Memories of those days, goes the title of this post in Tamil. Alumni reunions are an American tradition. It was not very common in India, until recent years. You passed out of school and college - and that was that. You went your own way , kept in touch with a few, lost touch with most and lived your own life. Rarely did you return. But that trend is changing.
A week ago, the 1961 batch from Madras Medical College held their 50th year reunion. Everybody was 70 plus in age, obviously. Some 60 odd batchmates attended, it is reported. They came from far and wide. They went back to their old classrooms . They went back to their labs. They sang the songs of their days. Including this one (sorry its in Tamil) which was actually released in their year in college. They ribbed their mates as they used to do so long ago. In short, they had a whale of a time.
What is it that attracts people to reunions. After all they have gone so far a distance that they may not even be able to relate to their school or college anymore. Even the closest buddy, who was a life mate in those days has changed so much that you can barely recognise him. So why the pull ??
The pull is because as you grow older, nostalgia becomes a more and more powerful emotion. Sure everything has changed beyond recognition, including you. But so what ? There is the magical pull of past memories that whitewashes the dirty and puts a golden hue on the ordinary. Yes, the school looks a bit shabby now. Yes the town looks a bit lost in the ages. But there is a special joy in revelling in the past. Talk about the carefree days of school (never mind that they hardly seemed carefree then). Talk longingly of the teachers (even though they caned you to fury). Talk to the girls, now women (you wouldn't be caught dead talking to a girl then). Wander about in your memories. Grasp a fleeting remembrance that was buried deep in the mind. Smile at the playground where you whiled away the years. Walk around with a silly smile on your face. And heave a deep sigh before returning back to the real world.
That's what awaits me for the next 2 days. I go to the 35th year reunion of my school batch. OMG ; how did the years fly by ?
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20 comments:
Oh yes, the pull to your alma mater is magical!
Have a wonderful time with your long last buddies!
long lost...I meant..
Wow,planning for reunion is i itself is a big deal.It must be some experience for you.Do post a blog on your meeting.
@Hema - Thanks Hema
@AA - Wonderful to see you back here. Yes, it should be a special experience.
The best challenge to escape the complexities of our fast life is to cling to the sweet memories of our past despite the oft-heard advice to live in the moment and enjoy the present etc and college reunions are no exception.
Enjoy your reunion.
Refer your blog here http://indigoite.blogspot.com/2011/01/dot-com-mania-ii.html. i think you would revaluate facebook a tad more now ;-)
well its a sunday post. sorry that i brought the business angle into it.
I wish you a very happy reunion with your friends and hope you really have a great time :-)
Wowwwww...tamil title for ur post!!! i checked thrice before reading the post!!! nostalgic post..and more nostalgia in store :) enjoy thala..unga batch mates ungala meet panna aavaloda irupaanga...like we all :) konjam engaliyum consider panni oru appointment kudunga
@Asha - Well said. Thanks - will send you a write up for the husband's benefit !!
@Sandhya - Hey thanks - No facebook had nothin to do with it - you see we are the pre facebook generation and few of my batch are on that forum !!
@gils - Nanri Thalaivare :):). Our move trip is longer overdue - we should do this soon.
Its a nice feeling when you actually see your classmates after a long long gap. I had a similar experience in 2010 when I attended a similar re-union at our school (Little Flower-Salem) and it was a fantastic feeling. To see the teachers (many have retired but still attended the re-union) is a blessing as they are the true foundation for our life. I really enjoyed and hope you too will enjoy the re-union.
Photos of reunion on next sunday please..please..
@Connecter - Very nice that you did a reunion. The pratice is really catching on.
@Venkat : :):)
Wow! Loved the way you looked at it!
Loved the way you expressed it.
Do share how it was.
After that i will tell you a story :)
Good luck and have fun at your reunion!!
Loved the way you expressed the joy and nostalgia of reunion. 35th reunion - that sounds wow! You are totally fantastically fantabulous! A big thanks to you for taking us back in time and relive those moments (in memory to the least) :)
I am all about school reunions. My school friends are still the most valued friends I have. We all are so widely spread across the globe that it's almost impossible to get everyone together. But guess what, if I know they are getting together I call up from here :) And Facebook in that sense has been a blessing.
Enjoy your reunion! :) I think it probably is the most honest connection to your past. I feel we may achieve a million things after school and changed a lot since then, but the schoolmates saw what we truly were, the original piece! :)
You become more and more like a child as you grow older - I saw it with my grandma who always talked about her younger times - she used to take me to visit her siblings/friends and I quite enjoyed listening to her conversations. Simple happy memories used to make her so happy. She was most joyous while talking to us about our dad growing up! Feeling nostalgic remembering her today!
Enjoy your reunion!
Aaaah lovely.....it will be interesting for sure.
And it will be more interesting for us to hear ur version of it. Do tell us about it:D!!!!
@Preeti - Hey thanks so much
@Priya - Wow - welcome back and womderful to see you here. Particularly appreciate your wishes knowing you have a connection to the place too.
@Vishal - Big thank you
@Deepa - Yes; minus the internet these reunions are simply impossible to do. And how true that the school reunions are probably the most honest of them all.
@Shachi - Yes; whoever said memories fade with time ....
@Reflections - Thanks. It was more than interesting - something which is a once in a lifetime.
ola,
just came here to see wat was up here ;) Aww... that must have been lovely :) hope u had a grt time :)
@Sulo - Come again please .....
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