Promised Bridge to the Girls Hostel! And many more things!
By: Rajbir Deswal
We then lived and studied in a mufassil town boasting of a university with a department of English. The town had been famous for harbouring rain and flood waters to the effect that almost every house, shop, office, school, college etc had to be reached from over a ‘Ram Setu’ sort of arrangement of mud bags lined up in shallow waters.
People had to a little lift their lower extremities covers to keep step-walking on the mud bags to reach their destination. It was then natural for the girls in our university hostel to look for a redeemer in someone who could promise to have a ‘bridge’ built connecting with the Departement, or atleast promise one.
I was then contesting for the President of the Students Union. And addressing a bevy of girls in their hostel, I declared that I would have a bridge built up to the girls hostel among giggles and asides. I then went on to seek form the ones who intimidated me as to what else they expected of me if I were to have their votes!
Well the list was tall but I remember certain items on their agenda which amused me then. That the tax exemption to cinema halls be completely enforced. That student concession in travel be doubled. That lecture shortage should not be an issue at all. That there should be a free period every week when boys and girls could sing and chat. That warden system should be done away with. And so on.
The most fascinating demand related to the size of a samosa being increased by sternly telling the contractor Satnam. Well those were the days when one could make promises without inviting the Election Commission’s intrusive instrumentalities and restrictive reprimands.
If I were to be instrumental in having such a bridge in place it would have been nothing less than a Bridge of Sighs–as in Oxford!
No comments:
Post a Comment