Random memoirs of S.V.R. Surat

Old memories of my Engineering College S.V.R. Surat is so engaging ,so enticing that it is difficult for me to forsake it . It is like a genie , when it is touched like 'Aladin ka Chirag' ,the train of memories come like gale enveloping each other . Just before getting invitation for admission in S.V.R. Surat which is known  now a days as NIT, Surat . But before going to Surat , what I was doing ! I was loitering on the streets of Patna , capital of Bihar, Patna was my maternal grand pa's place also, so naturally I had no difficulty for staying .

My interest for coming to Patna & staying  here was veering towards Sinha Library ,as maximum of my quality time was spent there . In Patna ,there are two famous libraries  , one is Khuda Bux Library & other is my beloved Sinha Library . In the decade of sixties , Sinha Library was well maintained , book lovers were in abundance & reading place maintained pin drop silence . On the raised podium wall there was imposing oil painting of Dr Sachida Nand Sinha & of Madam Sharda Sinha . It always seemed they were emitting benign halo over the readers of books & periodicals . At that time or in that era there was no invasion of mobile phones , so always remained imposing silence!

Sinha Library

Due to my frequent visit to library , the librarian always gave me a benign look & gradually I was allowed to go to the corridor of upstairs which was crammed by wooden Almira's ,keeping nonchalant rows of books . I was free to fiddle the pages of kept books & many a times, thrilled by seeing the underlined paras on the pages as it was underlined by great Sachinand Sinha.. During one of such endeavours, I got hold a book 'Pisach Ki Pyas '.It was a  Hindi translation of Dracula written by Bram Stoker in English . At that time I was not proficient in English language so it was a sort of 'Ureka'  for me . I immediately got it issued from the library & it was a hot cake in the whole maternal household . Every body was after this book . I do not know , why this particular book was making waves in the decade of sixties & seventies . Its author Bram Stoker wrote many novels such as The Jewel of Seven Stars, Dracula's Guest, The lady of the Shroud, The
 Lair of the White Worm etc , but none became famous as Dracula.  I got the invitation for admission from S.V.R. Surat & went to Surat in 1967.  In the year 1968 I was in Servant Quarter which was our hostel of the college. The servant quarter has the structure as shown in the picture .

Servant Quarter during Flood

The saga of going to movies in the evening show or visiting late night show was in vogue It is surprising I remember ,the name of movies ,their actors of the movies seen during college period & particularly of 1st year & 2nd year . Perhaps it was the call of age as enthusiasm was fermenting & was apparent in our overtures.

In 1968 there was galore of English movies . In the movies Where Eagles Dare , The Guns of Navarone, movies of James Bond series such as The man with Golden Gun. Gold Finger.
, Thunder Ball. The hilarious movie Mad Mad World & of course horror movies . My peers at S.V.R must be remembering these movies .

Dracula

Mad Mad World

Where Eagles Dare

Bond film Casio Royale

Dracula

Dr Terrors House of Terrors

The posters shown must have rekindled  memories of my friends , buddies. folks & peers  . There are umpteen episodes attached rather episodic saga of that period opening the floodgate of ' Yadon Ki Barat' ,all fusing with each other ! .