Dark clouds started to gather blocking the radiant sun. A drizzle spray-washed the banner declaring the prohibition of Ragging. I was greeted to the National Institute of Technology Calicut with a 'free' Radicals poster making me inert to the bustle going around. And I made my first purchase at college - a bed (Rubco make). That was the first 3 hours in college.

I got my roommate with lucky number 13 as his college roll number. He was a DASA (Disability Acquired through Stupid Acitvities or Direct Admission of Students from Abroad for the unintitated). He was the villain in poor Simpu's A Short & Crisp Love Story. And I was to play his Agony Aunt for the rest of my college days. He was The Arnjam (spelling mistake was intentionally incorporated-anjaam bhura hoga).

Life in A Hostel taught me the hardships one undergoes in jail. I knew the quality of food served in A Hostel was similar to those served in Tihar Jail (sources: Don). We were guarded 24X7 by 2 security guards with semi-automatic .50 calibre rifle. Two iron gates were erected to protect the juniors from the blood thirsty senior wolves. Royal escort with 2 guards while going to the classes and to the bank. Even for hair cutting in the saloon guards used to accompany us.

My tryst with seniors started on one such a boring escorted journey to the bank to open a bank account. Those where the days when camera mobiles started to make its presence. My friend was flaunting his cell waiting in the long queue of ours with another small queue for the -----. I decided to hone my innate and amatuer photography skills using the 1.3 MP cell camera. I tried to take some photogenic females not knowing whether they were seniors or newbies. Soon my time was up. Hawk eyes of a Senior spotted me clicking away to glory. Walking upto me he said, "Delete those pictures that you just clicked". This instead clicked on my fight or flight gene which was lying dormant till that instant. I chose to fight the moment and fly feigning innocence. "I don't know how to delete them", said I. The Senior turned to the Owner of the camera cell and asked to delete them and seeing my flying technique he too played around the 17 keys of his cell. The Senior was losing his patience and asked the Owner to give a missed call to his cell so as to get his number. But because of the proximity effect of me, he replied that his number have not been activated yet. Anyways the Senior gave his number and left asking us to call him up at night (he is without gfs, I concluded).



It was 20:00 hrs (maybe), brooding over whether to dial that 10 digit number and hear music for the night. Enter Mr. Running Kashi Alexander aka RKA. The Philips tubelight overhead lighted our minds brightly.

Me   : "Hey RKA, we met a Senior today while at the Bank. He gave us his number and asked you to call him."

RKA: "Why me?. Why did he ask me to call him?"

We   : ??????

RKA : "Ok, lets call"

A brief lull not disturbed by the crickets that sometimes chirp to make aware their presence in the neighborhood.
The Senior didn't pick up the call.

Maybe he got some other Goat (bakra).

Suddenly a ring comes in RKA's cell. It was the Senior.

Senior : "Who are you? Why did you call me?"

RKA : "I was asked to call. You gave this number when we are at the bank."

Senior : "So you are the one who was taking photos (without waiting for a reply), %&^*(#$^%&*(

RKA : (Greek)

Call ends.

RKA : "Dey, that Senior was saying about some photos and camera. And then he started saying all those greek words. I didn't understand anything."

It took some time to explain how I was polishing up my wildlife photography skills and about my speciality of taking photos of rare animals. Now people of NITC would know which species is rare in there.

As for your info Ragging in NITC is totally prohibited. Which means that the Seniors there are like the Tiger that continues to eat grass even after being released in the wild after being reared in captivity.

Faction=Fact+Fiction