Travails and ecstasies of my golden period in GMKMC - Author: Kathiravan Thangavel

Travails and ecstasies of my golden period in GMKMC

I thank murali and buddhan for kindling the fire inside me to write and share the finest moments with you all in GMKMC....

First of all I thank my father who was an inspiration and confidence personified in bringing the best out of me. ..

I was neither brilliant nor exemplary in gaining entry into medical college by first attempt. I missed the medical seat by a whisker and that catapulted me to the veterinary college. ..but my father was damn sure that I would become a MBBS doctor one day and he pursued his ambition by filing a csse in the court...meanwhile I cherished the dream of IAS officer and wrote an essay in CSR book. I got the last consolation prize and it invigorates my ambition of collector not knowing the real credentials of my capability....neither was I aware of the CSR credentials. ..I improvised on every attempt and wrote essays month after month only to be snubbed by the editors. ..then I realised that it was an attempt by the magazine to make me subscribe their book for one year...and the prize was not for my insight about that topic......I am now writing after that maiden failure...

Meanwhile, my father won the case and I was asked to join  GMKMC after nearly eight months...I decided to join with heavy heart as my dreams of collector being washed away thinking that it would be served on a platter...I realised i was wrong when many of my friends failed to clear even the main paper...

I came with my father to join in GMKMC. ..I went to the then ponne super market (now GMKMC) and I saw a brash rustic youth standing in one leg and the other leg bent snd stamped on the wall near the administrative office in the first floor .I introduced myself and he said, "I am buddhan"with a grin..and it started there and one by one the gang of 10 formed...we were left in the lurch...as our senior batch was about to appear for exams and our junior batch (dei pasangala neenga ellam engaluku juniorthan) is yet to join...we were in "thirisongu sorgum"...At last the Government decided to merge us with the next batch (athu than 1991 batch)...and the real story begins with lot of fun fare. ..

Initial days passed with customary smile , handshakes and introductions. ..Ragging was very severe harsh and intolerable and a it was buddhan  and nsveen who bore the brunt of attack. ..but it all eased with the  arrival of the new friends. ...

First year hostel at chattiram was really a beautiful period. ..set aside the ragging part, it was where we really made friends. ..danced. played cricket, watched videos throughout the night,chatted incoherently.,smoked cigars and swigged alcohol...the unforgettable thing is standing in the queue for idly and chicken in sunday morning...chinnas ran around the hostel in a daredevilry act...venki music system...late night cards and oosi puffs....

Coming to first year, our dissection hall batch is a dull boring insipid one with a bunch of introverts extroverts and uninspiring personalities. like me.. ..whereas the batch next to us (admin balaji) has lot of interesting personalities with plenty of stories going around...which will be described in detail by karthi or jayendran when their turn comes....one thing I can never forget is when sheila called on me and shouted. ..don't you ever tuck in your shirt? If you come like this, l would ask one of our girls to tuck in your pants  ....mind it? but l was hoping against hope that it might occur one day. ..but both the God and sheela forgot that event thereafter. ..and it didn't happen throughout that one and half years. ..

Another mesmerising event for me...we used to come to college by bus and I always travel in the footboard of the bus...one fine morning, when I was standing in the footboard, my bus overtook an auto  in which three pretty chunky girls were sitting. ..and as usual I was staring at them when two  of them started wavering their hands towards me in jubilation. ..I was stunned and before I could touch the earth and waver my hands, my bus was gone...thereafter I started to cement my place in footboard ignoring the sarcastic remarks of conductor to again have that same feeling. ..but it didn't happen there after...

I was called a "oosi puffer"those days...I never bought a cigarette during my first year...but I used to have one or two puffs from my friends. .It was the night before anatomy part 2 exam..I and buddhan decided to have a cup of tea at midnight. ..we have to cross railway track to have a cup of tea..there the railings would be in succession. ..there would be a small opening to gain entry into the other side of the road...we slithered through that small opening..had tea and i smoked one full  cigarette for the first time..it got into  my head and I started swaying.....on our back to hostel I couldn't slither through that small opening. ..planting my head into railings and buddhan pulled me through that opening  and into the hostel. ..unforgettable moment for me...
Towards the fag end of our first year, we all went for our first meet at ooty..that early morning NMR track from mettupalayam to ooty was all fun and frolic...I and siva followed a group of cute college girls who were seated in the next coach. ..that train usually halts for a few minutes after every 100 mts...we two go for a stroll towards that compartment , had a glance at them , come back...fully energised. ...that was a typical "rail snegam"...In the evening it was our typical style...went for a bar in that cool snd chilly climate and nipped a few drink and was so elated....After a few drink, I usually go over the moon, so was shankar,and the rest of the guys advised me not to open the mouth once I enter the bus...I diligently said yes...and once I entered the bus everyone was cuddling me into the backseat and advising me to keep my voice mumbled...I stood and screamed loudily "buddha eeri pochuda" to break that eerie silence..so swift was my friends reaction that I was forcibly laid back and my mouth wss shut with their hands...I tried to open my mouth when they tried to rrlax their vice like grip...and it went on throughout that journey. ..
Finally..a food for thought...I really wonder how murali karthi guns and all started to this culture so late. ..we started early and karthi used to advise a lot...eenda kutikureenga...and he seemed to be a man of principles. ..what has gone into his mind after that susceptible period?

Almost for all of us, we were first time doctors in their respected families. ..most of our parents are teachers. ..and almost all of us were from tee totaller family...we were all under strong parental control and discipline snd education were the only priority. ... for all of us alcohol and cigarette were forbidden words...when we were set free into this world without any parental pressure and was roaming scot free , we searched for something new....
and wanted to taste those forbidden things. ..
But , now, what are we going to teach our children? Is alcohol bad? How can we say that to our kids? Almost all kids seems to know...my son knows about me and so is all of our friends. ..Even in a family where parents don't drink , their friends families would be used to it...so we can't force them to accept alcoholism is bad...but  nowadays our kids are oversmart and they would themselves decide which one is good or bad for us...

one of my friends wife is very strict...he usually goes for a spin without her consent  and  was caught red handed so many times...there the skirmish would begin between them..their son would advice his mom...why are you scolding dad?he has been going for cases day in day out   untiringly...let him relax for a day...what is wrong in it? such kind of maturity our present generation children possess...they all knew that alcohol is not bad,  but alcoholism is .....
we are here to enlighten our children about so many evils encircling us like terroism fraud corruption  addiction to internet with Facebook whatsapp and gaming...when my child opens internet I am fraught with so much  of fear. ..what would he see in my presence ..in my absence. ..we need to have child lock and so on to procrastinate the evils of internet...one day they all will be exposed to those things..let us all try to delay and let they enjoy the childhood dreams till then...In our childhood days there was not much TV no internet and we all played only outdoors..our parents would scream""pozhuthanaikum velliayalaya vizhayathitu irukon"...but now our children are preoccupied with internet Cable TV snd gaming consoles...now we scream ""pozhuthanaikum netla irukkan"....we literally push them to play outdoors to play with their friends only to find the empty roads as all kids were engrossed with TV and internet...

I stop here...when murali asked me to write, so many things inundated my mind...flurry of events flooded my thought...that I can even write a short book ...but I don't want all of you to push into boredom. ..I stop here...

I request karthi or suresh to take over from here...sorry if I bored you so much...

Happy pongal...

spend time with your children. ..not with TV internet and whatsapp and facebook....

thank you all...