17 July 2009
I left my hometown to pursue graduation at
Pune. For the first time i was going to stay away from my parents and that too
for the next 4 years. Pune is known as ‘Oxford of East’ ,’ I.T hub’, ‘education
hub’ and many other fanciful names. There was no fear or nervousness but some
kind of strange feeling which was asking me not to go to Pune. But the gleam of
happiness- that their son is going to Pune- in my parents’ eyes gave me
confidence and I convinced my mind that this is the best option for me and
boarded the train.
20th
July 2009
1st day of our college and there
was to be an address by our college Principal at 10:30 AM. All the 1st
yr students settled down at the college auditorium eagerly waiting for the
Principal. But it was a great disappointment when he landed up 2 hours late and
delivering a mechanically structured speech, which I am sure that he delivers
the same every year by slight modification.
On reaching
the hostel I found everyone was busy in discussing about the classes, labs,
placements and yes girls too. Everyone was exulted as they were now their own
masters; out of the ‘protective clutches’ of parents.
31st July 2009
Some seniors
had organized a Fresher Party at a Disc named Leather Lounge. Though there were
some fresher party held before it also, but it was the 1st to be
attended by me. Almost every boy was trying to look the best. Experiments with
facial hair and hairstyle had already started a week before. It was only then that I came to know that every weird hairstyle
has a name too. To me hairstyle was always cutting your long hair and turning
back from an animal to a human.
When I
entered the place, the scene was horrific and inexplicable. There was complete
anomy inside. I don’t know if it is a usual scene in every disc or is it to show
their newly attained freedom; but the behaviour of the youth-who were at that
time in the transit stage from childhood to maturity- was certainly not a
civilized one.
Some may
call me a conservative and anti- modern but I would disagree with their vieew
of modernity. Modernity should change our minds and then our actions, and we
should channelize our thinking and actions for making a new society, a new
nation-‘ Modern Nation’. Modernity along with our society should make our mind
also open. So that we develop the capability to imbibe all good things in our
society and filter out the bad things.
But due to
the imperfect mind we develop a wrong understanding of modernity and engage in
all sorts of deviant behaviour, question the norms and values of society to
show our sense of modernity. We develop a happy consciousness by sipping a
taqeela for Rs 500 or dancing on some western hip-hop. So without understanding
the meaning of modernity we thrive for it.
I was deeply
saddened at the state of affairs. After 20 min I made a stealthy exit and took
a vow never to visit such a ‘hellish’ place again.
To be cont............
