The 1976 SSLC batch of Basel Mission High School, Dharwad held its third successive annual get-together on 12 February at Tekfarm Retreat eco village on the outskirts of Dharwad. The evening was fun filled with the coming together of old classmates, pals and friends for life after a gap of more than four decades! Although six of them didn’t turn up in spite of confirming to join, it was no hindrance for the 14 members to rejoice the occasion like never before. Perhaps the small numbers helped the participants for better, close and intimate interactions with one another.
Celebrations begin at lunch time: According to formal announcement on the WhatsApp group the reunion was scheduled after 6 PM onwards. However, a mini luncheon party came handy to the five who could make it earlier to the venue. Sanjay Kulkarni, Gajanan Kamat, Edwin D’souza from the twin Hubballi - Dharwad cities, Narayan G Sabhahit (Nani) and myself from Bengaluru also took part in the same at a nearby hotel.
Pranayama remembering Ganapathi, Shiva: Many of us maybe practicing yoga and pranayama but not like Edwin, according to him. For he says, to him it is not just inhaling and exhaling exercise. He prays first to Ganapathi and Shiva subsequently along with the breathing exercises. He had also coolly expressed once: All Christians and Muslims in this country were Hindus to begin with!
Names get shortened by “YA”: Maybe it’s a cultural tradition of people in the North Karnataka and likewise in Dharwad that irrespective of whatever name you may boast of it will ultimately end with “YA” while chopping off a few alphabets at the end, with friends! And it also goes without saying that the names of females will virtually end up in “YI”. So, without formalities, fanfare and not wasting much time the five started the party calling one another with the names ending with “YA”. Had it been only that, it’s nothing unusual. They also added acronyms typical to the North Karnataka, like HSM, Bosd…, Ninou… and the likes. No one felt offended, bothered forget taking exception. It was like interacting in the same manner, fashion and style the way they did while schooling.
Professional problems: The mini party began on a serious note with Sanjay making introspection of his professional problems with the labor force. He dwelt with a handful of instances wherein known people referred their children for jobs while the kids preferred to quit without even beginning to work. When he had not even finished, Gajanan felt as to why we are discussing the subject now. The intervention paved for lighter discussion with Sanjay recalling his experiences with Pai Sir’s tuition classes and his mischief’s.
Holi festival, Bobby, Guptagyan…: Gajanan didn’t waste much time to unveil his never ending stock of funny instances. To start with he recollected the holi festival incident at Saptapur during the school days. The bunch of pals was busy trying to create a scene by stealing coconuts making a loud noise. Irritated owner called for the cops who bundled Gajanan and Ravi Megeri into a jeep and let them off near UAS campus. Both, of them began to dance intriguing the policemen who asked for the jovial mood. They were at the receiving end, when they were told by the two young boys that their house is close by! Once again, the Khaki people packed them to let them off where they had picked them earlier, nearby their houses! Gajanan also recalled his misadventures with Basavaraj Sugandhi, among others in watching the epoch making film Bobby and Guptagyan, meant only for adults. The “lively experience” he rejoiced with Sugandhi and others is worth listening in his own words rather than through a verbal narrative which definitely will fail to make justice.
Nani turns emotional, weeps: Narayan while trying to reveal a memorable instance turned emotional and almost wept in the process. He and Edwin had an altercation over some issue in the school. To teach Nani a lesson, Edwin came home with a couple of seniors. But before they could open up, Nani bashed at them saying that Edwin was his close friend and they had no business to meddle with. Not only that, Edwin returned to Dharwad, after his father was transferred back and it was Nani’s turn to take him to Principal Ammanna, recommending a Christian student to a Christian school! For a couple of hours all got engrossed with a bottle of Black and White relishing the sea food and non vegetarian stuff.
Woman constable gets undue attention: As we came out of the hotel besides Tekfarm, several policemen were found waiting with their vehicles on the Belagavi bypass road. It was told that they were waiting to clear the traffic for the Chief Minister coming from Sambra airport.None of them bothered about them and we kept walking towards Tekfarm.... A woman constable was found sitting alone at the entrance. Suddenly, Sanjay and Nani. looked worried. They started inquiring the lady constable as to why she was sitting there, where she came from, whether she had food or not…In no time Sanjay instructed his staff and arranged for a water bottle and a chair. Sanjay felt pensive as the water was not cold. Interestingly, these gentlemen had never bothered to inquire the cops on duty on the highway in the scorching heat. But they became moved seeing the lady constable sitting cool under the
shade!
Sanjay’s goodwill gesture: As we kept going in, came a car and another goods carrier over packed with people making grateful gestures at Sanjay. He informed about the engagement ceremony of a lady employee’s daughter just being over. All of us appreciated his goodwill gesture.
Friends on Zip lining: Sanjay led us to a walk through showing the new amenities added in the resort. Since the four of them had emptied a bottle, they felt like taking a nap, though Gajanan reminded of playing cricket. Once brief spell of sleep got over, Sanjay took us to the Zip lining venue. Nani and Edwin preferred not to try due to bathophobia, though Sanjay and Gajanan pestered a lot. Gajanan, willingly wore the safety belt and helmet but was scared to give a try. Sanjay, admonishing Gajanan put on the required stuff and went in style waving at those on the ground. In fact, he went for the second round as well amidst cheers. Yet, Gajanan didn’t make up his mind. But, when he saw me doing it without any fuss, he felt that he shouldn’t be left back and blamed later in the evening. Then, he also undertook the zip lining way. Sridhar Joshi did it like a child’s play.
Cricket for formality sake: After nice tea and for the sake of formality, all played cricket with one over of batting and bowling while Afzal Bhavikatti preferred to watch all of them play. By then Srikanth Badiger, his cousin Hanumanth Badiger, Ravi Megeri, Venkatesh Hosamani (Gordon), Ananth Deshpande, Jagadish Dharwadkar and Ashok Naik joined one by one.
Nani’s Ph. D. for classmates: As the evening set it was appropriate time for Ph. D, according to Nani. His definition for Ph. D. meant Precision hours of drinking. Interestingly, there were teetotalers also. Afzal Bhavikatti as usual keeps safe distance from the spirits. But Sridhar Joshi, despite spending 41 years in the Indian Airforce, remains a non-drinker which by itself is a rare feat these days.
The Ph. D. continued for the next day as well on the way back to Bengaluru. And this time he floated another theory of Bad habits and good culture. For having had enough of oily, spicy food the previous day, he felt like having boiled vegetables and peanuts for snacks to compensate the earlier stuff!
Complimentary GTG: Probably for the first time, this year’s GTG was complimentary all along bereft of any contribution. Nani, Jagadish, Sridhar and Ashok brought bottles while Edwin hosted lunch, Nani did so dinner and Sanjay gave his resort premises and three rooms for five of us who stayed back.
Reunion more intoxicating than spirits: A few relatives keep taunting me of coming all the way to booze. Maybe, there is no requirement for anyone to do so. But the intoxication one enjoys by chatting, quarrelling, remembering the good old days with old pals can be no match for a few pegs. Hope you do subscribe the idea?
-Manohar Yadavatti
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