A Reunion to Remember - Part II

By Rajashree Vijay ('85 Batch)

My memoirs would remain incomplete without making a special mention of those friends who made it all happen. Sreelatha who ran around taking care of the decorations, the slide shows, the lamp lighting ceremony, prayers, the transportation etc,   Veera, who made it an exquisite event with her fine skills in hosting and SR Kavitha who neatly crafted the souvenirs and carried them all the way from Bangalore were among few who took the pains to make it a reunion with a difference.    The effort they put in was magnanimous, resulting in a feeling of warmth and oneness to a batch of 20 odd classmates whose existence would have otherwise remained in oblivion. Unfortunately, there were few of our friends whose pessimistic attitude made them believe that a reunion was a worthless affair and a waste of time.  I pity them for missing out on this once in a life time occasion.

I tagged my reluctant daughter along with me to the reunion that day.   At first she seemed totally disinterested but accompanied me all the same at my insistence. She was so impressed towards the end of the party that as soon as we returned home, she picked up my collection of school photos and gazed through them with the most eager expression.  I watched perplexed as she identified each one she had met earlier that day.  She began to appreciate the essence of the meeting and understood why it had brought so much joy in my life.  With a glint in her eye she smiled as she uttered, ‘Mummy, my classmates and I will have a reunion too, some day’.

A Reunion to Remember - Part I

By Rajashree Vijay ('85 Batch)

The day dawned liked any other, but it was no ordinary day.   It was the day I was waiting for anxiously since the last 25 years of my life.  It was the day we had traveled from so far to partake in a momentous event called the ‘Reunion’. The reunion excitement swelled within me, as I debated on what I would wear that afternoon.  I guess, only those who have experienced one will understand its true significance.

I opened the door to the most welcoming face that morning.  It was none other than our dear Sheroo and as she said ‘come on” I felt myself transforming into a little school girl all over again. The hall reflected the mood we felt as we hugged and welcomed our long lost friends. There were tears and smiles when Jayashree walked in.  We hugged and wept as we moaned her sister and our classmate Rajashree’s untimely demise. It was so good of her to come in support of our reunion that day.  There were also some unexpected faces.

The presentation by Cynthia and speeches by Sreelatha, Veera, Sheroo and Deepa respectively were all moments to live for.  Deepa was a natural orator.  She recalled memories that resonated within us.  Oh, all those long lost days! She characterized each teacher with perfection and a tinge of such humour, that our squeals of laughter seemed to be boundless.  We were enraptured the whole time.  The Lunch was a splurge of delicacies but unfortunately we were so preoccupied catching up, that I don’t think any of us did much justice to the food.

Soon after the celebration, we headed for Mount Carmel, our good old school.  We met Sr. Effie and the other sisters at the convent.  We walked along the same paths we did as school girls, giggling and chatting away as we remembered many funny instances of school life.  We spent a few silent moments at the chapel and as we prayed we felt a sense of divinity come over us. We then decided to pay a surprise visit to Sandra who couldn’t make it to the party as she was in her final stages of pregnancy. What an excited Sandra we met that day! Photos with Sandra in 'Visiting Classmates Post Reunion' Album.