Gone are the Days

Gone are the days
When the school reopened in June,
And we settled in our new desks and benches.

Gone are the days
When we queued up in the book depots,
And got our new books and notes.

Gone are the days
When we yearned for Sundays, Thursdays or Saturdays,
Yet managed to line up daily for Monday morning prayer with inflated eyes and deflated spirits.

Gone are the days
When we learnt writing with Slates and Pencils,
And progressed to Fountain & Ball Pens and then to the Micro Tips.

Gone are the days
When we began drawing with Crayons and Colour pencils
And evolved to Sketch Pens & Tube Colours

Gone are the days
When we chased one another in the corridors in Intervals,
And returned to the classrooms drenched in sweat, our shoes covered with dirt.

Gone are the days
When we had lunch in the classrooms, the corridors,
And hungout in the Playgrounds, under the trees and even in Cycle Sheds.

Gone are the days
When cricket was played with writing pads and lunch boxes as bats, And Neckties and Socks were rolled into balls.

Gone are the days
When we brought tiffin,
And a few others had "2 rupee Dosa", "75 paisa strawberry rockets", "Campa Cola" and "Gold Spot".

Gone are the days
When we fought with the gaurd,
For freedom to the 10 paisa "current" on our tongue.

Gone are the days
When the single P.T. period in the week's Time Table,
Was awaited the most eagerly awaited class.

Gone are the days
When few played "kabadi" and "kho-kho" in scorching sun,
While others simply played "book cricket" in the confines of classroom.

Gone are the days
When we chased the teachers outside just after the class,
To get registered in their mind

Gone are the days
When we rushed for the "School Bus",
To "Conquer" the window seats for the ride back home.

Gone are the days
When we waited for our "Sister" and "Brother" schools for Sports, Fete and Fests,
To mingle, mix and mush

Gone are the days
When we played sports,
And didnt indulge in Games.

Gone are the days
Of the stressful Quarterlys, Half-Yearlys, the Annuals and finally the pink colored card which changed to blue, green and yellow as move up the stairs.

Gone are the days
Of the holiday blues, the cane on the back, the slap on the face or the ruler on the knuckles

Gone are the days
Of etching on the table, drawing on the board, talking in whispers, standing in the corner

Gone are the days
Of fights but no conspiracies, Of Competitions and the rare Jealousies.

Gone are the days
When we learnt, we enjoyed, we played, we won, we lost, we laughed, we cried, we fought, we thought.

Gone are the days
Of so much fun, so many friends, so much crush and so much blush.

Gone are the days
But not the memories, which linger in our hearts for ever still...

Gone are the days
When I would need to send post-cards to you all to tell you about this...

But now are the days
When I could just use my blog....

This was part of a mail sent to me. I just couldnt stop myself from improvising on it further and publishing. I was in Calcutta Boys' School. But I am sure for all others whichever school you were in, the sentiment and the emotions will be the same.

I hope it took you back some years and suspended you there for some moments. Lets all thank Silva Sarkar for this.