Down the memory lane..............

A little while back while arranging my cupboard some photographs caught my eyes and memories one wonderful week of May two years back flooded my mind………… YES it was “DA TRIP”. The trip to Ranikhet…….. An experience which helped me to perceive who my friends are and who pretend to be so………. It was seven highly excited and nervous teenagers who had gathered at the Howrah station having little idea about what was in store for them-- Namrata, Bedatri, Stuti, Shubhangi, Arpita, Ashmita and me with our teacher escort Samprita ma’am ……We first went to Delhi and then made an overnight journey to Ranikhet and in this time came to know the students of our sister school. When we reached Ranikhet I was astounded by the charm of the place. The first rays of morning sun, the misty Mountain View, the fresh tranquil breeze, the serenity of the place all together gave us a new spirit… The bus journey to Majhkhali where the hostel is located was one of the best experiences of my life….. Me and Stuti sitting together and chatting along about anything and everything, sharing the sweet and sour red fruits that she bought from a mountain boy and then the grand welcome at Majhkhali as if we were the Ministers of US… it was splendid. The next three days went by in frenzy with the events of the extravaganza taking place one after the other. It’s hard to pen down all those emotions……. The ego clashes, misunderstanding, working together till three in the night, Stuti and Shubhangi’s constant support, the lonely night when I was alone practicing my 2 minutes speech in the dark corridors when Stuti came to give me company, Shubhangi and me taking shower in adjoining cubicles… me shouting “ Shubhi sabun phekh “and instantly a sachet of rin supreme powder landing on my head(I had wanted the lux), my sojourn into the dreamy surroundings, Barkha’s ghost stories, the controversy about whose skirt is shorter Brinda’s or mine( I still say Arpita wins hands on), Ma’am Roy shouting “ jodi baghe niye nito?????????????” after Jahnvi, Nidhi and me came back from watching television in the dormitory late in the night, the forever sweet student escorts Palak and Swapnil……… its all too overwhelming... One memory that will be forever etched in my mind is our late night passion for football after discovering one under a bed. The football divas started their game at 2: 30 in the night and Shubha’s wonderful kick sent the ball right at ma’am Roy’s door. The image of ma’am Roy emerging tousled haired beady eyed from her room and all of us running for cover, me jumping on the bed and trying to look innocently asleep (don’t ask me how’s that possible) still brings tears of laughter in my eyes. Then of course the famous phone call that took our lives away with panic, I’ll never forget the way me and Namrata frantically banged the bathroom doors for people inside to come out because we had been “summoned” and how Bedatri still had the time to wear her kajal!!! Hats off to her. I wonder how can she manage??????????? Oh! and how could I miss out the famous bonfire night party which was more eventful than the whole trip put together. I guess I can go on and on and on but lets stop here and before I take leave from my memories my sincere thanks to Shubhangi, Stuti and Barkha for being such angels and of course Nams for lending me her shoulder to sleep when I became ill on our bus trip back to Delhi. THANX A TON GUYS.