Heart pounding
adrenalin flowing
She was waiting
with bated breath
for the arrival of Her kids
from the nook and cranny of Kerala
since the last one month.
Barring a few
who are on assignments abroad
Her kids arrived
before the clock struck 4PM.
Parking their cars and bikes
horizontally and vertically
on the sprawling ground
all alighted one by one
everyone glancing around to have
a first-hand experience
of the changes She underwent
with the flow of times
after a prolonged gap.
Marveled and elated
at the developments undergone by Her
with exclamation and joy
reflecting on their faces
each of them moved
ahead to the verandah
corridors and empty class rooms
the verdant hill behind
heaving deep sighs
recalling their yester years
at their beloved institution
recalling the principal and professors
recalling the love and affection
the faculty showered on them
they recalled with tear-smeared faces.
Barring a few of their faculty
who are no more
their pain and agony knew no bounds.
With the time ticking fast
all were in a hurry to renew their
friendship and like kids playing pranks
they recollected the
pranks each played on the other.
Seeking their present status
addresses and contact numbers
enthusiastically and with delight
they obtained from each other.
Former love-birds
the ones who turned life-partners
the ones who were
forced to get separated
for no fault of theirs
and about those
who are serving abroad
and saving hard-earned money
for the good of their loved ones at homes
far away in Kerala
all matters came in the course of their remembrances.
With the clock ticking 5PM
all moved to the meeting hall
their first gathering after a long span of twenty five years
at their beloved Alma-Mater
and got seated filling the hall.
With the organizers seated on the stage
it seemed the photograph
of Tagore with his
flowing beard, deep and
hypnotic eyes
was conversing silently
with each of them.
After the customary prayer
the speaker after speaker spoke
like fast-flowing rivers
the reminiscences
of the previous years flowed.
Humour, sorrow, agony,
pain and rejoice
all combined together
getting everyone in
the gathering drowned in the deep sea of
mixed feelings.
Everybody was seen comforting the other
when the speakers on
the dais recollected
the agonizing events of the past.
With speeches, songs,
dances performed by the kids of
a few of the gathering, mimicry
and monoact progressing
one after the other
everyone was oblivious
of time machine fast running…
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