The DMS '83 Watering Hole - Inception.

Siddhartha Shankar Padhi

The morning sun, resplendent in all its glorious majesty, starts the day on a soft warm note, much as the caressing warmth of a mother awakening her child. Its the beginning of another wonderful day and the child's excitement is evident in his haste to run out of the house and play. To explore the world around and make new friends. The energy seems boundless, the list of activities, endless and the satisfaction of fulfillment of purpose always inadequate. It is that time of the day when there is so much to be done and there is apparently the whole day ahead to get all that done. It is the magical period of youth.

It was one such morning in 1977 when a diverse bunch of kids enrolled at DM School in Std V. For the next five years, until midday, they would indulge in a mad melee of activities that would range from adventurous and serious to downright comical and ridiculous. They stuck together like limpets, jesting and jousting, running and shouting, smiling and pouting until the lunch time bell, when they had to go their separate ways. 

The sun was now overhead and it wasn't easy playing outside anymore. Each had to seek out his or her own temporary respite from the searing heat and take on the onerous task of completing assignments, personal goals, commitments and most importantly, earning a livelihood. The morning games had been tiring but fun-filled. Now, all of a sudden, it had become hectic, monotonous and uninspiring and to top it all, there was this insistent urgency of completing all tasks at hand before sunset. The sun was now past it's peak but the heat was still relentless and forbidding. Yet they stuck to the task at hand with determination and unperturbed defiance, harnessing the Sun's energy to shape their unique lives.

Later in the afternoon, when the heat had come down considerably, and with some time still left for dusk, a little bird flitted around from house to house tweeting a happy tune that a party was being organised in the old school building. Everyone who heard the news was gladdened. It brought forth sweet memories and an irresistible urge to meet each other and relive the experiences of the morning's fun and games. Some were quick to gather, while others who were far away took time to reach. Still others were unable to make it but did ensure that their thoughts were conveyed to all those gathered together in celebration. There were even a few who did not care to get distracted by these events; they were indeed too busy to notice the time of the day.

It was a great occasion of celebration, rejoice and merry-making and everyone had a gay time reminiscing and catching up with each others activities and humdrum. They rejoiced at each other's achievements and shared their sorrows. They made sure they would stay connected.

They created The Watering Hole, where each animal would come at the end of the day, at his own bidding and timing, to slake its thirst and hang around in the comfortable company of the herd before going on into the darkness and the endless night.

As we are poised in the afternoon of our lives, let The DMS '83 Watering Hole be a source of inspiration, joy and gaiety and a convenient meeting place for wallowing in the mud before we fade into the oblivion of night.