Memories of 1977 batch

All I can remember of my first day in college is that it was a fine morning that Niaz and I walked in through the second gate of our College. Those days Nair’s famous tea shop, and the Rasi Medicals run by Mr.Ramani, which dispensed scheduled drugs and over the counter medications in a same manner were near the second gate, while opposite the third was the way to our famous Cholan Theatre where we enjoyed the Tamil cinemas, seated like royalty on benches for the princely sum of around two or three rupees.    

Beside the Medical shop was a cycle repair shop called Thamarai Cycle Mart. All of us had cycles then. These two shops were sandwiched in between Manickam Chettiar’s Tea stall and Nayar's mess. There was also Nilagirivattam branch of the Indian Overseas Bank close to our middle gate.

Near the first gate was the lodge where Berylson, and Augustus stayed with Alagappan, and our senior Dennis the drummer for whom once the whole college went on a strike in a procession up to the Collector’s office a few kilometres away from the college near Railady. Others who stayed in the outer were Abhiram, Jayraj Harrison, Suresh Paul, and TP Ravi. So, were Swaminathan, Vaidyanathan, Thomas, Vasudevan, and Thilaganathan who stayed  in the nearby houses close to the first and second gates.

The main signature building and our much beloved portico thankfully still remains unchanged to this day. The day’s scholar room used to be right above the portico, and our Dean PGS, KG Srithar,  the two Rajendrans, Hemachandrika, Vasanthi, Banumathi, Thangam,  and Bhavani, were some of the day scholars that I remember.  

The library and the basket ball ground brings to mind their most ardent user maybe for all-time, namely Neelakandan. Others keen to be in the Library were Srinivasan the gold medallist, and other regulars like Parmananthan, Regunanthan, Boominathan, Jambunathan, Dhanavel, Chitra, Jaykumar Mohan, John Kennedy, both Paneerselvams, the two Narayanans, Muthiah, Nachiammai, Manimegalai, Ramesh, R. Ravi, Suresh Paul, Tamilchelvan, and the duo of Varuna and Rajakumari, like a similar pair of Premjothy and Malathy.

Nearby was the office for paying our semester fees, which we thought could be better spent!  Biochemistry department on the ground floor was the southernmost one and brings to mind our adventurous volunteering as guinea pigs for the experiment to determine nicotine levels in our blood after we smoked dozens of free cigarettes.

Then came the roundanna where still lingers the spirits of Karthi, Rajkumar, Subini, Murali, and me, who formed the fun-lovers gang, and where we used to hang out under and on the ‘bijil’ tree.

On the northern side of the college portico was the famous skull painted portals of the Anatomy Department. Here, entrenched in the bedrock of our memory is the fun we had at the tables where the K’s comprising of the three Knagarajs, Kandasamy, Kannammai, Kannan, Karthi, Kathiresan, Keerthivasan, and finally Krishnakumar to whom some of the M’s like Murali, Mathi, Manohar, Muthukumar and me would migrate from the adjoining table so that we could join the song sessions played on make do drums of scapulae and drum sticks of ulnar bones. Neither can one forget how we jumped out of the Physiology Lecture Hall after giving our attendance only to be spotted by the Professor who could see us from his room in the opposite wing housing the Physiology lab. 

First year memories mean also recollections from the Statistics and English classes. Attendance at the former was more to see the outcome of a prankster who had kept some cotton in the fan cup, so that when our Teacher switched on the fan, the cotton wisps would come floating down, while everyone exclaimed, “Panju, Panju”  a short version of the Teacher’s name, much to his annoyance. Of the very little English classes conducted, I do not remember attending a single one!

 Manohar and Mehalai my partners can never forget the Vice-Prinicipal’s room where they announced publicly their intention to be partners in life. Consequently, the support from the good old Professor helped M&M to pass undetected the searching eyes of the would-be-bride’s parents, to escape from the college to solemnize their wedding.

The Auditorium is still steeped with our ‘Orientation Day’ or ‘Fresher’s Day’ reminiscences. Both the tunes and the lyrics of the Songs we sang like ‘adho andha paravai pola vaazha vendum’, ‘Beautiful Sunday’, or ‘Hotel California’, still linger in the farthest recesses of our minds, only to burst into full melody whenever and wherever this batch meets! Then all of us in unison babble the memorized words as the good old images of Murali, Augustus, Sita Priya, Deepa Devi, Gigi, belting out these pure melodies bring the joy of the young college days brimming back to our minds! In addition, images of Karthi thumping the drums and of Ravindranath playing the lead guitar with Dennis orchestrating the whole team can never be erased!  

Similarly the Pavilion and the sports ground whispers the names of Ramu, Patricia, Augustus, Mathialagan, Neelakandan, Muniappan and me, and all of us have made our name in the Intermedicals.

Lest the reader jump to conclusion that the 1977 batch was just another happy-go-lucky batch who loved their fun, they must consider that Neelakandan, Sunder Raj, Parmananthan, and Suresh J Paul, were some of those who earned Gold Medals.

Finally, PGS who all his life worked for TMC, ended a historic career as its Dean! While Ashok Kumar and Kanagaraj P, are also Deans though not in TMC.

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Yercaud 2014

Click on the photos to see a larger version

The date was 14 Aug 2014, the day Thursday, the time around 7 PM. Uma, Akram and me are with Karthi, in his car on the well-maintained Salem-Yercaud ghat road. Karthi spurred the car faster.  Not an easy task, as there was pouring rain, and in the low visibility, downhill traffic often crossed the midline. Whether, it was his desire to meet our classmates, or glass-mates or both, which drove the car fast, I do not know! Accordingly, after twenty turns, and some of the rubber tyres burnt up on the steep inclines, we do reach Sky Rocca. The dapan-kuthu   டப்பாங்கூத்து beat played on a drum by Balamurugan welcomes us. 

Waking up: Hans to call

Consequently, it is greetings and, or hugs with Muthukumar, Ramu, Ravindranath, Ravi, Kandasamy, Kanagaraj and the next generation of TMC-77.  I am happy to see the growth and changes in Varun, Varshitha, Saras, Abi, Cibi and Vishnu Priya. We troop down to the room of Balamurugan where the rehearsals of the dance by TMC-77 couples are in full swing. The generation next is in full-control of all the parents, Varshitha and Varun taking the lead in directing the steps of their dance sequence. Kandasamy feels that he will not remember his steps or their order! Karthi reschedules his dance practice with Uma for the next day.

Dinner is a splendid spread good enough to feed an army! After dinner, we return to Ravi’s room, where the music rehearsals follow. Varun also finds time to select Vishnu Priya, daughter of Kandasamy to be the lead actor in my skit, as well as correct the Tamil that I had written with Google translate. It is well past mid-night, by the time the few songs are practised to the performers’ satisfaction. Balamurugan, suggests a walk in the light drizzle to Kandasamy’s house, which is close to the resort. We tread along and see the well-maintained and recently purchased property. Prompted by Cibi, most of us join in his dance to the tune of the recent hit songs played in the home-theatre system.

On our return, we are almost about to turn in, when Balamurugan challenges Muthukumar to race with him up the steep slope of the Sky Rocca drive. Soon, Karthi has an easy job as the judge of the race, as Balamurugan is way behind Muthu in fitness, and stamina! Someone reminds us that we will have to wake up early and put up the flex signs the next morning. Balamurugan assures us that he will be at our door next morning at seven sounding his drum!

Accordingly, the resonance of the drum must have woken up other guests too, though we heard no complaints. We put up a dozen colourfully printed flex signs at strategic points from the twentieth hairpin bend up to the auditorium of Sky Rocca, which bears the striking name of ‘Confluence’.

Namaskar for the arrivals

However, having woken up much earlier, it is a reward to find my old room mate Murali walking into the reception around sunrise. Like in the previous meets, Murali accepts to share our room with my son Akram and me for this meet. It is Independence Day too, and along with the staff of the resort we pay our respects to the National flag and anthem.

Posters up and ready

 Breakfast is a wholesome one, and soon we find our other friends arriving. As some of us are busy with welcoming the arrivals, others look after the arrangements for the evening’s entertainment programme. 

After breakfast

Standing in front of the reception, it is heartening to greet our friends as they arrive, most of them with families in tow, namely Andal, Amudha, Suseela, Varuna, Rajakumari, Sarvanan, Vishwanathann, Neelakandan,  Pullavar Kanagaraj, Mohan, and Patricia.  

Neels and Bhaskar arrive

As it is Friday, and thanks to Kandasamy who arranged that I accompany Mr. N. Mohammed Sheriff, the Resort Manager, to town for the post-noon prayers. When I return from prayers, lunch is almost over, and I find that Narayanan, Agustus, Bhavani, Ashok Kumar, Seetha, and Bhanumathy, had arrived in the meantime.

After Tea and before the meet begins

Muthukumar directs Vishnu Priya and me, on the Tamil translation skit. Thus, his inputs coming after Varun’s edits on the script gives it a natural air, so much so, Suseela after she sees it on stage asks me later whether it was a prepared skit or an extempore one!

Tea-time is the beginning of the Meet officially, and it is with a prayer by Abi that the meet starts. Next Varshitha’s expressive eyes, excellent timing, and exquisite steps, show us that Bharathanatiyam can also depict well a ball game through this dance form. Next Balaji raises the tempo and sets the beat for the evening with his rendering of the Tamil song “Nallavannu Solvaanga” from the film Veeram. Abi follows with another song, and there is a filler game by the Event Manager.

Next, a storm takes the hall for we have a Catwalk by TMC-77 members who have attended with their wives. The men dressed in the vintage eighties style of bell bottoms, contrasting belts, bobby collars, and long hairdos, it was difficult to recognize Kannan, who for a moment I thought could be Sivaraman, as he was supposed to attend, but could not make it.  The gentle women are in colourful saris with equally bright blouses that are up to the elbows and neck. We are in for more surprises, as it is not only catwalk but also an exhibition of the swinging seventies cinematic dance styles by each of the couples, with a stanza from the most popular songs.

Kanagaraj and Uma swinging  in seventies style

Most Romantic: Muthukumar and Vasanthi 

Vishnu plays the lead role in the Translation skit and there is much laughter as she pokes fun at my poor translation of every line with which she challenges me!

There follows the song Mundhinam Parthene - Vaaranam Aayiram by Saras, with Ravindranath  and Varun providing the music for the entire meet. Narayanan who Karthi had exclaimed could not speak Tamil properly, sang a Malayalam song! And, Murali’s rendering of “Uravugal Thodarkathai”  உறவுகள் தொடர்கதை from the film “aval appadi thaan” and the reflecting parallels that it drew to his life left my heart drowned in a world of tears. 

Murali evoking the S.P. Balasubramanian memories

Not a single person had left the hall, though it was getting late for dinner. There were filler games prepared by Kannan, and his wife. And when Karthi announced there came up the DJ Music with Cocktail Dinner, which takes us till about midnight.

We assemble at the lounge, waiting for midnight, and the B’ day cake for R. Ravi, and soon everyone sings Happy birthday, and I am relieved there is less smearing and more eating of the cake.  As it is an early day tomorrow with Karthi wanting to teach most of us the Meta-fit exercise programme we try to crash early, but only after our singers practise the the next day’s songs with Varun, and Ravi.  I ask Neelakandan why he is limping into the lift and he casually replies that he tripped on a wire and had a fall while dancing on the stage.

The dapan-kuthu   டப்பாங்கூத்து beat played by Balamurugan wakes those of us who are asleep, but by then I had completed my early morning walk with Pitchan, my morning coffee with Bhaskar, Ahila  Bhaskar, Jeyanthi, and PGS, and a swim as well before breakfast. I find Muthukumar and Karthi rushing to Neelakandan’s room as he is suffering from Haemarthrosis in his left knee following the fall on stage last night. Later with Ravindranth and Kandasamy arranging a wheel chair, Neelakandan attends, the evening session in it.

Karthi conducts a well-attended Meta fit exercise session.  There is much interaction and exchange of notes over a prolonged breakfast.

Breakfast at Salem Heights

A third cake is to be cut to the tunes of Happy Birthday when in comes a drag-queen whom no-one in the audience for some time can guess who it is. For Ramu does the act so well, and helps Ravi in the celebration.

The queen feeds the birthday boy

We love our drag-queen!

Consequently, there is only the pre-lunch session of Game show for the couples by Dr. and Mrs. Kannan,  after which, Varun does a soulful rendering of the tune “Boomi ennai soothuthu”  in his Melodica, which makes the children all to follow him dancing in a single file. This scene so starkly brings to my mind images of the gifted Piper, that I proposed naming Varun as, “The Piper of TMC-77!”  The treasure hunt has the generation next even diving into the swimming pool to pick up a clue! 

The Piper of TMC-77

In addition, only for the whole day of 16 Aug, Ravindranath had arranged Mehandi, Nail Art, and Portrait drawing, at free of cost in the hall. So, those who were interested could be seen at the entrance of the hall seeing the programme as well as getting their portraits sketched or their hands or nails done up.  

Couples on the stairs

As the generation next and the ones with the bon-appetite bring in their buffet lunch the GBM begins with the discussion veering towards the next meet. Clearly, the dates are 14, 15 and 16 Aug 2015. Rajakumari offers to organize the next meet, Varuna will be helping her, and as Augustus is in Madurai, he will also assist the duo. Obviously, Rafique will work to inform, invite, and help register as many of the members as possible. The organizers will decide in a couple of months on the venue, which could be in some resort in the western ghats. 

Objections to Munnar as a venue was that the access highway from Bodi to Bodimet was under repair with closures up to eight hours a day for the next one-year or more. Moreover, Munnar was over-crowded, the travel times would be one day for arrival and one-day for departure, which meant a total of four days for the normal attendees, and one day extra for music and program practice that is five days absence from work for the performers. In the meantime, Niaz arrives midway during the GBM.

Narayanan and Niaz 

After Lunch, Augustus, and me make it to Ravindranath’s room where Augustus practices his western number “Words” followed by the memories of TMC-77, which I wrote as a parody to the tune of “I married a female wrestler”. 

TMC-77

The TMC-77 Family

After evening tea, and the customary group photo sessions, we gather for the evening musical treat. Neels throws caution to the winds to give snatches of ragas on his violin propped up in his wheelchair. Dressed in an evening hat and matching T-shirt Augustus does his number better than his outfit.

Words are all I have

, To take your heart away!

The father-son duo of Manohar and Blaji rendering the Kannadasan song “Pon Ondru Kanden” takes us all back to memories of Kanadasan visiting TMC in our days. Balaji sings one from Ashiq-2 and another number is "Indha ponnungale ippaditthan".

There is a cat walk for young men and women, and prizes given for the best two as in all the games held in this meet. 

Catwalk for young men

A fast western modern dance by Shylaja Mohan leaves the audience spell bound. The much-awaited Magic Show by Ravindranath is far above expectations. Ravindranath shows about a dozen magic tricks, but has to cut down on a couple because of lack of time. The first item on the entertainment list had raised the bar and the standard of entertainment was only going up with every item in the program.  Though Ravindranath explained one of the tricks with a detailed demo, still the aura and mystery of the magic tricks he performed did not wear off, and as deserved he gets an spontaneous standing ovation!

The Magician of TMC-77

Murali does a tough S P Balasubrahmanyam number “Mandrum vantha  thendrul” while Varun and Ravindranath bring in the music of Ilayaraja to the TMC-77 crowd. Images of our college days rush through our minds once more!

Augustus does the parody number, while I try to show the lyrics on the screen. The next is a Game Show by Dr. and Mrs. Kannan where everyone tries guessing the names of Tamil movies from visual clues. A fast remix dance by Varshitha and Abi that left them panting. Along with Shylaja, they were better than the participants on national talent shows that we see on TV. Karthi then requests for DJ Music for dance after the Cocktail Dinner, as it is nearing 10 PM. Moreover, he makes sure that everyone in the room does shake a leg! Presently, after the DJ has left, close to midnight, the generation-next one by one begin their vote of thanks.

The Successors of TMC-77

Cibi in his talk mentions every TMC-77 member who attended whether they were present or not then in the room by name! It was a fitting finale to a grand get-together.

From the Generation-Next: Cibi, Eby, and Vinod 

Most of us are 'meet-sick', parting and leaving much against our will, which the generation-next freely express. We have spent more than 72 hours, but it seems like a few! A panaroma of thoughts from this meet fill our minds as we all leave by noon the next day.

The Sky Rocca Panaroma

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