In my college, there was a guy called Banga, one batch senior to us. Quite average guy. Average in studies, looks, and most other things......or not so!!!!!
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The solo singing competition of our college festival was going on. Most of our singing stars were there. Anubhav or whatever his name was, was also participating. Anubhav was sure of getting at least some prize. Yes, he was a good singer but most others were also good. But it was his dashing looks that got him huge fan support. His chaste English had impressed Dr. KP in the first year itself and KP, like every year, was the presiding judge this year also. Another judge was Vandy, whom Anubhav had floored in the viva of the first year, and ever since she was in awe of him. The odds were too much in Anubhav's favour......but I was wishing for him not to win. For me, he was an arrogant bastard! As a 2nd year, he had ragged me in the first year. After knowing that I was a dipsite, he asked me the meaning of 'fastidious' and some other words that I had not heard of. I felt humiliated. It was more that I felt and less that he did!! I was praying for him not to win, not only because of the humiliation. He was too perfect for lesser mortals like me. He had been endowed with all the good things that a guy needed in college. It was more of the inferiority complex that made me hate him.
Behl, the fatso, our own Kishore Kumar, known more for his entertaining group songs than his solo renditions, was the first to climb up the stage. His song was very good but not as energetic as his gyrating group songs. Anubhav was second to sing and .....wow, what a song he sang! KP felt his notes were perfect, Vandy felt the voice was heavenly, and even I was mesmerized. It would be impossible to beat him, despondency grew on me.
Next was the surprise entry of Banga! Nobody knew that he could sing. Nobody...except his 4-5 friends who were cheering for him in the audience. On eavesdropping on them, it seemed they had been forced by Banga to leave all important things and come to cheer for him. Banga sang "Mast baharon ka main aashique, main jo chahe yaar karoon", Crooning, oooh-oooh, intermittently. Jeetendra's fast number seemed most unfit for a solo entry. It was ludicrous!
Must watch for 1 minute before reading further.
https://youtu.be/eAtEKo31hsA
Probably the most forgettable song most people would have ever heard...but not for me! There were a few more entries after that. A girl, one year junior to us, nobody had ever heard of, with very average looks, swept everybody off their feet with her singing. She was awarded an outstanding first prize, Anubhav was second, somebody else was third and Behl got a consolation.
What was Banga's purpose to sing in front of the whole of the college, when he didn't know ABC of musical notes or even a choice of the song?? People had varied opinions. Somebody said he is probably trying to woo a girl, "aise to poora bhaag jayegi", somebody said, " zaroor kisi ne bet lagayi hogi", others guessed, "he just wants to get noticed by creating a sensation". Nobody knew what his purpose was!
The next day was the day of the 'fashion show', one of the hottest events of the festival. It seemed like a bevy of beautiful girls and a horde of handsome hunks had taken over the stage with their debonair looks. "Banga yahan kya kar raha hai???", audience was shell shocked! He was as out of place as a "karela", in lasagne! "Bhai, kal sensation Macha to di thi, ab aur kya chahta hai".
Banga was not seen much after the festival. In fact, two months later he had his second professional exam, and not only he but the whole of their batch got busy. Their results came. Anubhav had stood second in the batch. Banga also passed decently. They entered the final year. The only place to find any of the final years was either the library or their hostel rooms. The course was so grueling.
I saw Banga again during his internship. That was the time when people would focus on the masters they wanted to do. So they would either hone their skills in that field or just prepare for the entrance exams. One of our common friends told me that he does every posting with utmost sincerity, "confused fellow". They completed their internship and the results for the PG entrance were declared. Anubhav had topped, got the best branch, that he always wanted, that of Radiology. Banga also scored well and got General Medicine. Nobody knew what he had wanted. Probably he also didn't know and so he opted for a broader specialty.
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Eight years later, I had gone to meet a close friend, a radiologist, in one of the top corporate hospitals. I asked him how was his observership going. He said all was fine, except for his sadistic superior. He told me about many incidents with his immediate superior. "Oh you would know him, he was our senior in college, Anubhav!" My old memories resonated. Suddenly Anubhav came into my friend's cabin and started shouting at him for making an erroneous observation, oblivious of my presence! I was dismayed! When he turned around and looked at me, I reminded him of being a known junior. He was not bothered, probably he sold mortals like me, dime a dozen daily! This time I didn't feel bad about hating him.
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Fifteen years later, I had gone for my fellowship in the US. One day, my host, my friend, told me that they were having a gathering of our college alumni in a pub over an India-England cricket match. I was hesitant but joined on his persistence. There were around 15 people from our college, and 4 from other colleges, mostly my seniors who had been in college at the same time as me. Faces were partially familiar, names mostly! One name was 'Banga', I couldn't recognize him though. I had memories of "oooh-oooh" rekindled but I didn't let it surface. People seemed to be very appreciative of Banga, everything about him. His helping and cheerful nature, his commitment to his family, and his accomplishments as a cardiologist. He even looked dashing! After a few kegs of beer, it was the turn of pegs of scotch. Then started 'pravachans' and 'gyan'. Some people got quite drunk, Banga promised to drop 3 of them home as he was sober. "Banga, Banga" chanted others! All drunk Punjabi's are the same, wherever in the world they may be, howsoever qualified! They were creating their trademark ruckus in Uncle Sam's territory, not cognizant of anything. Then one of the guys pleaded Banga to speak and give his share of 'gyan'! "Arre, tu peeta kyon nahin hai, hamare gyan chakshu bhi to khol". Banga spoke, " Yaar, I realized in college that I didn't know what I wanted from life. So the only way out was to try out various things and find out. But my hesitation didn't let me try things. And to overcome my inhibition, I did a few ridiculous things, ...that anyway I am not going to tell you about,.... but it worked. I sometimes fell. Felt humiliated and ashamed of my failure. But then I realized that humiliation and failure are not bad. My failed experiments not only helped me find out what I could be good at but also told me the importance of being imperfect. It is those failures, which make us cherish our success and remain more grounded. It is our ability to rise from the ashes that make us respect ourselves. Respect is much more important than love, whether it is about the relationship between two individuals or the relationship with yourself. A person who has never failed is at risk of becoming an 'arrogant bastard'. Eventually I found out what made good of my self-esteem, and what is close to my heart and that is when I chose to become a cardiologist. Once I became a cardiologist, I started appreciating myself. Soon people also started liking those traits in me that I could have never imagined. I think it's a positive feedback loop, and the kick of this is so much, that no scotch can give, and no whiskey is required. One is high on sober".
"Ye sab philosophy to theek hai, par tune aisa kya kiya tha, jo tu nahin bata sakta? Hamein to woh bata??"
Oooh-oooh, I had a few secrets up my sleeve!
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