As the comfortable Volvo halted at the KMC gates, with a jerk, it was time to start a new chapter in life, MANIPAL! The morning did not see the consoling rays of the beautiful Sun that sets in the lost edges of the End Point. Thus, on a misty Thursday morning, this journey in a whole new world had started. Manipal had given the coolest warm welcome with the intermittent bursts of drizzle, a signature of the place for six months of the year!
Lost as it felt, for the first few months, like the aimlessly wandering clouds in the evening sky, confused whether to pour down or control her emotions, Manipal had rightfully taught, how to stay put. I could feel the dampness of each morning, at the corner of my eyes, missing the gentle motherly touch. Usually Sun used to show up late, especially during those 8 o’clock classes. The lush greenery around used to carefully hold the sparkling dewdrops from the darkness of the night and offer a canvas for the morning sky to paint on.
It was the very first time in life that the days would go completely unpredicted. Every hour had a new turn like the ever-changing unprecedented bursts of rain intermitted with Sunshine and breeze. The aroma of the rain soaked Earth, blissfully wrapping up the whole ambience, smelt like Freedom. However, the actual sense of the word could be felt in the stench of the late comers at night, intoxicated in their newfound independence.
The first few months were predominantly exhausting, acclimatising with the sudden change of air and sleep cycle. The real hostel life used to start as the perm time ended! Every single sight was a shock! Be it the shampoo aroma as late as two in the morning or the warmth of freshly brewed coffee on the desks, leaving endless rings of stains, speaking of insomnia itself!
It looked like the weather could read our minds and would play with our souls even at the end of the day. Soon the early morning motherly touch was replaced by Mother Earth’s endless concerns. While the exam nights would be sultry and humid, keeping us all awake, a heavy downpour always backed up the end of midterms. The rains of joy, where everyone would dance to their hearts’ content. The cool night breeze would caress us and drift us to a peaceful sleep, while the first rays of the morning Sun, falling on the eyes, would be the wakeup call! Those lazy nights, with spurts of shower, coming inside the room would see overflowing poetry, while the all nighters would generally be dedicated to inappropriate usage of free Wifi or lab works, otherwise.
With the passing years, the rains have reduced and have been replaced by burning hot even semesters and muggy and moist odd ones. Both contributing to reasons enough for the increased flow of adrenaline through the blood, every time a tall and handsome guy, with trimmed beard passes by! The winter that bid adieu the heart of the campus, Kamath Circle, had experienced the least temperatures. While the next scorching summer, helped a smoky abbreviation to change to an elite piece of architecture called the Student Plaza. It’s appalling how air condition has become a necessity while back at home, the city is still wrapped up in those cozy comforters.
A distinct recurrence during the first year was how it used to start raining every single morning as we passed by the Food Court for an 8 o’clock class. It looked like the emotions in our burning eyes were reflected in the dark ‘kajal’ smudged clouds above. It’s strange how this place became Home from just being a college, over these three years. It’s like our system has been installed with a new software for making peace with this time-lapse like weather change! The food that tasted so bland has become our saviour at the end of the day now. Though the weather still makes one feel anxious and irritated, yet it defines Manipal. It’s not just another place on the map. It’s an experience, as rich as her resources around with a treasure trove, called her ‘changing weather’
