Holi 'N' Diwali

An Idle mind is a devils workshop and that turned out to be a costly affair for the college every year, specifically on Diwali. 2002’s Diwali celebrations saw something that went to extreme ends, one that none would have imagined, at least the college dean in his worst nightmares. Holi and Diwali at the same day, I mean first shift Holi and second shift Diwali, sounds weird doesn’t it. The new dean of the college had just arrived and as his reputation preceeded, from outside he roared like a lion but from inside he was nothing less than a cornered coward cat.

That year the dean came up with a revolutionary idea, he decided to donate only Rs. 500/- for respective hostels just to buy sweets for the festive occasion keeping on eye the havoc students created every year. The students were raged with anger but even they came with striking and beyond par unimaginable ideas to fight back the dean’s mean decision. By 7.00 AM every one started drinking with the sadness of Diwali having nothing special wrapped for them. But that was not the case by 10.00 AM students went to the nearby town and purchased colors to celebrate Holi if not Diwali. They came back with bunch of colors and started celebrating Holi.

As any respective teacher opened their knocked doors they witnessed a mob of hundreds packed with colors from head to toe. When they asked, “What is this all about?”, the students replied “Sir, we are celebrating Holi today.” And they accomplished their mission in that unity. But that was not the end by 2.00 PM almost 90% drunk till neck decided that what if not the college, we will. Spirits sky high they started collecting Rs.100/- ^per student per hostel. The conclusion was they came up with an amount much more than what they received every year from the college and that being Rs. 40,000/-. Crackers worth Rs. 40,000/-, it was nothing less than a factory piled up with rockets and bombs.

The same tradition began with bombs and rockets on opposing hostels continuously from 4.00PM to 7.30PM. However this came to the notice of the dean that students had collected money and purchased crackers all of their own. As the mob marched to complete their age old tradition of the ladies hostel being the dreadful victim, the dean left his house with his scooter to keep a track of the process. When the dean reached the location, to his surprise he witnessed a mob of 500 plus students surrounding the ladies hostel. The party for boys began as they hurled down bombs and rockets to the hostel.

None had noticed the dean as he was lost in the crowd. He went to a student and grabbed him from the back shouting at the top of his voice, “What is going on here?” The boy was a huge fat giant and most importantly drunk. He threw back his hand shouting, “Who the hell is it?” barely knowing who he was speaking to. The dean was smashed hard to a corner, specs broken into pieces and a cut near the upper lip. Left unnoticed by students he was also victimized in a stampede and cloths worn out, with fear he ran off leaving behind his scooter. After a while when students saw the dean’s scooter nearby they started jumping, dancing and tearing it apart into pieces.

And then something shocking took place as the police came into action with a lathi charge. They caught hold of two students while rest managed to escape. When the students came to know that this was all because of the dean they turned furious and the march began to their culprit’s house. They were so drunk that even attacking the police station crossed their foolish minds. But some how they finally landed up at the gates of dean’s house. Guards ran off witnessing the mob, the students shouted, “Sir we want them released in an hour.” The fearless dean yells from inside, “You are all criminals, I’ll turn your lives into living hell.”

In a fraction they struck back with thunderous showering of bombs and rockets which lasted for barely even ten minutes as the dean surrendered to their demands. After things went to a halt the dean came outside and said,” I need just five minutes from all of you.” And someone from the crowd shouts, “Sir, your time starts now” and every one bursts with laughter. Finally the crowd fades away in seconds leaving the dean furious and helpless at his own gates.