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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Reunion


The phone rang and I looked on the display to find a number which appeared to be an unknown number from the overseas. A little reluctantly, I took the call.

‘I am Madhavan, calling from Detroit, USA, do you remember’? He enquired from the other end in the voice which was distinctly familiar even after so many decades.

‘Yes, Yes, am delighted to hear your voice after all the years’, I replied and for the next few minutes we discussed about how we progressed in our lives on professional and personal fronts and then he enquired about some common friends . It looked that suddenly, everything had frozen in time, as I was transported in the era when we played pranks in college and all the vivid memories came to life.

In next three days we had managed to get at least a dozen friends scattered across the globe in a mail chain with some exchanging the old jokes, abuses hurled, some old forgotten pictures, some funny incidents during times at college and chastising words from our lecturers and professors. The reunion was path breaking in bringing us together after so many years.

I was bent on my laptop and reading a report while I sat in the lounge of the airport, waiting for my flight. Suddenly, there was a tap on the shoulder and in front of me stood a familiar face the contours of which were familiar but the skin and the jaw had drooped a bit. ‘You are Bhatia, right, he asked, with a gleam in his eyes. I looked at him and replied that ‘your face is familiar, but am unable to recollect your name; I said sheepishly cursing my memory for not having been able to recollect his name.

‘Take your time and tell, it is up to you, he said with a grin on his face, by the way I am Ramesh, if it can help, he continued’

‘Oh Doc Ramesh, the whole thing flashed like a lightning as I got up and hugged him’.

Ramesh and I had met at the Naval College of Electrical Engineering’ more than three decades ago at Jamnagar and we met a few times in the course of service in later years but then it was more than a decade since we had quit the Navy and remained incommunicado over all the years! This was great to catch up and exchange our business cards and recollect about the time for the next few minutes.

Such long forgotten friends bring tremendous happiness even if for fleecing moments.  Some other occasions of lovely reunions was a ‘get together’ at a School Reunion where we felicitated our teachers who had the same smile as they tried hard to recognize the students who were teenage kids now having their own grown up children who were married or grandparents in some cases! The sparkle in their eyes was priceless and the moments to cherish forever.

The college reunion brought together the host of friends who now sported receding hairlines and many of them had reached the pinnacle of their professional careers as CEOs, senior civil servants or running own successful  business! Addressing each other with nicknames and remembering places where some had their romantic flings or binge sessions added color to the event.
At a Reunion at INS  Valsura, Jamnagar

I distinctly enjoyed a two day stay at Jamnagar a few years back on the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the Naval College of Electrical Engineering and stayed in the campus. The place had grown big and some of the young trainees whom we had groomed now held the command of the institution and hugged us without any inhibitions. An exhibition of the latest technology and transformation that the Navy has undergone over the years was on display. Many of the retired veterans were still very graceful despite having added years and laughed and discussed the funny incidents that happened during their times at the institute. The gala dance, dinner and fire work spectacle was the grand finale bringing the curtain down!

The reunions are an event that most of us look forward to cherish the bygone times and rejig the memories of some of the most treasured moments which have retained the glow despite passage of times. It once again brings back the happy moments in which we relive our golden past..




60 comments:

  1. What is this? a re-union season? everyone I know is talking of a re-union. My MIL also was at her high school re-union the other day and she was so excitedly telling me the tales.. :) Glad you had fun..big or small, re-unions are always moments to be cherished forever.. :)

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    1. Yeah, Reunion with old friend does give a very good feeling, Latha:)No better time for reunions than Valentine Day, knocking the door:)

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  2. Ah, nothing like a reunion and recollecting good ol' memories. Here's wishing you many more. :)

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    1. A big thanks Divya for liking the post! I too wish you catch up with friends whom you love:)

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  3. Our batch planned for re-union three times, all got failed in the last minutes! Sad! :/

    Very happy that you had a good time cherishing all old memories :)

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    1. What a pity, Valli that you missed the opportunity to catch up with your friends:( Wish you the very best to enjoy reunion with old friends!Thanks for your comment!

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  4. Wow, I love reunions. I make it a point to touch base with old friends whenever I have the opportunity. So happy for you!

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    1. Thanks a lot Rachna for your comment and am happy that you too enrich your life by keeping in touch with old friends!

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  5. College and school friendships happen with no expectations and they last for ever. The beauty of the reunion is a joy, that can not be explained but only experienced, nice post shared Rahul!

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    1. I am fully in agreement with what you say, Padmaja! Thanks a lot!

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  6. Reunions are great!! It's fun to go down the memory lane and remember all the funny, naughty, memorable times.

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    1. A huge thanks for following my blog, Shilpa and also having liked the post!!I am honored:)

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  7. This is such a happy-post! I too love reunions but I am sure they get even better as time flows!
    Lovely post :)

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    1. Thanks Akanksha for liking the post:) I hope each of your reunion in future is better than the previous one!

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  8. Wowwwwwwww Rahul sir :) Awesome post and yes Reunions are one event for the endless memories, fun, emotions, laughter to flow in which actually shows how much time has changed us or rather sometimes how time has not changed us!
    And you have captured the essence of it so well that its making me want to meet all my friends right now...

    Superb post Rahul sir!

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    1. Ramya you are surrounded with a lot of loving friends and companions and this shows on the cheerful disposition! I wish you enjoy even more popularity and a bigger circle of true friends!!Thanks a ton for liking the post!!

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  9. wow!, a post written with so much love and affection about finding long lost friends.
    It felt so good to read it.

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    1. Am sio lucky to have such a nice reader like you, Rama to say so much in so few words!

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  10. The happy times that we share with our friends is indeed a treasure to cherish and it's a wonderful feeling when we can recreate the same magic even after staying out of contact for many years. Such a beautiful post, wish you have many more reunions like these :)

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    1. Arti, I treasure every comment from you for your crisp and kind comments:)

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  11. I can feel your happiness, Rahulji! It is always nice to meet old friends and do a recap of the old happy times!

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    1. A big thanks Sandhya and am happy that you too liked to read about the reunion with old friends!

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  12. Its good to meet old friends, isn't it. :)

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  13. This is such an uplifting read Rahul! It reminded me how technology can bring long lost friends together again and how the surprise meeting moments can be so special. I loved the line beginning "Such Long forgotten friends' ... that is so true. Thanks for your visit..Have a great Friday!

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    1. That is so true, Sam that Technology the modern day wonders like Facebook, Linkedn,Chats have brought us closer to many long lost friends:)Have a lovely weekend ahead!!

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  14. Reunions must be priceless i am sure-your narration confirms it....but i have not attended any...lost track of old friends..how i would love to attend one!!!!

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    1. Am so happy that I could make you feel what reunions are like:) I hope you too are able to catch up with some long lost friends!!

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  15. I recently talked to an old friend after 6 years and is such a strange feeling. I have never attended a reunion but it must be a great feeling.

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    1. Absolutely, Amit! A great feeling indeed:) Thanks a lot

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  16. Wow! Your reunion must have been super fun. You must have relived plenty of forgotten times and refreshed old memories :)

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    1. True Rachna! It was indeed a great fun to relive the old memories:)

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  17. A special thank you for your wonderful birthday wishes, they mean a lot to me.

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    1. It was my pleasure and I hope you had a lovely time on the special day, Sam:)

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  18. There is no enough time it seems whenever there is a reunion. Loads to catch up on, loads of memories and reminisces to relive...wonderful

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    1. True! Time always seems to run much faster at such times:)

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  19. WOW! I always miss my School and College reunion. It must be a great experience for you. :)

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    1. Reunion at any time is such a pleasure be it a formal or informal one:) thank you Saru!

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  21. Oh.. nice. Reunions are always nice to experience. :)

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  22. We can never outgrow our school and college friends. They seem to bring out the child in us.

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  23. Re-unions are fun! I am still waiting for my batch to organize one proper one where everyone can come :D

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    1. Thanks Divya! Hope u are able to attend one sop:)

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  24. Ah - sounds like a great reunion!

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  25. Well Rahul glad the re-union brought you so much memory and joy. Once our high school class year met and I found it so difficult to relate to most of them. Everyone had grown so much apart and felt some just stayed right there and never grew up.
    I enjoy university re-unions more I think.
    www.thoughtsofpaps.com

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    1. I agree PAPS that the physical changes we all undergo sometimes make it difficult to recognize old friends on such occasion:)

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  26. Re-unions with school / college friends are worth every single minute spend on it - despite how busy we are in our professional life! It makes the time spend during academics all the more worth it :)

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    1. Thanks Binu! Agree that time spent with old friends is the most treasured one!!

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  27. Re-unuions have a unique flavour. There is this curiosity, of what people have become, and ofcourse the joy of meeting one another and remembering those beautiful times! And meeting after 3 decades, that is indeed awesome. Sure it must have bought out quite a few emotions out for you, Rahul sir! It feels so good to even read about it :-)

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    1. How nice to see your comment here, Jenny:) Yes, the moments of happinesss to catch up with friends with whom you spent a good part of life aare awesome indeed.Thank you for enjoying the read!!

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  29. Thank you kindly for your visit..Hope you have a wonderful Friday!

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  30. True, Ashwini! Recollection of happy memories with old friends is sure fun!

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  31. Wow.. so much fun it is to have a reunion... I definitely try and catch up for school and college reunions.. In fact I joined as a GET and we often have our first company get together as well.

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    1. Am sure you too must be finding it fun to interact with your old friends, Manjulika:)

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