I always avoid going to Solapur. Especially if it is for a stay of more than 5 days.Because there is nothing in Solapur that cannot be covered in a span of 5 days. But this time when we planned on going to Solapur i had decided to visit all my old haunts. Had a faint idea as to what all i wanted to revisit. Felt like reminiscing the past, eating my heart out at all my favourite food joints, basically doing all that i used to 10 years back when i lived there. And so when we actually landed at Solapur i went into the execution mode of my plan. Being a hereditary foodie first paid a visit to my favourite paani puri joints. Unlike me, my hubby's a total non foodie (if there is a term like that) and while i kept on having paani puris till the count actually went up to 35 (bloody unbelievable right?...i know) he was done in around 6 puris. The thela wala kept asking him 'would you like to have some more sir' after every plate i had. Poor guy, was shocked to see a lady eat like a guy. And ya he remembered me when I went to him the last day of my stay at solapur, the reason being i had been to his thela every evening for 4 days. The second item on my list after paani puri was pav bhaji. And i know u would again say 'bloody unbelievable' but, i had a plate of pav bhaji at the worlds yummiest pav bhaji center 'Supraja' right after i had 35 paani puris. Next, I took my son to the park which me and my cousins used to play in as kids. Looking at him play there felt like living my childhood yet again.
Taking the nostalgic journey at solapur a little further i went to 'Walchand Institute Of Technology' a place where i spent the four most unforgettable years of my life. As the auto stopped in front of the main gate, well it was closed for some construction work, so had to take the side gate. As i entered i saw the board over the main porch that read 'Walchand college of science'. Wasn't it supposed to be Walchand Institute Of Technology? was the question in my mind and also to the guard standing at the gate. He tells me the engineering college has been shifted to a new building across the road and this, now, madam is the science college. A sudden pang of anger swept over me, like someone had cheated me with my memories, changing their title. Overcoming that sense of anger and slight disappointment i crossed the parking lot. I walked ahead closing in on to the main porch and with every step i took the name board over the porch kept on diminishing. And as i stepped right on the porch the board was completely out of sight and then it was the same porch where we used to stand in groups talking for hours laughing,giggling. A soft winter breeze grazed my cheeks as i stood there under the shade of the main porch of Walchand Institute Of technology making me feel like the adolescent girl that i once was. The notice board which used to host the paper version of colorful events to come was still there, but now was practically blank. Stepping into the main premise kind of further blurred my memories. The trees were now fenced with tiles and the mud covered ground was now completely tiled. The place where there used to be a mechanical workshop was an open space where some women with huge vessels were making preparations for what looked like a feast. As i was trying to search familiarity in the now unfamiliar surrounding i saw some girls in uniforms running down the stairs reminding me yet again that this was no longer WIT. I raised my head to take a look at the classrooms and the lab. Somehow i couldn't bring myself up to go to the classrooms. Maybe to avoid further disappointment in case things had changed even there. I had come looking for WIT and a girl who spent four years of her life in WIT. But despite my best efforts could not completely find both there. Deciding to leave i retraced my steps with a heavy heart.
As i Passed the main porch and stepped out into the winter sun walking across the parking lot, yet again, my hubby suddenly says "why don't we have a picture of u in front of your college". As i stood there ready to be photographed i felt something missing ...what was it?...and that's when i realised the missing part were my batch mates to my left and right hand side with their fingers in a 'V' on each others head ready for the picture.
Out of the main gate and once on the road my hubby asked me if we should hire an auto and go back home. "Lets walk" i said. He did not ask me much but i knew he saw me walk forward with a purpose in my mind. As we walked on i saw a lot of the shops and eating places had gone and new shops had taken their place. Finally we reached the place i was walking towards "Arvind General Stores". Never in the four years that i was at WIT as a student did i once actually go to the front counter of the store to order or buy anything.Arvind had a small side opening meant especially for girls to place their orders or buy anything.And to my surprise it still had that side entry for girls. But this time i went straight to the main counter. I knew what i wanted and that's what i ordered "12 Bun Samosas and 12 Bun Kachoris please". We decided to get the Bun Samosas and Kachoris parceled to eat later at home with my cousins and family. But how could i stop myself from feeling like myself 10 years back and having one right there? I couldn't possibly resist that temptation. So ordered a bun Samosa and a flavoured milk there. My hubby and my cousin kept laughing looking at me gorge over the Bun Samosa standing there. The Samosa was probably from the previous day and the bun wasn't fresh either but no five star food could compare the satisfaction that the bun samosa gave me at that moment. Taking the parcel and heading towards an auto i left the premises of WIT with a smile and a hope in my heart that someday i will return with my friends and reminisce the good old days of WIT in a true sense....
Taking the nostalgic journey at solapur a little further i went to 'Walchand Institute Of Technology' a place where i spent the four most unforgettable years of my life. As the auto stopped in front of the main gate, well it was closed for some construction work, so had to take the side gate. As i entered i saw the board over the main porch that read 'Walchand college of science'. Wasn't it supposed to be Walchand Institute Of Technology? was the question in my mind and also to the guard standing at the gate. He tells me the engineering college has been shifted to a new building across the road and this, now, madam is the science college. A sudden pang of anger swept over me, like someone had cheated me with my memories, changing their title. Overcoming that sense of anger and slight disappointment i crossed the parking lot. I walked ahead closing in on to the main porch and with every step i took the name board over the porch kept on diminishing. And as i stepped right on the porch the board was completely out of sight and then it was the same porch where we used to stand in groups talking for hours laughing,giggling. A soft winter breeze grazed my cheeks as i stood there under the shade of the main porch of Walchand Institute Of technology making me feel like the adolescent girl that i once was. The notice board which used to host the paper version of colorful events to come was still there, but now was practically blank. Stepping into the main premise kind of further blurred my memories. The trees were now fenced with tiles and the mud covered ground was now completely tiled. The place where there used to be a mechanical workshop was an open space where some women with huge vessels were making preparations for what looked like a feast. As i was trying to search familiarity in the now unfamiliar surrounding i saw some girls in uniforms running down the stairs reminding me yet again that this was no longer WIT. I raised my head to take a look at the classrooms and the lab. Somehow i couldn't bring myself up to go to the classrooms. Maybe to avoid further disappointment in case things had changed even there. I had come looking for WIT and a girl who spent four years of her life in WIT. But despite my best efforts could not completely find both there. Deciding to leave i retraced my steps with a heavy heart.
As i Passed the main porch and stepped out into the winter sun walking across the parking lot, yet again, my hubby suddenly says "why don't we have a picture of u in front of your college". As i stood there ready to be photographed i felt something missing ...what was it?...and that's when i realised the missing part were my batch mates to my left and right hand side with their fingers in a 'V' on each others head ready for the picture.
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| in front of WIT |
The reason i could not see WIT or find the girl i had come looking for was that both were incomplete as memories without the 30 faces associated with them. Those faces are an integral part of WIT and the memories of that girl. Suddenly the feeling of anger and disappointment turned into calmness because i knew that WIT would never be the same to me unless its with the Computer Science Batch 2001.And so i smiled for the picture knowing that someday i will visit this place again if not with all my batch mates but at least a few friends and would definitely find WIT and with it the girl who was hiding somewhere in there.
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| Bun samosa at arvinds |
This is my first attempt at writing and publishing something. And it would be worth it to me if it helps in bringing back some memories of WIT in all my batch mates. Please comment on the article.
P.S.---Please help me picture WIT better by writing any of ur fondest memories no matter how small or big associated with it.
Pallavi, was going to go home but saw your article and couldn't resist reading it. You made me nostalgic. I have not been to Solapur even once after leaving college and your article brought back so many memories. I think I will be thinking about Solapur for some time now. Thanks for bringing such nice memories back.
ReplyDeleteyour blog is composed well n made me too nostalgic.so tomarrow will have to go to solapur.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteVery Nice , very touchy and emotional blog. While I was reading your article , I was having lot of memories in front of my eyes. There was a smile on my face and remembering the time which I spent in the college . I was feeling ,its me , who was visiting the college.Everyone has their own good memories about those four yrs.Those was the golden memorable days of my life.I wish to have a WIT-CSE2001 reunion sometime. Thanks for writing such article.
ReplyDeleteToo nostalgic ! Very nicely written, thanks a lot for such a nice article !
ReplyDeleteHi Pallu, your article brought back so many memories. presently the arvind shop is as it, last week i visited WIT college, i enjoyed with lot of happiness
ReplyDeleteand golden memory, Thanks for bringing such nice memories back.