Complex Concepts

When an alarm buzzes you out of sleep on a Sunday morning, you know you are in for a hectic day. Less than 24 hours remain for the first day, first show to begin. Excitement all around, nervous heart-sounds, things lost and found, every member of the department has shown so much dedication towards this fest that it has helped create a lot of buzz in the air. As we wait to make history, some stories are also being told.

While I was overseeing the banner placements at the Department, I overheard a conversation between the security staffs of our college. Excerpts:

[For the ease of usage, the names have been considered as Ramesh (Guard One), and Suresh (Guard Two)]

Ramesh: Oye yaar, Ye Pickkwickk ka matlab kya hota hai? [Hey, what is the meaning of ‘Pickwick’?]

Suresh: See, [Points to the pictures of Charles Dickens and Saadat Hassan Manto] one of them is Pick and the other one is Wick, and these two were brothers. Very good brothers.

Ramesh: So why do we need to celebrate them?

Suresh: Arrey Likha to Hai! It is clearly written that it is the 200^th Birth Anniversary of one of them while the other one completes hundred years. And they are still alive.

Ramesh: Both of them are still alive?

Suresh: Not sure. I guess only one of them is.

Ramesh: This is the biggest event I have ever seen in this Department, or probably in Jamia.

Suresh: True that! It has been 25 years since I joined this University, and this is the most dedicated group I have seen working for the fest. This is really big.

Ramesh: Will we get paid for the overtime?

Suresh: K

I don’t know if they were kidding or not, but it was a happy moment to hear the discussion, to know that we are being a part of the conversation, and that we are organizing of the biggest events in Jamia. The First Literary Fest Ever in the University. Proud feeling. Congrats to everyone involved!

-Aaquib R. Khan                                                      

B.A.(Hons) Eng III