Footprints in the sands of time

Like the deciduous leaves of a gigantic tree, our group is deteriorating day after day. Recollecting the days gone, we arrive at that auspicious day, which started it all, that one-day at sona 3.

<>What an awesome day it was, when we all, from diverse directions and cultures, sat together under one roof listening to one of the "never-remembered" lectures on Bhanjare, with a handful of intermediate buffoonery by the HR head. That Augustus day at Sona 3 when, none-of-us knew each other, and was trying to make private groups, our "bhanjare man" indulged in with a new trick of acquaintance, "the circular interaction", which began it all and which through its simple principle of understanding each other, has created such a wonderful friendship.

Whenever the clock turned 11, you could see an exotic flower, with forty wonderful petals, all well arranged in a circle, with the most beautiful four of them carefully placed at the centre, chatting and drinking tea, surrounded by a chunk of astonished musical instruments. Those boring lecture hours, when we could see a sleeping Simha, a smiling Sheik, a stubborn Sai or a snoring Susama, and the lecturer remarking, "I can see two people sleeping over there", and we asking each other, weren't those, myself and you, who were sleeping !! The day at Nandi Hills, when we all turned skittish, playing around and teasing monkeys. How many dogs and monkeys were stilled, when the camera flashed in the hands of our renowned bluffer, Biplab.

<>The lecture days got over very soon and the little birds got their wings to fly to their destinations. Still the binding was so deep in us that it was pretty difficult for us, not to see our names in the mailbox. The days when we didn't know how to use BCC for sending mails and a Ravi Kumar shouting, when he found that our big grouplist almost vanished those dainty sardharjis'. Once again we all came together, with the advent of the Annual day, the boys, practicing "Hum he naye, Andaaz kyum ho purana...", and its tempestuous exposure at the stage, when we all started dancing, adding to the thrill. I still remember, a shy Ratan, who was deceptively pushed to the stage by Mark, when we all entered to rock it. <>Those beautiful days at the Games Village, when we used to promise each other, of accompanying in jogging early morning, and cheating each other when the sun opened his eyes. The evening walks with Rajeev, when we used to share the happenings of the day. And back in office, those countless sardharjis, that flowed through our ws9, everyday, with the ultimate target of making our day happy. Happy days went on and on and our first anniversary came up. The endeavor of Anil and Ratan in arranging the fantastic trip to Shivasamudram, which marked the pinnacle of our closeness, epitomizing how much we cared each other, the still pending issue of Aacharya's Marriage party which filled in our mailboxes for long, the white rice scandal, brought out by Suresh and Sudhansu and finally an accused Subrath, all blossomed our days, through. <>Once again came a season to freak out, the 19th Annual day. Neelu was buzy in accumulating the prizes and decorating the stage, when all others had created a pandemonium in Sona 3. Some practicing their "Bhol Chudiya...", Some picking up steps of Saathiya, and somewhere a set of trainees were getting packed up. In the center you could see a Prasad and his team, setting the plot for their drama, on how to propose to a lady, "without any daring lady component in the team".

The days went on and on and on and here we are... At the juncture to say good bye ... That Beautiful flower, with forty petals under one stem is no more. Some have been taken away by wind, some got dropped by excess heat, and some hanging around, not knowing when to break loose. But wherever we may be, we shall always be bound by that omnipresent truth of friendship. All those days we spent under this wonderful Organization, shall always be remembered, like the "Footprints in the Sands of Time".