Gatekeepers & Gatecrashers

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It was exactly 41 years ago to the day.

The first inkling we had that something was afoot involving us 30 odd carefree bachelors living in our beloved Faculty Hostel-cum-Guest House was the rumor that we have to quit for about 10 days bag and baggage and shift to Gokhale Hall.

And we resolved unanimously that they have to remove our dead bodies.

But a Visit by the Director himself with his Eloquent Appeal to our fond sentiments about the Proud Hospitality of IIT KGP removed our living and kicking bodies for the nonce.

We were to be the proud hosts of the famous Science Congress started in 1914 by our own Sir Asutosh Mukherjee in Calcutta and held non-stop every year War & Peace.

Professor B C Basu of AE, 15 years my senior but a bachelor living in a Palatial A-Type Bungalow and driving a tiny but cute Fiat Millicento, was and is my close friend:

http://gpsastry.blogspot.com/2010/09/cook-it-up.html

BCB visited me one fine morning and sought my help in manning the Registration Counter set up in the tiny Office of B C Roy Hall for an afternoon. And of course it was my pleasure although I was otherwise a lazy bum prone to gathering wool on a Harry's wooden bench then.

We were given to understand that we were the First Front to welcome the Esteemed 200 odd Registered Delegates with an IIT KGP Smile (although we wished there were a Lady or two amongst us with ready-made folded-hand Namastes...we had to improvise...).

Apparently all we had to do was to receive the busloads as they arrive, check their names on the IBM 1620 List given to us and hand them their Badges and Folders and Room Numbers in the Nehru Hall which was vacated for the period.

We thought we would open shop at noon and lock it up and go home for our revelries by 6 PM

Ha!!!

By 6 PM the checklist was exhausted and a new busload arrived.

They said they were a wee late, but they had their Money Order Receipts to show for the Registration Fees of Rs 20.

BCB said let us be nice and we picked up their MO Receipts and handed them the few spare Badges and Folders and Room Numbers.

Then a couple of more busloads arrived by 9 PM.

They said they were rather late but were willing to produce two crisp Rs 10 Notes.

BCB said let us be nice and brought a bag to hold the currency notes, and we gave away slips with BCB's signature since there were neither Badges nor Folders nor Rooms in Nehru Hall any longer.

Pandemonium at Nehru hall with Warden screaming: No Room...No Room....

BCB convinced the Warden that we can't throw out honorable Delegates and get a bad name for IIT KGP, let them double up which the Delegates happily did.

Lots more busloads by Midnight and new bags brought from BCB's Home to shove the currency notes...hectic calls from Warden Nehru Hall, Deputy Director, and locksmiths perhaps...but BCB stood firm..

By 3 AM the last busload arrived and the Count reached almost a thousand.....

"All Are Welcome"

as far as we at the Hospitality Counter were concerned...

Stories of Delegates being supplied newspapers to spread on the floors of verandas....

....."All Are Welcome", come what may!!!.......

When we breathed at last around daybreak and were locking up to go home, a very old gentleman (around 80) arrived in a Rickshaw.

He said he was a Dr Aparup Chatterjee from Rashbehari Avenue, Calcutta (BCB's Place), had never missed a Science Congress, and decided late last night to go anyway....

BCB asked him to get into his Millicento and be his Honored Guest...

Next day we crashed...

The next morning I was taking a walk and was hailed by several Delegates adorned with Hasty Badges and saying: "Wonderful...Wonderful Hospitality" with Warm Return Smiles in the Coldest Weather...and wishing:

Happy New Year!

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