2.2

Dedicated to every 2.2 I've ever been on. Dedicated to the road which brought thousands of brilliant individuals together. Dedicated to the people I had the honor of sharing the campus with. Dedicated, to 2.2.

2.2

I walked my path, 2 km long

My destination came closer, but not quite there

I walked some more, towards my goal

I found myself once again at home

2.2 taught me, that life comes a circle

on this road, I found pleasures many

This road has seen me laugh, this road has seen me cry

this road has seen me, dancing in the rain wild

On this road, I found friends and foes

Allies to enjoy, antagonists for struggle

On this path, competition brought out the best of men

on this path, I saw the worst of them

In the centre lies, a lake undisturbed

A symbol of beauty, of nature of love

it imparts to me, the age old wisdom

the centre of all life is nothing but love

Other tracks branch out from this one

one strays for a while, but is sure to return

Possibilities infinite, the freedom of choice

the lesson that consequences, are results of my choice

Some patches lit and some patches dark

like life itself, this path offers it all

it doesn’t bask forever in the pride of triumph

nor does it always lament, in grief of loss

The circle of life is a circle indeed

for it has neither beginning nor end

It teaches us that life goes on

you may stop for a while, but the only choice is to walk

This path brought together

wonders of people I was blessed to chance

While leaving I say this with a smile

I was honoured to have shared with them the path

As seasons changed so did the path

as I evolved, so did the path

The path unfolded to me, all secrets it had

I never knew when, I told it all of mine

The path taught me, that everything changes

and living in the past is futile

Change must be embraced, with open arms

for it is only adaptation which survives

The path opened visions, earlier thought not of

the path taught perspectives, unheard of

the path told me to believe, in what I find right

and to respect someone’s right, even if it be my wrong

The people on the path changed too

beyond what I could have imagined

Yet, we shared the same road

perhaps this road held us together

Looking back, I see what I had

I have more I know

The path asks if I am contented

I say I have .2 more to go

Away from home, amidst greenery on both sides

the path put me in state when for nothing I wished to survive

It taught me nothing to lose was the worst place to be in

but the best, to start a new life

The path gave me courage, to embrace myself

for anything for not a taboo, within the boundations of this path

I never knew when I took the path outside with me

Now I may be gone, but every step I take will be one on 2.2

I take with me, all my learnings

and I hear 2.2 saying adieu

I promise to live each day, as it taught me to

smiling, moving, dancing and singing along the way

I have walked my path, 2 km long

My destination has came close, but not quite there

I will walk some more, towards my goal

.2 km away, I see my home

- Vishal Gupta

April 13^th, 2013

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये

I write this as a sequel to a poem I read an year ago. I hope the legacy will continue.

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो First Year की Labs

वो देर रात की chats

वो Societies के selection

वो Mid Sem की Tension

वो NSS का camp

वो room पे आया damp

वो Vikramshila में class

वो wing की भाट

वो seniors वो professors वो बचे सभी curse

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो पहले SF की हरियाली

वो लम्बी lines की परेशानी

वो पहली गर्मी की पहली बूँद

वो पहले Tempo shout की पहली गूँज

वो Illu की रातें

वो बंदियों की बातें

वो DC की speed

वो GC में lead

वो OP देना, न देना, लेना, न लेना

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो intern के load

वो room पे घुसे toad

वो 2.2 की सैर

वो Halls में बैर

वो Poltu और Publi

वो Insti Diamond Jubilee

वो Cheddis पे सुबह बिताना

वो classes के बीच Tikka जाना

वो Sahara वो Heritage वो CCD

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो पहले crush से पहली बात

वो फिर 2.2 पे दिखना हर रात

वो पहले birthday की पहली लात

वो फिर treat पे जाना wing के साथ

वो पहले viva का पहला डर

वो फिर end sem में जाना night out मार कर

वो seniors के funde

वो सोना पूरे sunday

वो Dep वो Hall वो Societies

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो mess की बिल्ली

वो Gymkahana building लाल पीली

वो हर Dep farewell पे खाने जाना

वो Hall day पे रूम सजना

वो उधारी लेकर सुट्टा मारना

वो नहाते हुए गुनगुनाना

वो full speed पर cycle चलना

वो SN के बाहर धीमे हो जाना

वो TSC वो Jnan Ghosh वो Vikramshila

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो देर रात को Kathleen जाना

वो पूरा weekend सिर्फ़ Maggi खाना

वो groups में cheer करने जाना

वो drams में पेड़ बन जाना

वो अच्छे grades वाले breadth चुनना

वो Faculty Feedback के समय भड़ास  निकालना

वो दारू पीकर टल्ली हो जाना

वो सुबह Hangover में क्लास जाना

वो Poker वो Rum वो धुआ

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो Placement का “What the Phuck!”

वो TV series की लत

वो movies देखने Cal जाना

वो सड़कों पे गाने गाना

वो Assignments में सर खपाना

वो फिर पूरा assignment copy मारना

वो Place होने के बाद deregister हो जाना

वो Prof के सामने अपना रोना सुनना

वो फ़चपन वो OP वो POR वो आख़िरी साल

अब कहना है अलविदा प्रिये, याद आएगा ये समा प्रिये

वो छोटी आँखों से बड़े सपने देखना

वो हर छोटे बड़े मौके को परखना

वो कुछ अलग कर गुज़रने की हिम्मत रखना

वो देश की ज़रूरतों में ज़िंदगी के अवसर ढूँढना

वो दूसरों की खुशी में नाच लेना

वो हर कदम पर साथ बढ़ना

वो न डरना न झिझकना

वो अपने पर भरोसा करना

वो दोस्ती वो सपने वो यादें

अब जाने का हुआ वक्त प्रिये, कह चले हम अलविदा प्रिये

The Song of Sun and Earth

The first time Sun saw Earth, he did not like her

she was nothing like he’d seen before

no heat no fire, yet she seemed to be brimming with life

Sun saw her for a while, not knowing what to say

while she innocently danced around

By the time Sun realised he was staring her

staring her was all he knew

and he did so at every opportunity he had

for the sheer joy in her beauty

to see her flowing like the rivers within her

were too much for Sun to take off his eyes

Not that there weren’t other beauties around him

He had Saturn’s rings and Jupiter’s moons to gaze

But somehow this little lady with blue eyes

sometimes who saw him and sometimes shy

captured his imagination

Sun was in love, before he knew it

and if there was joy, it was in Earth’s smile

Earth, unsuspecting, danced along with her life

she took life from Sun, but knew not what he had in mind

Sun waited, to be a little brighter

so that one day his rays could shower the love he had for her

Sun waited, perhaps a bit too long

for by when he was ready to proclaim his love to the world

She’d fancied a new partner

one, who’d hurt her in the past

one, who’d sprung out of her

one, whom Earth fancied and Sun fancied Earth

Earth smiled, in moonlight

Moon, showered his love on Earth every night

Every day, Earth would talk to Sun

every evening, when Moon arrived, Earth would bid goodbye

Moon waxed and waned, Sun remained constant

but now he knew, he was to be a friend

Earth’s happiness lay in moonlight

and her smile was Sun’s joy

One day, unable to hold his feelings

he let her know, he wished to be near

But could not, for he would burn her

He could neither go too far, for Earth needed him for her life

His curse for his love was to stay

to watch his love choose another way

To watch forever, as Earth moved on

To never come near, yet not too far

They danced along, in a heavenly trance

circling each other, never seeing

Earth knew not, he still kept a watch

for now she waited, for moonlit nights

Sun wondered, if on moonless nights

she remembered him, and silently cried

if she ever wished, to speak to him again

if she knew, moon blotted him out on some days

if she knew, he still stays close

and would come, at her slightest haul

Sun wondered, and got used to crying

he shed no more tears, just watched them fly

He once thought he had time

but then from nowhere, came night

Our lives, the same, we think we have time

we live each day, hoping to work the night

and night we know, tomorrow comes

and live another day, waiting for the night

It’s the night which deceives us, yet that’s for what we wait

Our dreams our hopes, silently walk by

while we wait, for the right time to arrive

Perhaps if Sun was first, she would’ve been his

perhaps she would’ve said no, and asked him to leave

but now was too late, for him to go

and now he was surrounded by loved ones, yet utterly alone

For his eyes would not leave the one he once loved

for he still lived in hope, she might return

she never did, could never do

and Sun waits, for the day in his pain he erupts

engulfs her, makes her his, destroys himself

and leaves generations who see from a distance the splendid tale

there once lived a man who loved someone

spent his kips, in dreams of someone

lived like a star, and died like one

found no love, but loved someone

‘Was my life a waste?’ the final question he asks

or was it a testament to my love, which beyond me lives on

- Vishal Gupta

February 19^th, 2013

कल रात मेरी आँखो में सपने की एक बूँद आई

कुछ इस कदर दीवानी हुई वो हमारी, के हर रात सपनो में चली आती है
कभी आँखो में सपना, कभी सपने की एक बूँद बन जाती है
ऐसा प्यार भी किस्मत वालो को ही मिलता है
कि हमने तो उसकी गली छोड़ दी, पर उसकी आँखें हमे न छोड़ पाती है

कल रात भी वो मुझे ढूँढते आँखो में चली आई
कुछ बातें की उसने, कुछ बातें दिल में छुपाई
गम उन बातों का नही, जो उसने मेरी नम आँखों से की थी
गम तो उनका है, जो बातें वो कह ही न पाई