Special Classes in Shahabad

Class Ten was a period of great excitement as also hard work. We didn’t know it, rather did not realize it, that we were all to part, some of us forever, some like Mohan, Rosy and Anthony James. I haven’t seen these after then and most certainly am not likely to see them till I too pass on to another world. The others, thankfully are still in this world, and who knows what will happen when? Had we known then, we would possibly have tried to live our days together with greater bonding and love. But we did, we, of the batch of 1980 were very well bonded.

There were special classes. Since the bus from Wadi didn’t run on Sundays, we from Wadi took the early morning Bargal or Janata express to Shahabad. Would you believe it, the Bargal ticket was 35 paise from Wadi to Shahabad and the Janata ticket was 55 paise. Most of the time, we didn’t buy these tickets. Reaching Shahabad early on Sunday mornings, walk along the railway line and crossed a nala which had a 2 feet wide chequered sheet walkway on one side towards ACC colony. Invariably, the trains we arrived by crossed the nala while we were walking along it, or else we waited for the train to come rumbling and thudding. Standing a foot away from the running train on the walkway with a deep nala on the other side gave us a thrill which only 15 year olds can enjoy. There was a mixed sense of fear, excitement and expectation. It was like the ‘Khatron ka Khiladi’. Some closed their eyes and years savoring the thundering vibrations, while others savoured the thrill with all senses wide open.

We emerged out into the Bajaar area and then on to ACC colony and to MCC. ACC cinema theatre fell on the way. It was mostly NRB or MSD who had called for the special classes. They were three hour long sessions. I do not know how much kids these days get to savour such experiences, but we cherished them. The classes were par excellence. If they ended at 10, we tried to take back the Bombay Madras Mail (I guess it is called the Mumbai Chennai Mail now) and if it took longer, we lunched at the Nandavan and then walked back the same way to the Shahabad station.

The Nimbu Soda there was again a delicacy. Having squeezed a rind of lemon into a glass, the vendor poured soda into the glass and then came the fun. He put in a spoon of powder, which I assume was rock salt, cumin seed powder etc., which made the liquid fizze violently. We invariable asked the vendor to pun in more ‘masala’ just to see the fuzz again and again, ending up with a drink far more salty than a decent drink should be. There was a shop near the station which had a jukebox with several LP gramophone records. Drop in a 25 paise coin and push a button and an arm chose the appropriate record and placed the stylus on the chosen track whence the selected song was played. It was mechanical engineering personified. Watching the machine go through its maneuvours, was far more attractive than the song itself, and we punched buttons which made the levers perform the most amazing contortions possible.

Thus sated, we waited for the afternoon Pune Secunderabad Pasennger, which invariably arrived a few hours late. Reaching Wadi, we walked back to our homes for another meal and went out to play in the evening. Such are the memories which keep us alive these days when classmates are passing away in droves.

Photo Courtesy: Khurshed Irani