Silver Jubilee of a Blockbuster, the Batch of ’93 of St. Paul’s School, Udaipur would undoubtedly be remembered as the grandest of all-time favorites for all of us.  Roll – Camera – Action…

Blockbusters have superstars, a great story line, emotions, love, drama and dialogues.  After being around the globe and ever changing personal and professional relationships and statuses across 25 years since high school graduation, all the superstars met again at the  same location where majority of our best moments were captured, right from kindergarten to high school .

The Stage setup for D-Day at St Paul’s

Planning for this Blockbuster started a year back and great effort was put in by the Core Committee to contact everyone across the Globe to reunite again and create the same magic.

On Stage at St Paul’s

And at our 25 years of reunion, memories of school days were crystal clear, (excerpts from Bunty)

• The first days to school and crying when parents used to leave us in class…
• Watching the seniors coming to the swimming pool…
• Hunter of Rev. Father Coutinho…
• Sharing the डब्बा  with fellow class mates…
• Upgrading from pencil to Hero fountain pens in class 4th…
• Scare of Maggi Miss Ruler attack और  चड्डा Sir की  Bamboo Stick during PT classes…
• Waiting for the magical recess bell of Sugamchand ji after 4th period and sprinting to Raju canteen for Samosa…
• Bartione voice of Ajeet Sir and strict ways of Dharamchand Sir…
• Waiting for Parvati Miss class and थप्पड़ of Tangachand…
• School picnics, NCC camps, crashing of tents और Jodhpur की ठिठुरती हुई सुबह में ground के चक्कर लगाना…
• Listening of cricket commentary in class and finishing टिफ़िन का डब्बा before 3rd period…
• Magnetic compass boxes and मोगरा in shoes to create sound…
• Bheru coming to class and replenishing chalk sticks and the good old Dalu Chand at Main Gate…
• Water Taps myths that सबसे left वाले नल में ठंडा पानी आएगा…
• Last but not the least… matching the timing and place to coincide with St Marians returning from school…

25 years later to this present day : Nothing has changed , we are still the same bunch of jokers.  Many have met exactly after 25 years but it seems like they are meeting every day.  The freshness of relationship and warmth is still there, the emotions, tears and joy when you meet the guys with whom you shared the same bench, lunchboxes, punishment and copied during exams .

Hunters Brunch at Shikarbadi

The most exciting thing I discovered after attending my 25-year high school reunion is basically this: Everyone is really nice, and everyone seems really happy — no matter how many different choices we all made.  We’re no longer judging the big things. The 25th year high school reunion is just…well, different – कुछ अलग ही मज़ा था.

Speech by Trivedi Sir

It’s not like the 10-year meeting, where everyone was so set on showing how the choices they made set them well on their way — to a perfect marriage, fast-track career, big house or crazy adventure.

The reunion was nothing more than a moment in time. It’s only in these moments after that many of us realize we how much we miss those days.

You have to laugh and find humor every day.

• be it welding वाला चश्मा  of Ash…
• timing of Pandu, लज्जा का पानी from नासा and my counter attack…
• gallantry Award of Somnath…
• plenty of Tony (हिरन) in Shikarbadi…
• cheating of Shelu and Sahani…
• run out by Bunty…
• amazing lines by Bordia, and of course…
• Javeria avatar of Father Coutinho!

Bruch at Shikarbadi, Dinner with Family at Lakend, School Band escorting us to our stage, felicitation of our teachers, remembrance of teachers and friends who are no more with us, distributing refreshment to all kids in their classes and night out with friends. It cannot get bigger than this.

Sharing their ‘xperiences’ with the students 

We missed those who could not make it to this grand event for various reasons. We missed them a lot, we shared everything we could with them, we wanted them to celebrate with us this moment of our lifetimes.  These lines written by Tappi for those who could not make it

थोड़ा हम चले, थोड़ा यार तुम भी चलते ,काश अगर यार तुम भी होते

हम भूल ना पाते  उन लम्हों को  ,अगर तुम भी सीने से लग जाते

जिंदगी का मतलब सीखा गए वो कुछ पल ,थोड़ा हम रोये थोड़ा तुम हंस जाते, काश अगर यार तुम भी होते

बीते हुवे बचपन को एक बार फिर जी लेते ,हम तो खेल हर गए तुम तो जीत जाते

हसीन सपने पल भर मै टूट जाते, हम तो सो न सके, तुम तो सो जाते  – काश अगर यार तुम भी होते

Castle Mewar – Night Out for the boys

Majority of us have seen enough success and good times in our 42 years of lifespan as we all now move back to our respective cities, with memories of those 3 days and humming Those Were the Best days of my Life.

Memories… with current students

जितना मुझे इस Reunion के बारे में लिखने में मज़ा आया है, उतना ही आपको पढने में अच्छा लगे…यही उम्मीद है दोस्तों.  I end with…

दौलत और जवानी, इक दिन खो जाती है. सच कहता हूँ सारी दुनिया, दुश्मन हो जाती है…

उम्र भर दोस्त लेकिन, साथ चलते हैं, दीये जलते हैं…बड़ी मुश्क़िल से मगर दुनिया में दोस्त मिलते हैं

Alumni Flag which will be handed over to batch of 1994

This blog was contributed by Mubarak Hussain, who the others claim was literally the most ‘OUT STANDING‘ of the Batch of ’93. (हमेशा Class के बाहर खड़ा हुआ मिलता था).

Sharing a few pictures to put through the point on how amazing the event was and how absolute the camaraderie was…

Cricket Match to relive the gone days

The Better Half  – they take the honors for who we are…

Batch of ’93 with their Teachers