20/02/2015
Some of those Good Day's to remember back... {Panchgani & Mahabaleshwar}
1. You are an expert on anything to do with strawberries, jams, fruit squashes and crushes.
2. You have been to table land a thousand times and can name most movies that had scenes shot there.
3. You were a part of the NCC's "22nd Maharashtra Battalion"
4. You have had frequent debates on the merits of a Russo's chicken burger vs. one from Lucky's. And on whether the Pav Bhaji at Akbarally's is really better than that of Poonam.
5. You have gorged on hundreds of "parotas" at Poonam, including "Cocktel" and "Panner".
6. You can tell the difference between a Cocoa Bean and a Chocolate Bomb.
7. You have at least one relative from a previous generation who was an alumnus / alumna of your school.
8. You endlessly discuss the downfall of your school just after your batch passed out.
9. You think Hill Top is the best ice cream in the world.
10. You have worn gum boots for almost half of your school life. Accompanied by military green Duckback raincoats, of course.
11. You have cheered for your school team at the Inter-school Athletic Meets with the most archaic slogans. Eg.: "Locomotive, locomotive.. Steam, steam.."
12. You have played TT and carom at the Panchgani Club.
13. You have participated in cross-country races on the Panchgani - Mahabaleshwar road.
14. You have played games that others have never heard of, like "Steps" and "Gilli Gilli".
15. You have had a chilled Maaza / Frooti / Pepsi at the "Den Dine" under the Table Land.
16. You treated every "Bazaar Outing" like a trip to the Times Square.
17. You ended up spending over half your bazaar stipend on a 2 minute call home.
18. You have been caned on your backside.
19. You have risked everything to "skinch" to the bazaar for a measly vada-pav or egg-burger.
20. You have had Lycil forcibly put on your head once a term at least.
21. You have seen hair-oil frozen into something globby with a "ghee"-like consistency.
22. You have been to Dhom Dam, Lingmala Falls and of course, the Venna lake.
23. You still have dreams about Mahabaleshwar's famous Strawberries and Cream. Eat your heart out, Wimbledon.
24. You have ridden a horse / horse-cart on the Table Land.
25. You delight in telling others the reason for Panchgani's name - "you see, there are actually FIVE table lands.."
26. You have had an account with at least one of the following: Vasant Stores, Unwalla's or Friends'.
27. You have eaten clover off the ground - only upto the point when someone told you that the taste comes from "frogs' p*e" or something equally foul.
28. You have seen strange species of flora and fauna like "Cobra Plants" and "Hairy Boos".
29. You have slept in Church.
30. You have heard legends about the various ghosts that haunt Panchi, including that of John Chesson, the station's founder.
31. You have seen buildings destroyed by the 1967 Koynanagar earthquake.
32. You have been to all the points - Sydney Point, Parsi Point, Kate's Point, etc. a thousand times.
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33. Uve always heard from people "how come you feeling cold you're from panchgani"
34. Uve never been to a nightclub till you cleared out of school.
35. Uve heard stories of chameleons and snakes taking revenge in the next janam if uve seen one killed.
36. U have been greeted by a big tall African man named AMOS
37. Uve had the lamest parties all your life in school.. but they felt great then.
38. Ure choice in music was restricted to what the radio/ Torch/ Alarmclock played.
38. Uve wanted to have the coolest key chain.
38.a) u have lost a dozen bunch of keys.
39. uve had a crush on a staff's daughter, sometimes on a teacher.. sometime even more than a crush.
40. Somebody whacked your something.
41. you're a fan of freddie mercury, not necassarily his music or gay-ness.
42. youve caught a falling leaf thinking its luck.
43. you feared a teacher to death.
44. uve compared historic events to how old your school is.
45. you wanna go back to panchi and be recognised/ by sum1
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46. You have to tell everyone you meet that Freddie Mercury studied in Panchgani! (Ahem.. St. Peter's if I might humbly add! :D)
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47. You've ordered Wada Pavs from Eknath, the loyal "server" of St. Peters.
48. You've stopped by Parsi Point for some snacks during the marathons...
49. you've been chased by your House Masters to win the marathon, or at least prevented from standing in the last 6 positions...
50. You've have rushed back quickly after breakfast to the smal cramped TV room to watch Mowgli, followed by School Campus..
51. You've cracked your head during the mango season while breaking mangos from the trees.. :D
52. You've have thrown ur food under the table when u didnt like what was for lunch/dinner that day.. especially the green bitter brinjal sabji.. :(
53. You've loved Aloo Tikki and Dhansak and stood in line and for extras and fought to get them..
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54. You've dared to perch on a huge rock at Sydney point in bright clear sunshine,looking down on the villagers moving around, far below.
55. You've enjoyed the warm cosiness of your dormitory bed when the monsoon rains were pouring down on the roof.
56. You've climbed up to tableland in the rains in gumboots and raincoats to gaze at the beautiful yellow and purple flowers in bloom.
57. You've thought the Russos burgers were the best in the world !
58. You've smugulled tuck into ur dormitory for midnight feasts !!
59. You've looked forward for hair washing day..Saturday!
60. You've gone to St Peters church with lipgloss in ur blazer pocket..thats for the Kimminites !!
61. You've thought that MRA was the best place in the world to see movies!
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62. You've met up with your brothers from St Peter's every Sunday after Church and they gave you some of their tuck money!!
63. You always bought a pair of chappals when you went on a school tri to Mabi!!
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64. You've lifted your trousers and polished your shoes with your socks.
65. You've run countless rounds behind the hut (on St. Peter's Middle Field, where we "lazy-types" even walked a few steps!)
66. The teachers held their nose after the class got back from PT
67. You always craved to own the coolest flashlight in campus.
68. You've mastered the art of eating two ice cream cones simultaneously
69. You've thought of the most innovative ways to hide food in your plate
70. You used nail cutters to cut ink pen nibs for calligraphy.
71. A bucket of hot water was the most precious commodity.
72. You learnt about the existence of paper soap!
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73. You've not had the "guts" to speak to individuals of the opposite s*x.
74. You've sat in the choir to make passes at Kimmins girls.
75. brought the rubber ball only for your friend to lose it in the bushy valley the same day.
76. You've played "king king", "gilli gilli coming" and "bang bang!"
77. You've had an encounter with a monkey, leech, blind snake or a mule.
78. You've been asked for "bakshees" by your school peons etc.
79. You've felt the temperature drop noticeably when u see "Panchgani - 1 km" on the ghaat!
80. You've driven by Harrison's Folly only to imagine yourself running wildly across it.
81. Even your parents know your Panchgani friends are for life!
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82. When you wrote letters to your significant other and told your warden its for your "brother".
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83. As many monkeys populated your school as the girls there! And stole bread from your dinner table!
84. Going to church had nothing to do with your faith or God - it was to see the St. Peter's boys
85. The word "Tuck" is a part of your everyday vocabulary
86. "Lovers' Lane" is the name of an area of your all-girls school [lol! KHS]
87. Tintin, Asterix, Phantom, Tarzan, Mandrake the Magician, and Nancy Drew are your everyday heroes.
88. You call your principal "Bulldog"
89. Getting caned is not considered abuse even though you ended up with blue welts on your legs!
90. You have said, "Oh she is my fan" or "I'm her fan"...and you are not a celebrity!
91. Christmas is celebrated in Nov!
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92. You waited for the monkey on ur leaking roof top to p*e during class or study time so that the class is dismissed for a while.
93. You don't usually wash your socks, instead use a new pair once in a few months ;)
94. You bullied juniors for their jam, Bournvita and Horlicks every single morning or mastered trading milk for something you like.
95. You traveled home for vacations with the bombay party buses.
96. The fruits during break time were a treat!
97. Sat in the loo and studied after the lights went off! or with the torch under your blanket.. hoping not to get caught!
98. impositions were in vogue at your school!
99. you tried your best to make it for the centenary celebrations! ;)
100. you were required to carry ur hot bathing water from the boiler room to ur bath.
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101. When youve played holi with talc and injections that you robbed from the science lab.
102. When you know and remember the grace `for what we are about to recieve, oh lord,make us to be thankful,Amen.
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103. When you miss "Jeera Goli" from Honey Center
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104. When you bribed Babban the barber with money, soap, shampoo or whatever to save your long hair from his scissors!
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105. When you cooked Maggi in cold water straight from the tap and shared one packet with 10 boys. :)
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106.You begged, borrowed, stole your friends clothes ( n socks!) to look ur best to impress the girls on Sunday breakfast!
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107. You ate kacha maggi with masala and it tasted yummy...:)
108. You enjoyed the weekend wearing colorful clothes and did fashion parade all sunday......ha ha
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109. You sat all night hiding from the matrons discussing ur crush with ur friends but had no balls to go tell him.
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110. You learned to live with monkeys running about in the dorms.
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111. You r willing 2 volunteer in absolutely any programme/event/sport (kids' janamashthami, interschool competitions, tennis) jus so that u can bunk ur lectures n jump around school p*eping into the classrooms watching ur frenz attending classes ;)
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112. When u visit school u want to see your names on the wall or on the school study bench the barber shop.
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113.when u swap places with yr friend at the dinning table so you could watch the person you have a crush on..(weird but true)
114.When u fold ur uniform to make it shorter...
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115. You play games like 'chippi' and 'tenniqoit' (i don't think too many panchgani-ites know of these)
116. You run during biscuit break to get the bread and butter from breakfast toasted. even though it's nearly burnt.
117. You think 'BIL' biscuits are the best thing in the world
118. You are sick of boiled eggs every wednesday morning and break the whole thing with the shell and throw it so you don't have to eat it.
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119. You love to brag about all the "bollywood connections" who were students of the school you studied in.
120. You've eaten tomato ketchup on anything and everything..be it bhadang (chivda), poha, maggi, bread.
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121.You wrote letters(those inlands which you are actually supposed to send home!) to each other just to make them happy!
122. You sat down even during prayers where you could see your significant other!
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123. You have robbed mulberries and "citruses" from Fathers garden n it was YUMMMMMMMMMM..
124. You or someone close to you has had a boy friend in Peters..
125. You have been involved in transferring letters to and fro between Peters n Josephs, esp. if ur bro was a Peterite..
126. B'day sweets or the inters' bday parties was the biggest deal.. Food..
127. You have dreaded being in the "Grand Finale" in the July Function and the prayer dances and wanted to be in the western dances, choir and marchpast squad - depending on the occasion..
128. You have robbed Sidney Sheldons from the senior dorm library..
129. You have spent most of your pocket money during the stop in Panvel or Mahad n still managed to rob stuff..
130. You have travelled by the "party bus" and distributed your lunch packs to the beggars in Mumbai n thrown 1 re coins over the bridge in New Bombay "for good luck".
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131. You were caught listening to a Walkman in the night!
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132. You were made to swim during the coldest of days and still got a beating from your coach with a bamboo stick coz you were not having the strokes right.
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133. You had to stop over at Satara doodh for bottles of delicious flavored milk!
134. you hated the harsh scrub on ur body (esp. your crown jewels!) by ur Aaya in Bai Bath for Primary kids
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135. You have cried and cribbed and cursed the nuns for making salwar-kameez the daily wear dresscode :'(
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136. you remember havin a crush on ur HEAD-BOY n askin ur junior to click a pic n getin that poor soul beatn up...coz he took a picture for me...
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(Additions STILL welcome!)
