TALES FROM THE GIRLS HOSTEL
THE DRILL INSTRUCTOR
In the beginning of first year, when we were housed on the first floor, a certain drill instructor used to come every week. He would make us stand in formation in the lawn facing our floor.
He would typically begin the drill like this: Lept, Right, Lept Right, Lept, Right. Lept, Lept . Our awkwardness and our clumsy movements were the highlights of our drill. Our short kameezes (as was the fashion then) and flared salwars billowing in the wind.The instructor would watch us to ensure all of us were in step .Once during one of the drills he said,” You, LEPT”. I misunderstood it as if some one had leapt out of her spot. Uptil now, I had not keenly paid attention to the word lept. I turned around but everyone was marching. There followed a lot of giggles and then laughter. The instructor was furious. After that, we all dispersed for refreshment : tea from the canteen in frosted glasses, with a Gulab jamun and a Samosa.
I still think I am part of that drill marching on. I can still hear the Lept and Right of the instructor clearly but with a difference – no one is in front of me , or behind me . Neither has anyone fallen out of step, but all of us are marching alongside some on the left, (lept) others on the right, in a beautiful chain of diverse friendships.
AS IT WAS THEN
THE BANYAN TREE
The platform around the Banyan tree was our outdoor living room : to relax , to entertain guests who could not be allowed inside, and for acquaintances you met for the first time. Nicknamed ” Chameli ka Mandwa” we would often sit there in our nighties at odd hours and have tea . Our chowkidar would start ranting the name of the girl whose guest had arrived starting from this point onward. Hansa Singh, who was ex army, would shout at the top of his voice and start advancing toward the staircase. He would begin like this,” Rajinder Jeeeeeee. Come don. Gesht aye nay.” Chameli , in her shrill voice would shout at the base of the stair case ,”Rajinder jee tuhaday daddy aye hun.” her voice picked up by the last girl in the corridor upstairs.
The Banyan tree was also the point from where Behenji ( our hostel warden) would turn her flash light on and greet you with,” Namaste Vayta “( not beta). It signaled time to come inside. She would also flash a light on to the face of the guest to identify who you were standing with. The embarrassed guest would also prepare to leave.
MAAJI and KAKA
A mother and son duo ran our make shift convenience shop at night. Kaka was maaji’s son. She had facilitated his job by instructing him how to comport himself with women with decency She would often stand with him to ensure that his conduct was good with the ladies, and the transaction went off smoothly. With his goods perched atop a trolley,(rehri) which he would park under the staircase of the second building, he sold tooth brushes, toothpastes, soap , notebooks and all kinds of emergency items to name a few. This make shift arrangement we saw for our stay of five years every single night. There hardly was a girl who did not use his services. He would wind up his wares late at night——. (to be continued)
Harmeet Bhatia
