It was my first day of college. I had work hard and crack the Engineering College Entrance Exam, And secure admission in one of the top five engineering college.
My dad is so glad on my achievement; he has come to drop me in the college. I took a room in a college hostel. I enter in the room it was a quadruple sharing room and found that room is already occupied by three other people, there is four bed vacant with no mistake I m sure that bed was for me.
First bed is occupied by a giant like boy; he was so fat that even bed is finding difficulty in accumulating his body over it. Only after seeing him I figured out why most of people in India sleep empty stomach.
“What’s your name and where are you from?” he inquired.
I am Vicky from Dhule, I replied politely .And what about you, I asked
I am Vinod from Nasik, he replied with welcoming smile.
Vinod started introducing me with our other roomies.
He is Om from Indore, Vinod said pointing his finger to the talk and slim boy.
And he is Nadu from Jaipur, Vinod said breaking into laugh. At that time I can bet that he is laughing at Nadu name. Be honest even I have laughed, such name are only used in films nowadays.
After spending around two hour in a room, scrutinising detail of each other.
I will miss you, dad said.
I will miss you too dad, I replied and he left.
From that moment, I have to take care of my own. There is no relatives here, no bed tea, everything has to mange by me only, this thought made me nervous and I return back to room
We all four room hit the mess for dinner. The site in the mess is no less than jail every student is standing in a queue with plate in their hand waiting for their turn to come. Really speaking the food of mess is not so good.
We are new here and we don’t know any other place to eat this is the only reason, I figured out why most of students are having their dinner there.
As soon as we reached in the room. A boy in a blue jeans and black t-shirt announces that all fresher has to gather in hostel hall. We all run towards the hall as we thought that may be Rector of the hostel is instructing something.
But as soon as we reach there we saw bunch of tall people occupying the centre stage.
“Introduce yourself, chickens”, one from them stood up and shouted.
He is Sanket, our senior and has been in 3rd year from last four year, whispered Vinod in my ear.
Everyone started introducing themselves, at that time I came to know what is unity in diversity ,some student were from Jaipur ,some from Bhopal, some from Patna, more interesting there are some student from Assam and Manipur too, places whose existence is only on map according to me.
When we all done with our introduction. People on the stage began with their introduction.
I am your senior Yogesh from Pune, said one.
I am your senior Paresh from Ajmer, said other.
Thus one by one started introducing them self ,the only thing common in their introduction is their start of sentence i.e. “I am your senior”.
“Do you know why you all are here?” asked Paresh excitingly.
Nooo, replied the crowd in chorus.
“We are going to rag you, fresh bone”, said Yogesh enthusiastically.
We are all got nervous, but no one dare to oppose.
“Yes you red shirt come here”, called Yogesh.
“What’s your name?” he asked
Ramesh, he replied.
Ramesh will sing “kajrare” song from movie “Bunty aur Babbli” for all of us ,he declared.
I am not a good singer, Ramesh replied politely.
So who’s here, laugh Yogesh.
As Ramesh started singing the song. Suddenly Paresh called me, Vinod and Om on the stage and tell us to dance.
You fat boy will perform move of Ashwariya Rai.Paresh said pointing at Vinod
You tall boy will perform the move of, Amitabh said Paresh pointing at Om.
And you will perform Abhisek, he said pointing me.
Tough me and Om are not a professional dancer but we know same dancing skill so our job become easy.But Vinod don’t know the ‘d‘ of dance.
So it become difficult for us to dance, it become embarrass for us to dance in front of some many student, however we all three pull it out well. You can imagine a giant figure doing ashwariya moves.
My ragging was over and now it’s time for me to enjoy the other.
“You loser, come here?” Called Sanket pointing at Nadu.
Sanket give Nadu a 100 rupee note, and instructed him to bring him back hundred one rupee coins. Tough it was an easy job if he is allowed to go out of hostel, but they didn’t allowed him to move out of hostel, thus making his job most difficult one.Nadu started begging for one rupee conies from each of the fresher, he even beg the coins from our hostel watchmen. He only managed to get twenty-seven one rupee coins.
Only twenty seven, now you have to pay penalty, said Sanket.
Take out your pants and stand in that corner facing wall. He instructed to him.
Thus in this way we all roomies had gone through ragging.
There are also student who had to go to embarrassed ragging.
You have to move your hip backward when they say copy and forward when senior say paste.
Some students were force to craw on the floor; some were tell to do mimicking.
After two and half hour we all become friends of each other.
After that senior gives us treat of coco-cola. And one senior announces that there is one unwritten rule in hostel, that if you are in a restaurant with your senior then bill has to be pay by senior only.
This bring smile on the our faces and we all shouted in chores “huuuurrrays……”.
We will meet you guys tomorrow again in class, said Paresh.
At that time I come to know that if you are in hostel you have to undergo two ragging, one in hostel and other in college.
We hit the bed at 3 am in the morning.
Note:- The Maharashta Prohibition Of Ragging Act, 1999 says :
"Offenders of Ragging will be liable to a fine of Rs. 5000 or two years of rigorous imprisonment or both. Offenders may also be expelled from their institutions without any scope for re-admittance."
