Class of 87: A report from the Editor who couldn't

47, 39, 37, 44, 23, 27, 22, 19.

The Class of 87 had 130 students, minus the 3 who have been reborn and we do not know where their new bodies are living. The group site on Facebook has 79 members. And numbers that visit the page have been written in the first line of this blog. The rest are too busy methinks, to visit a Facebook groupsite.

The numbers on the first line of this blog are the maximum number of 'seen bys' of the posts made in the Class of 87 page at different points of time, the older the post the greater the number of 'seen by's'. Gitali was disappointed at the turnout at our 'reunion' or 'get-together'. She had posted the invite of our get-together on the Class 87 groupsite. But it was a very short notice as my stay was really brief. On the day that we met, 24th November, 11am, my house, the post had only 14 'seen by's'. These included Vinnie, Himjyoti, Santanu, Dhriti, Naomi, Gargi, Mousumi, Vandana, Munin, Archana. All out-of-station mates. Of the Guwahatians, six turned up, one sent a card.

So Gitali, the turnout was actually fairly good. *contented smiley*

This is actually a report of this reunion/get-together, by me- the Editor that couldn't.

If you remember, I was supposed to get out the magazine for the 2012 Kaziranga reunion. I was so close and yet I couldn't get it out. You all know why by now. Nearly a year has passed. My recent stay at Guwahati inspired Gitali to organise this get-together. She is also my colleague now, so she gets to know about my whereabouts before the others.



Upasana, Ruby, Indrani, Gitali, Iran, Madhumita as you can see in picture below turned up. Prasanna Dutta, now no longer an Indian like us, came in the evening, alone. He was suited with tie et al. He had a recording with Doordarshan later and he had come dressed for that.

Getting to the rest of the report:

The food:  The steel casseroles have an oil free chicken preparation cooked with peanuts and an oil free pulao by Indrani. Absolutely yummylicious they were. I instantly visualize a 3D projection of them in front of my eyes as I write this. The white hotcase has chicken curry cooked by my man Friday, Jatin.The square baking dish has joha rice in it, my contribution.

Food not seen in the picture are huge chicken patties from Loyan's, mmm mmm, by Upasana, a kabuli chana something, again by Upsi, a sugarfree Loyans cake by Upsi which I didn't share with anyone.

Gitali got boiled eggs, oranges, apples.

Yet a lot of food was left over. The focus of the eating was on getting me fed. Perhaps the reason of Basab's observation of so much of the food still being visible. We didn't cook dinner that night.

The people: Ruby, Gitali, Upsi were the first to turn up. Next was Indrani. Iran and Mita made their grand entrance a little late. Last minute caesarean babies delayed them.

Mita was my bestie. She said she felt hurt when I called her 'former' bestie. I told her I can understand paediatricians don't have time. Ruby was my room mate for a very long time. Everyone knows that. See the effect of my long associations with people. They remain slim. 

The first year stage ragging had Iran and me partnered as quarrelsome spouses. We did a great job. Then he started firing his cupid arrows at my bestie and we are also fellow Pisceans. That explains his weight. We enviously  teased him about his lack of physical changes for as long as we've known him. He said jawani starts now, looking at me for agreement. I advised him not to get jawan now. The 'thoroughbred kanhaiya.' Nice words no? But they are not mine. Vinnie posted them in one of the comments under the photos. Check out the group site.

You guys think I am boasting about the effects of my association with people? Check out Ephia Yasmin, my current bestie.

Indrani, Gitali, Upsi are as beautiful as they were 25 years back. In fact the glow is greater. They are not as slim as Ruby or Mita, but now with their becoming associated with me, there is hope. We've been meeting quite often. I don't know what to do to slim down my own self, my association doesn't seem to work on me, someone give me suggestions. 

The adda: Typical Class '87 talk. Not very sure whether I should reproduce the contents here. I think I better not. You get an idea of what I am trying to say, hopefully. Naturally there was a lot of laughter. Loud raucous laughter. Our laughter. Ninad asked me later what we had so much to laugh about. I told him he wouldn't understand. It was about falling in love and sparrows and hostel stuff. The locals regretted not being hostellers  after they were regaled by the tales.  

Prasanna Dutta the Canadian-American visited in the evening. I was really surprised and very pleasantly so. He asked about everyone and told me to tell you all that he came. This nephrologist is on a visit from his current country, Canada and I was truly humbled that he made the effort to come after just reading the Facebook entry by Gitali. He has two children and is involved with a lot of social causes. He builds houses for the poor. Builds, meaning, literally builds. Cuts tiles and wood himself with hand tools. He took a lot of interest at the Malaysian doors of my house. He is also a licensed pilot and flies planes. Touches everything from the earth to the heavens, literally.

Barnali and Debu had come a few days earlier although she couldn't make it to the actual get together. Had a chat with Santanu over gmail. Madhurima sent a card and everyone gave envelopes.

I am gradually learning to be a gracious acceptor.

Decisions taken: Iran said he thoroughly enjoyed the get-together (Vinnie, hear, hear) and wished for such get-togethers more frequently. Everyone had enjoyed so everyone seconded thirded and fourthed him. Every two months was suggested and we again seconded thirded and fourthed the idea. Venue was discussed, everyone's house could be used by rotation. I offered my house as a permanent venue provided, of course, I am in Guwahati. Iran offered his top floor party hall in the palace that he is constructing. Free of cost, he said, when I asked him if he would want rent. The food could be pot luck (Indrani's and my suggestion).

Lets do this guys. Pleeeeeeese.

I owe a lot of my mental strength and positive attitude to the Class of 87 . I doubt if you guys will ever understand what a tremendous support system you have been. Thank you for everything.

Confusion, hullo there, can you go away please?

I have an amazing clarity of thinking. Dhruba Hazarika told me that baba. Don't "there she goes again" me.

My father had published a book and wanted a press release for it. Dutiful daughter (me, dear reader), wanted to see Papa's wish fulfilled. The press release was the reason Dhruba da informed me about this ability. I was first surprised at the comment, never had thought of myself being particularly clear headed, but was gloriously happy to be handed over the realisation. It was kind of a Eureka moment. That too from Dhruba da.

I had not known Dhruba da personally. I used to read his articles in the newspapers and really enjoyed his write-ups. But I often heard about this IAS officer from my husband. They were Guwahatians and martial art practitioners and had opportunities to bond. He is also the founder of the North East Writers Forum and has written fiction published by Penguin.

Being the terrorizing microbiologist, infection control practitioner and QMS adherent that I was (this is also an awareness brought to me by other grateful folks, and yet an epitaph that would not have displeased me), I took my profession very seriously and was clueless as to how something as alien as a book press release is done. I had never attended a book release function.

For some reason, intuition perhaps, or maybe some other connection which clicked to me then, I decided that Dhruba da would be the best person to advise me about how to organize the press release. He was nice enough to agree to sit with me for half an hour and explain what was to be done. A sheet of A4 size paper gathered my notes and the next day I was started up. Challenges gave me adrenaline surges, as they do to most people.

I soon collected a list of all the newspapers and television channels from our hospital liaison officer and contact numbers of their journalists and had a tiring but enjoyable time inviting the press guys, organizing the press meet, designing the invitation letters and getting them printed, inviting guests, deciding who would release the book, deciding the menu and venue, ordering the food, bouquets, flowers and decorations, pick-up cars for the chief guests, press release folders and other odds. I was the team leader helped by the 25 members of my joint-family-after-marriage stronghold and others like Deepam da and friends of my in-laws and my cousins.

Dhruba da was also on the dais. He told me about my 'clarity of thinking' after the event. I had injured my foot 3 days earlier. A chair in the room received a very swollen and painful right foot at the end of the press meet when I put the foot on it to reduce the swelling before driving back home. I had been standing all the time as I had anchored the proceedings.

The aceclofenac tablets that released the pain from the foot, subsequently started the sequence of events that has put the mind that had 'amazing clarity of thinking' into this state of confusion today. Paradigm shifts happen all too often when one's roof top splits open and spills in unexpected contents from the skies/dirty rooftops. And one wonders if the lifetime spent getting one's world neatly organized, even if organizing often meant 'compromising,' was worth anything at all.

And yet the answers come. Slowly, steadily. But the answers one accepts at any particular point of time depend on one's mood and steroid levels, the position of the stars (after all the stars determine your destiny, you Hindu reader), on who one has just interacted with and what kind of spiritual talk/article one has just listened to/read on the internet. The spiritual ones give the most peaceful answers and the effective people give the most useful answers. The effective answers also have spiritual elements to them. But it is difficult to get the effective people to give you answers. They are busy people because they are effective and everyone wants their time. Agreed, now this is getting a little confusing.

One thing that I see with complete clarity as of this moment is that when you get a fresh lease in life, you must grab that lease and start completely afresh. Completely, totally, no looking back, include all other synonyms please. However, this needs courage. Many have it, the courage that is. Pompy has it. Julie has it. Ashok has it. Effie has it. Monica has it. Alvita has it.

I have a froth that is tugging my lease back a little. But I'm getting there. No confusion about that. There is a good feeling to the thought of relocation of body, mind and soul somewhere far away from the past, to a new beginning, a thought that is very empowering. A very desirable state of being. I want it. Froth, clear up soon.

Conphujan, I know you still dere but you veeeery tiny now. Go-way please. Some effective advice would have helped. But does or does not the advisor want to give advice? Now dat sumthing I really conphujed about. *puzzled 'not so' smiley*