbanda

I don’t think there has been another person who will be like him, ever. Sometimes open, sometimes all clammy, he is a person you need to be empathetic around. I always enjoy his company and especially the naughty flirting that we engaged in. LOL. Those were simply awesome. Remember? At Avneet’s place…lol He is got amazing dancing skills, a great personality and, I am not afraid to admit, a killer smile. A man of few words, he leaves others speechless as well. But, a true friend nonetheless.

Tushar Khanna

“Ma’am, please…ONE MINUTE!!” I don’t think I’ll ever forget these antics of his. As soon as the exam’s countdown timer reads ‘30 minutes to go’, you can be sure to hear Tushar frantically writing, calculating, trying to organize his uncooperative sheaf of papers and trying to reason with the God of Time, aka the invigilator, that there is still time left. Another thing that I will not forget about him will be his ginormous SNEEZE! I swear, you can use the sound energy to propel a turbine! I can still imagine it….the class, sitting all quiet and concentrating on the coursework. Meenu Ma’am trying her level best to teach us some of the BS she calls Maths and at the same time scolding Arijit, and BOOM goes Tushar. The whole class jumps two feet in the air, Arijit breathes a sigh of relief at been rescued from the scolding, and Meenu Ma’am doesn’t know whether to laugh, continue scolding Arijit, go back to trying to teach us, or start scolding Tushar now. Priceless!

Ankur Agnihotri

I can’t say anything here. I need to go read H C Verma first.

Mashaara Bhatia

“Guys, pleeeeze! Kya hum ab bas nahi kar sakte?!” Ever seen a cute little cuddly bear? Mashaara reminds of that. She is our own little ‘little-Mummy’ (the big-Mummy is Shrestha). She is the quintessential girl next door. Very emotional and wears her heart on her sleeves, but I guess, that is her charm. A gem of a person, though.

Shrestha Padhy

second from right, in the centre

Well, well, well. Our, Miss goody-two-shoes. Usually, when this phrase is used for someone, it is derogatory in nature. But for our dear ole’ Shrestha, it is a compliment. Her cute little (everything about her is ‘little’ – little hands, little her, little eyes, little handwriting) smile is so endearing that you wanna go do the cuddly-poo (the coogly woogly woogshie) with her. And although she wants to do the same to Arijit, I am sure there is a line waiting for her as well.

Arijit Chakraborti

Wait; let me get my earmuffs first. Have you ever heard those scooters whose silencers have gone bad and the owners refuse to get it repaired ‘cause according to them, it looks hep? That is our Arijit. Even though he has a jewel for a heart, he has it encased in a typical Punjabi-dude prison. I don’t think he has a single Bengali bone in his body. His smile, however oblong, puts one on everyone else’s faces as well and his stupid antics put everyone at ease too. Just loose the dumbbells, mate. They make you walk funny. :P

Angad Singh

I think the only time he ever spoke was when he was called upon to do so, or to criticize our get-togethers, in which, I must say, he himself could be found sitting either glued to his cell-phone or his hand. Even in class, he’d sit in the last seat and one could only hear his bellowing laughter only – a result of sharing a seat with either Varun or Sagar. Yet, his curvaceous figure did give us a nice topic for conversation, eh Ibadat? ;)

Anuraag Verma

I am sure I can imagine Mr. Verma reading through this post and wondering where the freakin’ hell his name is. Rest assured, Anu, I am not going to forget mentioning you. After all, how can I? I don’t think I can ever describe this person in words. His expert sense of sarcasm at the most opportune of times is legendary in the halls of Bhavans. His exemplary skills as a compere, along with Avneet, will be the talk of Bhavan’s for generations. The way they both revolutionized the introduction business with their acts. And let me not begin with his ability in the writing arena. His matter-of-fact, to-the-point, satirical style is famed, as apparent from the number of comments he receives for his blog post. If I were to put together all my comments on this blog, it would make up a comment-list of just one of his post. After all, no ordinary person can write about potatoes and potatis like they were Anu’s aunt and uncle, can they? On a serious note, though, Anuraag, I loved the ‘enlightening’ conversations we had, and continue to have. And I’ll divulge a secret in your honor. I don’t know half the shit I spew forth most of the times. The art is to spew it with conviction. ;)

Tanvi Bindal

the one in pink

Someone, please send her back to kindergarten! Who, in 12th grade, says ‘mujhe nini ayi hai!’ Sometime, Pranshul is easier to understand than her! :P Just kidding…She is a doll. Not the kind that you see kids playing with these days. She is the kind that is still stuck in the yesteryears. I think she forgot to catch up while the rest of us grew up. But let me tell y’all one thing…she can act quite like an adult when the situation demands it…and also, she can sizzle the dance floor even when it is raining. ;)

Ankur Agnihotri (contd)

Dude, I tried reading that damned book. I couldn’t go past the Acknowledgements….. This guy is an all-rounder. Have you ever heard of a jock and a nerd? These are American terms for a sporty person and a studious person, respectively. Ankur, here, is a result of a hybridization experiment between both the species. And, I won’t say anything further. :P

Guys, and gals, these two years that I spent with y’all have been so memorable, I don’t think I can forget them even if I wanted to. Thanks for giving me one of the best experiences of my life. Ciao Bikram