"Shillonging"

Summer breaks, winter breaks, term breaks.. And we got a sense of what Shillonging was all about.. Par woh toh bas trailer tha jaani! Now that we have left that beautiful green piece of land forever forever types, the full movie of Shillonging is slowing unfolding in front of our eyes! Oh, and the breath taking beauty that it is, it only makes Shillonging a more blissful endurance. This post is dedicated ‘not to Shillong’ but to my lovely age-old flatmate, who has completely driven me crazy from more than a month now, starting every day with Shillong and going on and on about it until she closes her eyes and her mouth to sleep in the night! This is for you Sharanya..

So here is how it all started. We walk into the tiny winy campus, lush green and wet with rains, and of course, unknown from what it holds in store for us. Well yes, like every other college and like every other hostel, we knew we would make friends, have crazy moments in class, burn the mid night oil for exams, achieve our dreams, do random masti in hostel, have night outs discussing our crushes, fall in love, gossip about god knows what not, eat out at all possible places, watch angrezi series and discuss the depth of movies and books and all that.. And yes, we did all of that.. But that is not what defines Shillonging. Shillonging is something beyond. Read on to experience for those who have not yet been blessed to be there, and to relive for those who are still Shillonging in their respective cities!

So we know (atleast I hope those reading this know) that Shillong is in one corner of India and not very well connected to the rest of India. It was troublesome for us indeed in the beginning but that was a blessing in disguise for us. Thanks to the distance, we celebrated all our festivals from Diwali to Holi, from Janmashtmi to Sankranti, from Durga Puja to Ganeshotsav, in that small green campus of ours in our own small IIM Shillong family. Be it the extravaganzas of Cult Comm’s Diwali preparations or the next door cook’s sweet pongal or the most enthusiastic bhakt’s room turned into a temple, home was never away. Even the home food was not away with a Mallika and a Sonal on each floor and even a Hemanth in the boy’s hostel! To feel like home away from home and to experience unity in diversity every day of the life, that’s Shillonging!

Picture Credits: Vaibhav Annam (PGP12)

Having said that let me tell you that the ‘away’ part is also very interesting, infact to be specific, very adventurous. No doubt people know that Shillong is a beautiful place, Cherrapunji with the second highest rainfall is a must see and all.. Of course we did utilize all our weekends and holidays to cover all the places listed on map and searchable on google but to add to that we have explored our own locations and put them on map! Now that’s adventure. Going through the unknown route just to get lost and have the pleasure of finding the way out, that’s excitement. The rush that we get every time we put on our shoes and carry our backpack to explore the unknown, that’s Shillonging!

I can go on and on about the beauty of Shillong but some things really cannot be put in words. It is something which has to be experienced even if it means taking a flight to Guwahati, then a cab to Shillong, stopping at Makhanbhog for lunch then throwing up all that we had eaten and yet craving to reach the destination. When the session starts in July, we are awed by the greenery and the music of rains. By October we are covered by two or even three layers of sweaters. By February we start to enjoy the wild winds disrupting our badminton sessions. And before we can realize that summer is here, it starts to rain again. And all throughout, our early morning and late night walks, help us enjoy it to the fullest. Assignments and submissions, exams and preparations, events and competitions, celebrations and misunderstandings, proposals and breakups, everything included a walk in the campus. If none of these, then definitely a walk in the campus! Enjoying the beauty of the campus as the leaves turn from green to pink and back to green again, that’s Shillonging!

Picture Credits: Jitesh Patel (PGP10)

We live in the small boundary of the campus but we have mastered the art of gathering our moments from small things in life. Walking on golf course taking pleasure as the dew on the grass wets our clothes, standing on heels in a fully occupied auditorium just to get a glimpse of Mr. Kalam, lighting up a bonfire and sending across a mail whenever you want to party, arranging for Kakoty sir’s extra classes just to get some more perspectives on life, waiting for a friend’s birthday to make the most embarrassing birthday invite, taking a cab to random places just to find out where the taxi goes to, shouting for our Kopda team like it is more important than India in World Cup, waiting for a “Hungry Kya?” or “Eat fresh, Subway!” mail to pop up right when you want it to, stare in the open skies for hours together enjoying the stars in the silence of the night, and now keep recollecting those times for all these small things, that’s Shillonging!

Do share your moments in comments to add more meaning to Shillonging, for I know how close it is to each one of us!

PS: All credits to Mr. Jitesh Patel for giving us one word to express exactly what we feel.. That’s Shillonging!