Today is Sir Syed Day.For those who dont know, its the birth anniversary of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, social reformer and the founder of Aligarh Muslim University.
There is something very special about AMU. Even after you leave the campus, a part of it stays with you forever. There is always a sense of belonging. Maybe thats the reason that this day is celebrated worldover by alumni. ( I got several 'Happy Sir Syed Day' messages :-) ) And as I write this, old memories come rushing back. Those two beautiful years spent in AMU... I need not close my eyes... it just seems like yesterday when i first entered Room Number 16 of Waheedia hostel in Abdullah Hall...with my luggage and mixed emotions.
aaah ... what to write , and what not .... thousands of precious moments, lived to the fullest with Arma, Juvariya, Sumaiyaa, Farha, Iram aapa and shiam aapa- my roomies and many other friends. Hostel Ragging, combing hair in two braids with different coloured ribbons( one fluoroscent pink and the other fluoroscent green :-) We looked really funny. I wish I had a pic). giggling at Bittan Bhai's shop ( he was renamed Bits), waiting desperately for Sunday outings, trips to Ameer Nishan, ice cream at Milky Bar, Annual Exhibition (both girls and boys waited for it, and many romances blossomed there). Decorating the room with blue wall paper, late night gossips, pranks, reserving the seat in common room for watching chitrahaar (at home, chitrahaar was history long back ... coz of cable TV ofcourse... but hostel offered only DD and we cud beat a wrestler for the best seat ), unlimited maggi ( which was prepared on a jugadu heater, openly available at Bits, every room used it and it was illegal :-)
There are so many stories and if i start penning down all thats coming to my mind right now, then the night would be gone; and i cant do so, coz i have to attend tues 11 am meeting in office...click click .. idea... I think I shud write a blog on tue meting some day. anyway coming back to AMU. I will just share one beautiful day at Waheedia. It was celebration time. We were in class 11th and my roomie Juvariya had just got married in a quiet ceremony ( just nikah, no rukhsati .She was engaged. one of the close relatives was extrememly unwell and wanted a quick wedding... But Juvariya was still in school. So families decided a middle path. Nikah ceremony was performed . I beleive rukhsati was done after she completed college. and i guess the close relative attened that as well ). Juvariya had shared the news with just a select few, but as it is in hostels, the news spread like fire and congratulatory messages started pouring in. Any good news is worth celebrating in hostels and we decided to throw a grand party. We organised mayoon ceremony( sangeet) in the common room. Juvariya looked stunning in yellow salwar kameez...dupatta draped over the head. There were no families... just girls( all teenagers )some 'close friends', other 'just friends' and the rest hostel mates celebrating a wedding... singing, dancing,cheering, making merry...Juvariya sitting quietly in a corner... blushing... while we were singing wedding songs, laced with the rhythm of dholak.It was an awesome night, which i guess none of us would ever forget.
Juvariya's husband was in engineering college. No, he dint teach there. He was 1st year student. He was heard telling his family not to share the news with anyone. ' college mein sab mazaaq udayenge, plz kisi se kehna nahin'. But the mayoon ceremony in waheeedia hostel was such a hit , that juvariya's wedding became the talk of the town.
There is something very special about AMU. Even after you leave the campus, a part of it stays with you forever. There is always a sense of belonging. Maybe thats the reason that this day is celebrated worldover by alumni. ( I got several 'Happy Sir Syed Day' messages :-) ) And as I write this, old memories come rushing back. Those two beautiful years spent in AMU... I need not close my eyes... it just seems like yesterday when i first entered Room Number 16 of Waheedia hostel in Abdullah Hall...with my luggage and mixed emotions.
aaah ... what to write , and what not .... thousands of precious moments, lived to the fullest with Arma, Juvariya, Sumaiyaa, Farha, Iram aapa and shiam aapa- my roomies and many other friends. Hostel Ragging, combing hair in two braids with different coloured ribbons( one fluoroscent pink and the other fluoroscent green :-) We looked really funny. I wish I had a pic). giggling at Bittan Bhai's shop ( he was renamed Bits), waiting desperately for Sunday outings, trips to Ameer Nishan, ice cream at Milky Bar, Annual Exhibition (both girls and boys waited for it, and many romances blossomed there). Decorating the room with blue wall paper, late night gossips, pranks, reserving the seat in common room for watching chitrahaar (at home, chitrahaar was history long back ... coz of cable TV ofcourse... but hostel offered only DD and we cud beat a wrestler for the best seat ), unlimited maggi ( which was prepared on a jugadu heater, openly available at Bits, every room used it and it was illegal :-)
There are so many stories and if i start penning down all thats coming to my mind right now, then the night would be gone; and i cant do so, coz i have to attend tues 11 am meeting in office...click click .. idea... I think I shud write a blog on tue meting some day. anyway coming back to AMU. I will just share one beautiful day at Waheedia. It was celebration time. We were in class 11th and my roomie Juvariya had just got married in a quiet ceremony ( just nikah, no rukhsati .She was engaged. one of the close relatives was extrememly unwell and wanted a quick wedding... But Juvariya was still in school. So families decided a middle path. Nikah ceremony was performed . I beleive rukhsati was done after she completed college. and i guess the close relative attened that as well ). Juvariya had shared the news with just a select few, but as it is in hostels, the news spread like fire and congratulatory messages started pouring in. Any good news is worth celebrating in hostels and we decided to throw a grand party. We organised mayoon ceremony( sangeet) in the common room. Juvariya looked stunning in yellow salwar kameez...dupatta draped over the head. There were no families... just girls( all teenagers )some 'close friends', other 'just friends' and the rest hostel mates celebrating a wedding... singing, dancing,cheering, making merry...Juvariya sitting quietly in a corner... blushing... while we were singing wedding songs, laced with the rhythm of dholak.It was an awesome night, which i guess none of us would ever forget.
Juvariya's husband was in engineering college. No, he dint teach there. He was 1st year student. He was heard telling his family not to share the news with anyone. ' college mein sab mazaaq udayenge, plz kisi se kehna nahin'. But the mayoon ceremony in waheeedia hostel was such a hit , that juvariya's wedding became the talk of the town.
