“Abe, CAT results are out, where are you”
“Saale, fod diya! I just saw the results, am in Cyber café, Lanka. Scored 98! What’s your?”
“I too checked, it’s 90! Chal, meet me at Dept, ask Vivert to be there too; we’ll celebrate.”
It was our final year of Graduation course at Banaras Hindu University, and most of us have given the Common Admission Test to IIMs or CAT. Few were sincere, most, including me, were testing there caliber. Prasoon was though the only person who was determined to get in to some good MBA college, and had prepared hard for the last two years. Vivert didn’t apply and Naveen was still weighing the MBA degree against the MSc-Geology degree. I was like let’s appear and see what aptitude (!) I carry :p
That was not the time of Google Maps, in fact only Prasoon had the luxury of having a black & white Nokia mobile. So, all we had is the sense of direction and advices of passersby. Walking along the NH2-bypass, through the mustard fields, clicking pictures all the way through, asking anybody and everybody at the diversions we finally reached the Ganga ghat at Samneghat locality. This ghat is not as famous as the other ghats like Assi, Dashaswamedh, Harischandra etc. After some 5km walk we’re there. Exhausted but happy! :) And, there came another deadly idea, “let’s go to Ramanagar Fort”. Though tired, Vivert and Prasoon readily agreed; with a condition that we’ll take auto-rickshaw. From the ghat to the barrel-bridge (peepe ka pul) that connects Varanasi to Ramanagar, we didn’t find any auto rickshaw; the only few we found at the bridge were not ready to take us to the fort as it was just a few kilometers. :p
“I too checked, it’s 90! Chal, meet me at Dept, ask Vivert to be there too; we’ll celebrate.”
It was our final year of Graduation course at Banaras Hindu University, and most of us have given the Common Admission Test to IIMs or CAT. Few were sincere, most, including me, were testing there caliber. Prasoon was though the only person who was determined to get in to some good MBA college, and had prepared hard for the last two years. Vivert didn’t apply and Naveen was still weighing the MBA degree against the MSc-Geology degree. I was like let’s appear and see what aptitude (!) I carry :p
Whatever and howsoever we prepared for the D-day, results were more or less as expected. Prasoon scored 98, I 90 and we never came to know what other guys had. It was 6th January, 2006; just another day of winters in Banaras. As the results were out, we were in mood of partying. Partying at that time didn’t include booze and all; samosa-chae at Bheem’s shop, VT (Vishwanath Temple of BHU) was the cuisine! So we had that luxury, when Vivert, Prasoon and I met at Department. The worm of roaming started biting me, and I proposed to visit Ganga ghat, which was just a few kilometers from VT. All agreed, but no rickshaw-wala agreed to take us to the ghat. So, we took the auto up to the BHU exit gate, and from there we started walking! None knew at that time that the walk would be something we’ll never forget in our lives…
That was not the time of Google Maps, in fact only Prasoon had the luxury of having a black & white Nokia mobile. So, all we had is the sense of direction and advices of passersby. Walking along the NH2-bypass, through the mustard fields, clicking pictures all the way through, asking anybody and everybody at the diversions we finally reached the Ganga ghat at Samneghat locality. This ghat is not as famous as the other ghats like Assi, Dashaswamedh, Harischandra etc. After some 5km walk we’re there. Exhausted but happy! :) And, there came another deadly idea, “let’s go to Ramanagar Fort”. Though tired, Vivert and Prasoon readily agreed; with a condition that we’ll take auto-rickshaw. From the ghat to the barrel-bridge (peepe ka pul) that connects Varanasi to Ramanagar, we didn’t find any auto rickshaw; the only few we found at the bridge were not ready to take us to the fort as it was just a few kilometers. :p
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| Prasoon and Vivert along NH2-bypass |
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| DDLG eshtyle backdrop |
A long way to go either way, the duo – with all support from me, decided to head towards the Ramanagar Fort for the lassi and the visit to fort. After spending some time, I was about to ideate a walk back to the Department when the duo declared in unison that it’s time to pick an auto-rickshaw and no walk!
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| They didnt like the Paparazi and attacked us |
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| A panoramic view of Ramnagar Fort |
Though exhausted, the ~10km walk we had that day is still being cherished by all of us, Vivert at Chandigarh, Prasoon at Hyderabad and me here in Navi Mumbai. That was a walk after we three headed in 3-different directions, but what we carried forward was a bond – that some people call Friendship – that would be celebrated forever in our hearts!
ur article really remembers me what i missed(although viv n prasoon knows wht they have faced during that trip -).If i was the part of that trip....................it would be 4idiots.
ReplyDeleteReally Freindship sails through EVERYTHING!!!!!
ReplyDeletejust loved it! Its still so vivid in your memory and after reading it I realized in mine too. Couldn't help travelling back into time...wonder its more than 5 yrs since then! Was all smiles while reading this and the post with the pics made me all the more nostalgic. KUDOS! Long live the trio!
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the next version..
Naveen..not to worry..we can always do it again...what say?