K, A, and M

This is a story of three mad girls on this earth. Once upon a time, exactly saying in July 1990, three fun loving girls met each other accidentally and they knew that their friendship is going to happen the instant they saw each other because this knot was built in heaven by the God's auspicious hands.

Those were magical days. We have just completed the school and for us, college was a kind of charm for two main things 1) Can wear civil dresses 2) Can bunk the lectures. That time the idea about a college was limited to this only. It was before globalization and there were no number of TV channels to corrupt the mind.

It was a bit fun and a bit discipline where we studied. It was a junior college and was just an extension of a school. So there were a certain rules and regulation but the teachers were caring.
Though we three used to bunk lot many periods, no teacher ever pointed out as they were aware that these three girls are just trying to enjoy their college days. Really, the life was too simple and straight that time.

After bunking the period, we used to eat Shevpuri at the hawker's cart and then used to go to any of our friend's house and used talk limitless.

The topics were usually college people, school days, food, movies, songs and sometimes politics.
As far as boys in our class were concern, they were all sure about our idiotism as well as brilliance. They just used to keep away from us.

Though none of us was studious, we used give instant and sharp answers. We used to cross-question professors if needed.

Our nature was strange, thinking was odd, living was too different from each other and liking had no similarity at all. Then also our friendship was divine and days were magical.

What a great combination it was...
On the left is Kala, in the middle it is me and on the right is Archana.

Kala was a born mathematician. She was a little bit more sincere in study than us. Kala's favorite song that time was "बालों मे जो पंख डारे हैं गोरियाँ, कितने कबुतर मारे हैं गोरियाँ, नजरों से वार कर के.." [O fair lady, The feathers you are wearing in your hair, how many pigeons have you hunted just by the strike of a look]. I used to think how vulgar this song is .

The other funny thing about her is that someone told her if she goes to church for 9 Wednesdays and lit a candle, she will pass the Std. 12th with good marks. Next Wednesday two of us were in the church standing in a line for 3 hours. My patience was over same day.

On the last night of exam day we used to go to her home and study whole night to fill the backlog. Once Kala wrote a poem also on exam at that time -
And as the second tick by,
I watch the stars in the sky,
Weaving a joupe of shining diamonds,
Hearing the Oh - so - pleasant lullby!
Then it comes to my realization
that another day has come to pass,
Yet I have not given attention
to studies of so much importance !
What ... Oh what in the name of the God,
Is to happen of me, if I continue like this;
Come to me and help me Dear Lord,
For I want to, oh how I want to study and achieve bliss!
I want to reach the greatest height,
I want to achieve a real goal,
I want my parents proud of me,
I want them saying "There, that's my girl"!
I hope someday this will be really true,
I hope someday sky will be clear blue,
But now all I can see is the dark gray mist,
Enveloping the ray of light that I know there amidst!
I write all this in pain,
I write all this in confusion,
How I wish there was a way,
How I wish there was a solution!
I'll write, I'll write,
I'll continue to write,
For now that's all in my might,
And as the second tick by....
- M. Kala

Her father is a learned person and was GM at MTNL. We all used to respect him too much because though being a Government Servant, he never took any bribe due to his principles (When the officers under him used to get free trips to Switzerland as a part of a bribe, these people did not have a refrigerator at home).

He used to call Kala "Papa" which in Tamil means Sweet Baby. When Kala was 4-5 years old, he called her and asked her "Your name will be Kala now onwards, will it do?"

There are many things that I could say about her as many thoughts are crowding in my mind. Someday I'll write more about it.

My other friend is Archana. She is also highly learnt. She did L.L.M. with distinction. But we would have never believed it in Std. 11th. She was spontaneous, humorous and bubbling. Incidentally, Bubbly was her pet name. Her house was near our college, so we used to go to her house nearly every day. As I said, we used to chat unlimited. But 80% talking was done by Archana only. She is specialized in speaking about the people, their behavior, and lifestyle. Human Psychology was her passion naturally.

There were many colleges in her vicinity. Our favorite game was to stand at her house window and she used speak about every person who is walking on the street. If a boy is walking, then how he is walking and how he is dressed and what his body language is saying and lastly he could be from which college.
Her favorite song was "आँख मारे, हो, लडकी आँख मारे, दिल धडकाएँ, सताएँ, बीच सडक मे हाय नाम मेरा पुकारे, हो, लडकी आँख मारे.. [The girl winks at me. She bumps my heart. She harasses me by calling my name in the middle of the road] I used to think this song is also vulgar. .

Once we had gone to one of our colleagues' (Bhoomi's) house. Archana and I reached early and Bhoomi's mother offered us newly made chocolate cake. We just tasted it and glanced at each other as a flop show. Then the bell rang and Kala arrived. Archana winked at me and asked me to pretend to eat that cake fast. We did the same. When Kala saw us eating fast, said enthusiastically, "Smart people, you haven't awaited for me, wanted to finish early" and ate a big piece of a cake. We both had big fun.

About me there is no much to say. I meet you time to time here.
This is my entry to Rajashree Varma's the festival of friendship on 360.

Now, three of us, do not meet each other much. I left college after Std. 12th because I was mad about an idea of farming in the remote village. Archana changed the college after Std. 13th, did L.L.M. and is a law professor. Kala did M.S.W. at TISS and is in England now serving in a bank.
About 2.5 years ago we met which was a meeting after 10 years. Kala accidentally found my e-mail which I sent her in 1996 and sent me a general mail and told me she is going to come to India in the next month. I immediately visited Archana's House but she was migrated to some other place. Her neighbors gave me her telephone number after many requests. I called her and we planned a meeting.

After that we are still in touch via occasional mails and SMS. Every one of us is suffering because of one reason or the other. We do not have much to say something good to each other. But we have a treasure of trove of our friendship and the old memories which is scenting our life with tranquility time to time.

True friends,
don't always need
a lot of words
to stay close.
There is a silent communication
always taking place,
within their minds and hearts,
they communicate much
while speaking few words.
They sense within
their spirits,
when other
is in need.
They know when to reach out,
they know when to stay away,
they know when to speak out,
they know when to remain silent.
Friends, even though far,
can stay close as long as
there is love in hearts...

Today I have other best friends on 360 like Shelley, Shailadidi, Devyani, Diwakar, Chandra, Patric, Aanandkaka, Bob, Jacob, Thomas, Sabiha, Cheese, Anoop, Prasad, Swathi, Lahiri, -xh-, Rinku, Cynthia, Kubi/Petra, Kamala Sekaran, Atul, Balaji, JJ, Rosy, Skully, Verena, Nidhi, Pure Presence, Santhosh, Milind....

This list is endless. Indeed, the 360 itself is a treasure island.

Original post : K, A, and M