On way to college

The last post was in Marathi and got feedback to switch to English. That's being done but the Marathi translation will also be available. After completing matric, now the terms SSC and HSC are more popular, I got admission in one of the most prestigious institute in central India now termed as Institute of Science. It was known as College of Science or Science College in those days. In that era in Nagpur we had just four colleges offering science stream. Those were Science, Hislop, Mohata and National in terms of preference. Our college was most sought after by students from entire central India. Students from Vidarbha, Mahakoshal and Chhattisgarh would line up for the admission. Just a year back before I took admission, there was a change in the system and 10 + 2 was introduced. Some schools continued with old pattern of  11 years in school and my school, Patwardhan High School had opted for the old system. After my 11th matric, as called in those days, I took admission in first year of three year graduate programme. Those who had passed 10th matric were admitted to pre-university class for year before they could join first year of three year graduate programme. I was extremely thrilled to get admitted to such a prestigious institute that had excellent staff, own cricket ground, tennis courts, gym and loads of extracurricular activities.

Science College Nagpur

College was about two kms away from my Dhantoli residence and was 10 minutes cycle ride. I would approach Panchsheel square from the east and pause for a while to decide the route to be taken on that day. I had two options either to go straight via Canal Road or take a right turn and go via Variety Square. The Canal road got its name because Nag Nadi, commonly called as Nag Nala, originating from Ambazari flows through this canal. The frequent choice would be via Variety Square for going to the college and Canal Road for the return in the evening. I had my own reasons for these decisions. If I go by Canal Road then I would take right at Saraf bunglow, go little uphill with student's union hall and university library on the right. Cross the square (north Ambazari road) and it was pleasant ride through farms on both the sides, till Maharaj baug. After the farms there was a small nursery on right side down the slope and close to the culvert, the Undri river, now just a drain, originating from LIT Little ahead on left was a monumental building of Agriculture College. Riding through the semicircular road opposite this building, I would come to the huge Victorian style Iron Gate, that would remain closed in the night. This gate was the  southern side of university square, one of the most attractive, magnificent, gorgeous square in Nagpur. Standing at the Maharaj baug gate facing north the beauty of buildings made with red sand stone were amazing. The greenery and contrasting red coloured architecture were just superb. I wonder if it is still the same or has changed like new names for the university and agriculture college.

This route was pleasant during winter days but not in late evenings as it would be fairly cold while passing between the farms. In summer this route would be hot, arid, and barren associated with hot winds. At times I would use this route in the evenings even during the summer as Agriculture College would set up their sugar cane juice center to utilise their own produce. The fresh juice was sold for 10 paisa per glass of 300 ml. It was a treat.

The route via variety square was not picturesque but crowded. On turning right at Panchsheel square I would head north. Shanti Bhavan on left and Prince on right of the road were great for snacks. Cross the Nag Nala and pass Dhiren Kanya Vidyalaya and come to Jhansi Rani Chowk. Opposite Dhiren Kanya Vidyalaya was Ratnaparkhi's Tall (wood and charcoal depot) that was cl;osed and Kwality restaurant was build there. At the corner or of Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh, all ST buses coming from south from places like, Wardha, Hinghanghat, Chandrapur, Jam etc would stop. In the morning large number of 15 kg tins of homemade curd, mostly sour would unloaded here. Curd vendors would assemble here and trade, then the curd would be transferred to earthen pots and mostly ladies would go around various localities selling this curd. Half part of coconut shell was the measure for selling the curd. The smell of sour curd was obnoxious. While unloading the tins from the luggage carrier on the top of the bus the curd would often spill out and spoil the pavement, remain there to ferment further, part of it would get absorbed and part would evopourate. I would often joke with my friends that if any time in future a well is dug here then it will have springs of buttermilk, not water.

There was no road connecting this square to Bank of Maharashtra square. The area had residential tenements and the cluster was known as Sangam chawl. The road was developed in early sixties. Moving further towards Variety square, I would cross Mor Bhavan. Local ST Bus stand was next to it. Immediately after bus stand across the Undri river, now just a drain, stood a Hanuman temple facing east. This temple was originally at the Variety square. This was moved to present location to widen the roads and set up traffic signals in early sixties. The Hanuman which normally faces south was facing north at variety square and started facing east when shifted to present location. There is one thing I always remember about this temple, that’s related to one chap from our locality. His name was Pande. He used to religiously visit the temple and we all admired. One day we saw him getting thrashed by the priest of the temple. We were shocked to see this but were more shocked when the priest told us the reasons for thrashing. This chap would drop a ten paisa coin in Puja thali where alms were dropped by the devotees and take back forty paisa from the thali. His pretention was that he had put fifty paisa coin in the thali and is taking back forty paisa as he wanted to offer only ten paisa. This smart chap on investment of ten paisa a day was siphoning thirty paisa every day. His devotion for Hanuman was over from that day but I am sure he must have found some other busy temple. Across the temple on the other side of the road was Jagat restaurant and a Raswanti, a sugarcane juice center. The Undri and Nag river  had a convergence a little ahead at the north of Patwardhan ground, thus it was called as Sangam. Next came Regal cinema that was frequented more to enjoy mutton chops rather than the movies. At variety square I would turn left for my college. The tinned roof historic Variety theatre was on left. There was no balcony in this cinema hall and that was unique. The stretch between Variety square and University was unique. After Maharaj baug Hanuman temple on left there was tall fencing of Maharaj baug zoo till university square. On right for a short distance were shops, mostly photo frame guys. Behind this was Moore Memorial Hospital. On the left side opposite the photo frame shops there were number of make shift photo studios. Backdrops of various scenes like fountains in garden, aero plane, car etc would be hanged from the tall fencing of Maharaj baug. The photographers had ancient plate cameras. Their technology was cheap and different. In earlier days a film, generally termed as negative was used to capture the picture. This negative was reverse of the picture thus termed as negative. Exposing this negative on a positive paper/film would give the real picture. The negatives were expensive so these photographers developed their own technique. They would shoot on a positive paper. This would give an image like negative and then shoot this negative on another positive paper and that would provide a real picture. It’s like two negatives make a positive. Customers of these photographers were couples or families visiting Maharaj baug zoo. The subjects would choose desired background after negations and pose over there. The photographer would load the a positive plate, rather than expansive negative plate, cover his head and camera with black cloth, focus on the subject. The cameras had no shutter, but the lens had a cap. Subject would be instructed to stand still, the cap from the lens would be removed for a calculated time and replaced again. Under the black cloth the exposed ‘film’ will be processed, ‘developed and fixed’. On this positive plate the picture would look like a negative, so as to have a real picture photograph of this plate will be taken on another positive paper and the resultant was a real photograph. Retouching with appropriate colours would be done on the plate that was to be exposed and also on the final print to improve quality of the photograph. The entire process would take about half an hour and many times I enjoyed watching this. Today every person even with sub thousand rupees mobile is also a photographer. I admire those earlier generation photographers and pity them as they are the victims of innovation and technology.

Little ahead on the road I had a option to take a shortcut through veterinary hospital, that would take me to the cycle stand in my college or keep going straight on a slight climb, turn left at the university and enter the college through main entrance. These decisions depended on many factors like am I on time, who is with me, how is the climate etc. If on time I would proceed to the class else go to a hangout, Baburao Tea Palace.

I am sure everything must have changed now. The surroundings, landscapes, mode of transport and even the purpose of going to college.