HOSTELS
Hostels are places with a large number of rooms, usually. People stay in some of those rooms. In other rooms they eat, shit, play games or spend time in pursuing such other meaningful activities. The room (or rooms) where they eat is called 'mess', which may or may not reflect upon the state of affairs therein. However, the fact remains that the inmates of a hostel have this uncanny ability to convert anything they touch into a mess.
People who stay in hostels are known as 'hostiles'. In general, hostel life is known as 'hostility'. It is a boisterous life, this hostility, and sometimes it leads to plenty of vigorous and violent activities. Then the most boisterous of the hostiles are transferred to borstals, but that is another story, and well beyond the scope of this discussion.
Meanwhile, every session a new batch of hostiles joins the hostel. These fresh hostiles are very useful to the senior hostiles. They are called freshers, these fresh hostiles, though the reason for such a nomenclature is lost in the mists of history. (Quite mysterious, you might say.) The freshers are thoughtfully shown the way to the various aspects of hostility. This unselfish act of hospitality is known as ragging. It breaks the ice, so that the drinks are cooler. However, some fresh hostiles lose their hostility due to the over-generous hospitality of the senior hostiles, though that’s yet another story.
Hostiles spend most of their active life playing games. At one time the most popular sport in hostility was Khatia Kabaddi, but soon there was a tug-of-war of sorts between the Indoor Games Secretary and the Small Area Games Secretary on jurisdiction. This led to the untimely death of this noble sport. However, that does not prevent the hostiles from participating in fun and games, at least as spectators.
Hostiles also participate in several literary activities, like quizzes, JAMs and debates. Hostiles possess this unique ability to debate both sides of a given issue with equal agility, leading to stalemate. Another favourite literary activity is "Gali Leo", which consists of shouting decorative and creative adjectives during the periods when the hostels are powerless. Most hostiles are adept in this activity.
Most hostels are attached to educational institutes. Thus the hostiles have to attend classes from time to time. This is the one truly mundane aspect of hostel life. However, hostiles soon learn to adapt to the situation. After all, only a small fraction of the hostel day is spent in classrooms. Otherwise hostility is sheer bliss, what with all those sporting and cultural activities.
The hostiles are meant to spend a certain number of years, at least, in a hostel. The proscribed number of years may vary from hostel to hostel, but in general these few years are known as the ‘Golden Years’. Once the hostiles leave the confines of hostels, some of them write books on these golden years, causing many ex-hostiles to squirm. Why this happens is not quite established, but that does not prevent the squirming.
Talking of ex-hostiles, for some strange reason they are collectively known as alumina, which is nothing but a compound of individual aluminiums. From time to time the alumina meet to recreate hostility.Then the aluminium gets married and gets attached to a host or a hostess, and the hostility is sidelined for ever.
Note: Khatia is the Indian for bed or cot, Kabaddi is a popular Indian sport, involving a lot of wrestling and jostling.
People who stay in hostels are known as 'hostiles'. In general, hostel life is known as 'hostility'. It is a boisterous life, this hostility, and sometimes it leads to plenty of vigorous and violent activities. Then the most boisterous of the hostiles are transferred to borstals, but that is another story, and well beyond the scope of this discussion.
Meanwhile, every session a new batch of hostiles joins the hostel. These fresh hostiles are very useful to the senior hostiles. They are called freshers, these fresh hostiles, though the reason for such a nomenclature is lost in the mists of history. (Quite mysterious, you might say.) The freshers are thoughtfully shown the way to the various aspects of hostility. This unselfish act of hospitality is known as ragging. It breaks the ice, so that the drinks are cooler. However, some fresh hostiles lose their hostility due to the over-generous hospitality of the senior hostiles, though that’s yet another story.
Hostiles spend most of their active life playing games. At one time the most popular sport in hostility was Khatia Kabaddi, but soon there was a tug-of-war of sorts between the Indoor Games Secretary and the Small Area Games Secretary on jurisdiction. This led to the untimely death of this noble sport. However, that does not prevent the hostiles from participating in fun and games, at least as spectators.
Hostiles also participate in several literary activities, like quizzes, JAMs and debates. Hostiles possess this unique ability to debate both sides of a given issue with equal agility, leading to stalemate. Another favourite literary activity is "Gali Leo", which consists of shouting decorative and creative adjectives during the periods when the hostels are powerless. Most hostiles are adept in this activity.
Most hostels are attached to educational institutes. Thus the hostiles have to attend classes from time to time. This is the one truly mundane aspect of hostel life. However, hostiles soon learn to adapt to the situation. After all, only a small fraction of the hostel day is spent in classrooms. Otherwise hostility is sheer bliss, what with all those sporting and cultural activities.
The hostiles are meant to spend a certain number of years, at least, in a hostel. The proscribed number of years may vary from hostel to hostel, but in general these few years are known as the ‘Golden Years’. Once the hostiles leave the confines of hostels, some of them write books on these golden years, causing many ex-hostiles to squirm. Why this happens is not quite established, but that does not prevent the squirming.
Talking of ex-hostiles, for some strange reason they are collectively known as alumina, which is nothing but a compound of individual aluminiums. From time to time the alumina meet to recreate hostility.Then the aluminium gets married and gets attached to a host or a hostess, and the hostility is sidelined for ever.
Note: Khatia is the Indian for bed or cot, Kabaddi is a popular Indian sport, involving a lot of wrestling and jostling.
posted by Haridaspal at 11:02 AM
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