Chennai has been my 'home' for only about 20 years of my life. Having spent most of my childhood in Ranchi, I share a greater bond with that city where I grew up, attended school, made friends, roamed around on a bicycle, learnt how to drive a scooter, and did many things that a school-boy does. Chennai was my home in my adulthood, the city which defined me, which shaped me, where I married, where my children were born. Now Chennai is no longer the 'home' it was.
So what do I write about Chennai which is 375 this week? Not about the city - there are more learned persons who would do a better job of writing a well-researched piece on its history. I plan to write about me and Chennai over the last 40 years. This may spawn a few instalments. And I start with my first brush with Chennai back in 1974.
I came to Chennai to join college. My "adventure" started immediately. From Ranchi (which was but a small town then) and moving alone to Chennai and living there was an adventure that I didn't much relish, but I had no choice in that matter. My parents and elder sisters advised me in no uncertain terms that if I decided to go for my graduation in Ranchi, my 3 or 5 year college may extend to 4 or 6 years at least - and not because I would fail one year. Exams were held there in those days at the whims and fancy of students who would decide to go on strike and postpone exams at the last minute. The dates of exams were always a moving target then.
Forms were procured from some reputed colleges of Chennai and filled up and sent.
CBSE declared their Std. XI results by mid-June and my parents thought that leaving for Chennai by the third week would be sufficient. So I landed in Chennai after a 2 day train journey and straight away went to my aunt's house in T'Nagar. Accompanied by an uncle and a cousin we went to the college of choice (where I had got the admission card). Met the Principal (a very strict Professor of Physics) who dismissed me straight away saying that I was late and my seat was no longer available. My first taste of 'demand-and-supply' started there. Demand for a seat in Science stream in a good college far outstripped supply. Pleadings by my uncle were to no avail. My marks-card was shown to prove that I was a good student. Um-hmm. Didn't cut any ice. We left the office in a despondent state and I was worried if I would have to lose one year in this process.
Then started a hunt. My aunt and uncle advised me to keep meeting various professors and the Principals of different colleges and keep requesting them for a seat. I was keen on Mathematics, but at that time a seat in any branch would have been welcome. Ten days of hunting for a seat in Madras Christian College, Presidency College, Vivekananda College, and Loyola College among a few more proved futile. All admissions were closed.
Then my uncle took matters into his own hands. He approached a member of the community that managed the college of my first choice and took me to his office in Parry's. We went inside and I was asked to touch the elder man's feet, which I proceeded to do. Explaining my predicament, my uncle got a letter of recommendation from the gentleman and took me immediately to the same Principal who had earlier refused me a seat saying "a lapsed card is a lapsed card". A seat in B.Sc. (Maths) was not available; would I be willing to accept a seat in B.Sc. (Physics)? Before I could answer either in the affirmative or in the negative (which my uncle may have thought I may say), my uncle said that would be fine. The Principal then said that hostel was full and I would have to make my own arrangement for stay. My uncle immediately said that I would be staying with them so accommodation was not an issue. We came out of the office clutching the prized possession of an admission!
I roamed the streets of Chennai in June of 1974 hunting for a college seat. I don't remember the sweat and the hustle and bustle of the mega city. I don't remember the routes I took, or the first suburban train ride of mine. I don't remember the many restaurants that I went to to have coffee or tiffin. I don't remember the people whom I met. All happened in a blur and the only thing I remember is the constant travel from one place to another in the amazing city buses and the end result of my struggle - a college seat.
So what do I write about Chennai which is 375 this week? Not about the city - there are more learned persons who would do a better job of writing a well-researched piece on its history. I plan to write about me and Chennai over the last 40 years. This may spawn a few instalments. And I start with my first brush with Chennai back in 1974.
I came to Chennai to join college. My "adventure" started immediately. From Ranchi (which was but a small town then) and moving alone to Chennai and living there was an adventure that I didn't much relish, but I had no choice in that matter. My parents and elder sisters advised me in no uncertain terms that if I decided to go for my graduation in Ranchi, my 3 or 5 year college may extend to 4 or 6 years at least - and not because I would fail one year. Exams were held there in those days at the whims and fancy of students who would decide to go on strike and postpone exams at the last minute. The dates of exams were always a moving target then.
Forms were procured from some reputed colleges of Chennai and filled up and sent.
CBSE declared their Std. XI results by mid-June and my parents thought that leaving for Chennai by the third week would be sufficient. So I landed in Chennai after a 2 day train journey and straight away went to my aunt's house in T'Nagar. Accompanied by an uncle and a cousin we went to the college of choice (where I had got the admission card). Met the Principal (a very strict Professor of Physics) who dismissed me straight away saying that I was late and my seat was no longer available. My first taste of 'demand-and-supply' started there. Demand for a seat in Science stream in a good college far outstripped supply. Pleadings by my uncle were to no avail. My marks-card was shown to prove that I was a good student. Um-hmm. Didn't cut any ice. We left the office in a despondent state and I was worried if I would have to lose one year in this process.
Then started a hunt. My aunt and uncle advised me to keep meeting various professors and the Principals of different colleges and keep requesting them for a seat. I was keen on Mathematics, but at that time a seat in any branch would have been welcome. Ten days of hunting for a seat in Madras Christian College, Presidency College, Vivekananda College, and Loyola College among a few more proved futile. All admissions were closed.
Then my uncle took matters into his own hands. He approached a member of the community that managed the college of my first choice and took me to his office in Parry's. We went inside and I was asked to touch the elder man's feet, which I proceeded to do. Explaining my predicament, my uncle got a letter of recommendation from the gentleman and took me immediately to the same Principal who had earlier refused me a seat saying "a lapsed card is a lapsed card". A seat in B.Sc. (Maths) was not available; would I be willing to accept a seat in B.Sc. (Physics)? Before I could answer either in the affirmative or in the negative (which my uncle may have thought I may say), my uncle said that would be fine. The Principal then said that hostel was full and I would have to make my own arrangement for stay. My uncle immediately said that I would be staying with them so accommodation was not an issue. We came out of the office clutching the prized possession of an admission!
I roamed the streets of Chennai in June of 1974 hunting for a college seat. I don't remember the sweat and the hustle and bustle of the mega city. I don't remember the routes I took, or the first suburban train ride of mine. I don't remember the many restaurants that I went to to have coffee or tiffin. I don't remember the people whom I met. All happened in a blur and the only thing I remember is the constant travel from one place to another in the amazing city buses and the end result of my struggle - a college seat.
