Amusing/Pleasant Observations at IITK #2

I was riding my bicycle and was on my way to take the 8 o'clock morning tutorial class but had started a bit earlier than usual as I had to stop by my lab office room to pick up the attendance sheet. The route between my hostel and IITK's academic area happens to offer a view of the shiny tennis courts. Somehow, whenever I cross the road facing those courts (everyday) and happen to see some people playing, I feel an impulse to stop by for a minute or so and watch their game. And I always end up disregarding that desire and instead settle for a glimpse of a few rallies by cycling at a slower pace. What I saw today made me reduce my speed more than usual.

I saw two professors, probably in their 50s or 60s, having silvery hairs and mustaches and noticeable paunches, playing opposite to each other. Very interestingly I think I saw them there after a very long time. I do remember seeing the pair on the court many times in the past but can't put a numerical approximation to the minimum duration elapsed since the last such encounter. Unfortunately I do not know their identities but I am quite sure that many other students would also vouch for having seen them there often.

Due to my blurry memory this spectacle gave me a peculiar feeling. The two respectable professors seemed to share a lovely bond together. During the remainder of my short cycle journey my mind was distracted by contemplations of life of an academician having reached an age such as theirs and the difference that the companionship of a colleague sharing some common interest, as in their case, may likely make in keeping life from getting drab. I do not remember what other conclusions I drew in that short duration but I do remember thinking about my own future prospects in the event I end up in that profession and how I might similarly find myself playing table tennis with one of my colleagues.

The tutorial class went well, by the way!

Amusing/Pleasant Observations at IITK #1

If you have gone through some of my previous posts related to IITK, you may have got the impression that I am quite attached to this place. It is true but am probably unaware to what degree. I guess when I graduate (hopefully!) and part from this place, I will come to know just how much. I think it's a common feature of human experience - we tend to value things/people with which/whom we develop a unique/special bond more when they are no longer in physical/perceived proximity. And a simple theoretical knowledge/realization of this trait probably does nothing to change it.

Okay, enough of these sentimental contemplations!

I am making this entry while sitting in our institute library 'P. K. Kelkar Library' (named after IITK's first Director). Before entering the library I observed something different (well, perhaps in the past I didn't think much of it). The cycle parking lot seemed unusually deserted - there were hardly a dozen cycles. Looking at that sparsely occupied place diffused a strange feeling within me. I felt as though I was visiting the library after many decades and it was no longer the preferred studying place for a good number of students, which made me a bit sad! My rational mind, however, soon came to rescue me from these silly delusions and I realized this was because (1) today is a Sunday (2) just this Friday the mid-term examinations of the students got over!

In fact, I now realize and notice that it's interior is also substantially (ah, and logically so) devoid of students. I guess I had earlier gotten so used to studying alone and was probably much more focused on my objective of going to the library that these things seemed so inconsequential. And perhaps, subconsciously, I even enjoyed such an environment!

Why am I mentioning all this? It may seem silly but when I made the above observation I thought it was a rare occasion I had chanced upon which made me feel the way it did. Besides, over the past few months, I have been getting the feeling that everything that I see around would no longer be there for me to see after another year or so when I graduate. And I thought of preserving these simple, amusing/pleasant experiences in a written form. 

I am not sure of what possible use or consequence these posts may turn out in the future, since I haven't done such kind of thing before. They might bring a smile on my face or hopefully on other IITK graduated readers' faces. Or they may simply remind me of my own silliness. Or I might be just indifferent to them. Or it will be something totally unexpected. I can't tell!