When I just think of GECA, thousands of golden moments strike me in fraction of seconds. It reminds us of wonderful college, wonderful friends, beautiful city, excellent environment, those huge gatherings, parties, trips, and exams.. All of our batch mates still remember those horrible days of departing from each other in the final year. One thing is clear. We had a lot of fun there. I count myself to be very lucky to be graduated from such kind of lovely institute.
Few days back, Holi was celebrated. All Holi events in college days were awesome. Were you part of those thrilled mobs.. going to Gulmandi in hundreds with every possible color on the body? Doing all kinds of things human being can do when excused for a moment? Oh boy.. rushing to Gulmandi & dancing there for hours under Mahanagarpalika showers was THE experience. All known & unknown people would become too sentimental and establish the great bond of friendship.
Coming back to college.. Thanks to Govt. Engg colleges to build hostels close to the college. Getting up at 10 A.M., taking shower (if possible or necessary), misc. things would take 10-15 minutes. We would rush to Anna's mess. Can u imagine, diet of a person didn't change at all irrespective of what time you get up? Having full lunch immediately after having 'special tea' at Jaiswal was a part of routine. No body can forget this great hotel(?) run by Jaiswal.. All college events were run from this great land.. You could easily see all GECA Romeos hanging around this place. Jaiswal is a history. Those who have not been part of it, have definitely lost something in their lives. Wetness in all seasons (including water scarcity in A'bad) was the prime feature of this hotel which attracted all of us. Talking of cleanness? Our ballya used to make all possible efforts to raise the drinking water's concentration as well as to make it 'tasteful'. Boss.. once you have this special tea 'divided by 2', kya 'kik' baithata tha!!
Again mess was a real mess. I don't understand why do these people spoil God's name by giving names like ' Bajrang mess, Saraswati mess, Annapurna..Sant Eknath '? you name it! Waiting in queues, teasing the mess owners irrespective of their age( I still remember .. one of you was always called by Maushi as 'Eyye Melya'? remember? Don't worry.. I won't disclose because I'm also afraid of many things!) , giving live broadcast of food preparation were social events needed to be carried out there. Hey.. do you remember fun at Joshi mess, Anna's dialogues, Charu - Anna conversation? It has been still a great puzzle to me that how could person like Anna ,who used to talk any number of hours on topics ranging from Aurangabad's sanitation system to 'Where Bill Clinton went wrong while dealing with Russians?'.., was running Eknath mess..
Anyway.. 10.40 a.m. was the time to gather at bike stand to watch the great creation of God. Thanks to the strike made successful by all of us in 1989.. which lead to creation of canteen and most importantly - the ladies' hostel. All of our seniors were envying us because of the nice ratio we had ( It didn't help to any of us is a different story!). Bunk to lectures was a heroic deed. More you attend the lectures, more you were bound to be troubled by colleagues..
We have been the suppressed students of great personalities like Mr. Kolarkar, Mr. Kavathekar.. When I was admitted to F.E., I thought days of freedom had come. In Jr. college itself, teachers never used to get involved into much discipline related trifle details. Do u remember Mr. Kolarkar? Long page notebook? This gentleman was the dictator in Engg. Days.. he made all of us bring those long books to write derivatives and integration. His 'Najar', his multi- colored, historic handbag ( Many friends say.. their father had also seen the same bag in his hand when they were students!!) was awesome. Probably his pant was the only place to clean his duster. Laughing in his class was totally banned. Only we know how we used to hide those laughs at each & every moment. But at the same time, this person had tremendous urge for knowledge & gave us all possible he could.
Mr. Kavathekar.. Maths Prof.. ' Tar apan magachya tasala baghital...' was always his opening salute starting from the entrance itself. Honestly in his class, I never felt to get admitted in Engg. College where English was the only authorized language. English was used by him only to write 'ABCD..' on the board. With all possible voices, tunes, breaks, different audio frequencies intermittently followed by inhuman yawning in early morning, he taught us Maths. His beard, mystic voice, height, way of walking, 'tila' on the head still reminds us of the great Prof. We have seen.
Hey.. do u remember.. 'Mud mud ke na dekha mud mud ke?? ( Mr. Hussain Bhai - Maths), Dr. Katti ( Tyach kah aahe??), Amachya Punyla?, voice coming from only nose fame Mr. Kulkarni( Mech.), Dr. Abbad & Shende( Electro. - vara yeyil tar udun jayil.. I think they had fierce competition among themselves to prove Mr. Lightweight of GECA), Dr. Pingle with 'Panacha vida', Dr. Khadilkar with shining head ( his walk from home to college was very typical. One guard always to hold an umbrella irrespective all kind of environmental conditions, lips coming out.. he always reminded us of Bappa..) Hey, but those oldies were absolute genius! Their unselfish urge to teach subjects was admirable. Do u remember Dr. Domkundwar teaching us computer programming in F.E. ? He used to get involved the same way when he taught B.E. Mech. Students. Salute to those all great oldies.. Dr. Khadilkar, Pingle, Lele .. list goes on.
Were you one of the great freedom fighters in the history of GECA in 1989 'Andolan'? ( Had historians been around during that period, they must have noted this event better than 1942 struggle by few Indians!!). Not to talk of Guy called ... don't remember his name.. short,, dark.. guy.. who I think was enemy of any language. Well dressed in a safari ( I haven't seen him in any other dress in my stay there) used to deliver lectures in full 'Hitler' style.. He was THE man & hero.. We small F.E. guys were just blind followers of this great martyr. All night- outs for posters which were revolving around the great Ganesha . When Director of technical board had come, airing out of car tires was the introductory event of the process. If you remember, somebody suddenly got fully charged & laid in front of his car ( recalling the heroic sacrifice by Babu Genu..).. He was later on became famous with Genu name.
Our affection was not confined to GECA & surrounding. It was this great city which added to the beauty of that golden era. Can u recall those pleasant walks to Kranti chowk in the evening? Nice babes between Sardar shops to chowk.. Have u tasted 'panipuri' and 'pakoda' in the hotel at the corner in KC? .. We could avail both the facilities there. Eating as well as 'netra-sukh'.. about Eknath Ranga mandir.. Yup..I strongly believe that this place was built only for our convenience & entertainment. Just go there, hang out.. watch classy marathi cream .. feel contented & come back home with fresh mood for next studies. (One thing is clear.. one shouldn't hide the inner feelings unnecessarily to prove ourselves something different). Beauty was directly proportional to distance you go interior in that direction. I remember many of us who never believed in God going regularly to Ganapathi Mandir in Samarth Nagar.. If you are still hungry(??), then go to Ganjanan Maharaj Mandir in Jawaharlal Nagar on THU or even everyday depending upon your hunger. I have heard of stories - people utilizing college time to hang out in Devgiri?? Anyway.. can any event be compared with 'movie show in Amba or Apasara' in a gang? Specially.. in summer PL, second show.. 10-15 friends walking, running, along broad Adalat road to Aurangapura in pleasant breeze? Also having ' Netra- sukha' in Gulmandi.. go to Rokada hanuman.. Eat some 'garam garam eamarati' and then 'masala milk'.. Khalaas.. U are ready to die now.
Aurangabad City has the specialty of all kinds of vague & strange names.. For example, Peer Bazar, Gulmandi, Khokadpura, Ghati hospital, Bhadakal gate .. thousands more.. Is there any logic except fearing people? I was ashamed of telling my friends that my college was in 'Osmanpura'. Just imagine.. very beautiful chic comes and says - I stay in Khokadpura.. or Ghati or Bhadakal gate? What'll be your reaction? We should create some awareness about these names. Have u ever written 'Gulmandi' in marathi and seen how horrible it looks? Been to Peer bazaar ever? Boss.. yeh hai jindagi.. U will find all different kinds of personalities created by God on the earth in that half-mile area. There real 'life' starts as the day progresses. Just take a round in the evening , you'll experience the 'high' stage in life.. you will realize how words come out of your mouth when you are in high 'spirits'.
I still remember that old post office next to our college, tea stalls attached . Part of compound wall was conveniently removed to make exchanges of cups possible on the other side. Many times, I couldn't recognize that Mama when I saw him 'in full size' on the road only because I was so used to see half portion of his body through' that narrow hole. Our canteen was the major alternative to boring classrooms.
Singing, dancing, cheering in canteen still in our ears. Those mega events in our royal auditorium, debates, gathering, songs, dancing in long chains through out the auditorium.. have we experienced that in recent years? Library was the only place possible to get in touch with anyone irrespective of your sex, branch, year. Scanning IEEE magazines, without understanding a single word, to impress babes around was fun. Have you been to annex building from canteen through that narrow strip? Let's go.. hehehehe.. don't go that far.. step back.. Have you noticed this iron brown color tank sitting behind workshop from ages? This tank would give us the latest happenings in the college. Who had an alleged affair with whom with all descriptive figures explaining each & every part of the picture in artistic manner would be depicted there.
Study rooms were available in PL. I never understood why do people need to go in the crowded classroom to make show of their studies. With all strange faces, clothes, beard students used to study there for days. I could never cope up with the fierce silence those studious guys used to maintain there. Staring at roof in absolute zero world continuously with mouth movements always scared me. Never could I guess the internal process they go through in that situation. Just try to utter a single word there & see what happens? Again.. there were some rules by which you must abide. If you had removed all hair from head ill-treating your beard in PL , you could be thought of possible rankers.
Region between A and C hostel? Dear, had God Indra been given choice about his possible settlement on this beautiful earth, I'm damn sure he would have settled between GECA ground & polytechnic. Have u ever dared to walk along that road at night? God knows how many prayers one has to offer not to accept the fresh, precious gifts offered to us by the generous people living around.
Hostels were also the precious monuments to hold thousands of students together. Wonderful terrace.. summer days.. sleeping there watching ladies' hostel for hours.. Boy.. it was fun. Rector's home between boys' and ladies' hostel was the major stumbling block in our holy mission. Do u remember guys standing there & staring at ladies hostel for absolutely no reason for hours or even nights? I never understood what benefit one reaps by giving those long looks for hours doing absolutely nothing. We used to hear stories of record-break timing of watching gals.. Height of xxxx!!
Again do you remember those educational video shows conducted frequently in our hostels? Were you part of that grand event in 1990? C hostel.. cops entering the hostel late night & spoiling our real mood? Those cruel people took many snaps in all possible poses and published news in Lokmat?
Hey.. but hostel was life.. we learnt all lessons of life, equality, love, friendship in those 2 buildings. Hearing those nice songs till 1.30 p.m., playing cricket in corridors.. Have u heard all different possible animal voices when electricity vanishes? God knows from where did we get that energy to do all these strange things? Noise in PL was totally (though unofficially) banned. But still some 'Avali' would prove his past relation with ancestors. Man.. going to toilet or taking bath in so called bath rooms was the most dangerous adventure any hostelite has done. Because of 'nice' door conditions.. one has to continuously sing inside. Moment you stop, get ready for powerful blow from outside by some monster stating 'It was your fault'!! I 100% agree that U should sing in bathroom.. But what about toilet? God has created 2 different processes (singing and xxxx) which are perfectly 'mutually exclusive' of each other. Still why is this combination? I was so used to this imposed singing habit in toilet that I had very serious problems when I used to go home for vacation & guest visiting our place!!
Anyway.. studying together in PL.. Night tea at Jaiswal, Tara pan.. Again about Tara pan.. many times unfortunately, it was not affordable to have Calcutta masala pan ( specially prepared by Tara Sheth which one couldn't hold in normal size mouth.) frequently because of small 'baba scholarship'. All heroes in GECA would try to establish bond of friendship with Tara Sheth. Bhidu, Once Tara Sheth greets you or waves his hand towards you while passing TPC, you are the boss.. Too much! Immediately, your popularity index among friends would rise.
Small ground in front of A hostel was the major platform created by 'far sighted' GECA Principal to give an opportunity to college students to get exposed to the glamorous Polytechnic world. Playing there in shorts, lungies.. was the authentic experience. All Poly Pinkis & GECA gals would pass that ground. Comments, smile by '1 in 100 girl' would make us happy.
Hey.. been to Maharashtra bank on Adalat Rd near college? Interacted with the most horrible personality called Shinde with oval toad-like face, eyes covering most of his face area? I was very much afraid of entering that bank because of this gentleman. He had hardly spoken a single mild, normal word in his life. All organs going in all directions with bitter face, he would shout on any gentle customer while serving(?) him. Interestingly, 'Customer is God' related plate was present just besides him!! There is no end to those sweet and strange memories. We still remember those send-offs, parties (not in Hotel Radhika - Dal fry & Chapati Rs. 9 with 3 rupees fennel seeds in pocket!).. get together at City friends' homes.. puranpolies, masalyachi bhaji.. Nice classmates, batchmates, girls .. Now we are in total altogether different phase of life. No more parties, no more stupid activities. No more 'hangama'.. But yes.. all phases are different & one has to be happy in the present situation without forgetting the past & friends. People will come & go, but one can never forget the nostalgic past! Because old is gold ....
- Mahendra
Mahendra Patil 2426, Springdale Road, #209,Waukesha, WI 53186. 414-521-2478 -R