ANISH DUBEY
Patna University

When I joined the university and was allotted my hostel, I was excited but also a bit scared. I had heard many terrible stories about ragging. I knew I would have to face some of it, but hoped it wouldn?t be that bad. I entered the hostel with a prayer on my lips. I had just come in through the gate when a voice called out, ?Abbe, hero, kahan ki paidawar hai?? Before I could answer, another voice wanted to know my name, while another wanted to know which course I had joined. Trying to answer them one by one, I inched closer to the main building.

Soon, I was surrounded by a bunch of seniors, some of them looking downright menacing. But there were also some kinder souls, one of whom I recognised. He was the son of the headmaster of the school in Champaran I had attended for a few years. He was one of the students? union office-bearers. Though I had never really been close to him, I felt a wave of relief sweeping through me when I saw him. I think he realised that too and told his pals to leave me alone as I was his ?apna ladka?.

Thus, it was just good luck that I had such an easy passage. Later, I heard that some of the other freshers had to undergo such terrible ragging that a few of them simply left the hostel.