Andhra Loyola memories 

"I caught the virus at the reference hall"

Reading is an unalienable habit for me. It's a virus which I've picked up from the lab called "Fr.Gordon Library" which from the date of infected has been instigating me to wage a bio-war to create such inalienable habits.

This virus has disturbed me a lot that I feel Karl Marx would have been wrong saying that "Religion is like an opium" but I feel saying that "a book is opium" would suit better. This is not just a hypothetical statement but rather an introspective observation I found out. When I open a book during my childhood I used to get sleep after a page or so... There's some opium bound in the book to make a reader dizzy but later becoming a book addict, I no longer get dizzy. I travel to different parts of the world, talk with different people, argue with a great intelligentsia, have fights, fell in love, and sometimes end with dilemmas and depression.

When I have to remember my days of graduation, the first snapshot that gets into my mind is "Fr.Gordon Library". Stepping into the library one feels a great sense of proudness and can sense the forthcoming prosperous deeds. Passing the issue counter while placing the bag, we can spot our few friends by their bags. Then someone of the staff spots us and smiles at us or pats on our back.

Maybe I'd have caught the virus at the reference hall. When I enter I just pray that only a few should be there so that there'd be good comfort for me but at times when the first year batch enters, during exams and project submissions people would flood in the reference hall which brings great discomfort. In fact, much of my third year is spent in the library bunking my regular periods where the library would be too calm and sometimes I may be there only one in the hall since the classes will be going on. Sometimes I would irritate the Reference hall in charge Mr.Mohin to find me some book which he gets me tactfully.

When I was in the first year there was an announcement saying "This is an announcement from the Library reviewers association. Students interested to become members of the reviewers association are asked to fill the applications at the library. Every member would be awarded a certificate. For any queries contact our Librarian G.A.Prasad Rao and Dr.T.SriKumar, Coordinator". I didn't care it and in fact, felt embarrassed since it disturbed our Political Science Class taken by Vijay Babu Sir. I didn't go to apply but have been going to the library. After some days there was another announcement saying "This is an announcement from the Library reviewers association. A review of the book "As I see" written by Kiran Bedi is conducted. All the interested students are requested to gather at the Old Seminar hall at 2:00 PM.

Curious about it, I went sharply by 2:00 PM but there are hardly a few students but later the people gathered. Reviewing a book is a novel concept for me then. I sat in the second row and it left out a great impression in my mind. Especially one would gather there to hear Dr.T.Sri Kumar speaking. His speech gives us an ocean of information and loads enthusiasm. That day I aimed to review a book grander than this but don't know the procedure.

After a semester went on, one day after borrowing some books I was walking out of the library and in front of the door, the Librarian G.A Prasad Rao sir has spotted me and smiled. I too smiled and greeted. Then he asked me which year I'm and checked the books I've borrowed. Later said "Parker, Why don't you review a book?" After a little surprising pause, I said "but what's the procedure, sir". Then he went on explaining why the reviewers association was started and finally said. "You just read a book you like in-depth and come to me with a brief write-up".

I started reading more to review a book but many left impressions in my heart but didn't instigate me to review. Two years passed by, later in May, I found out Shashi Tharoor's speech on the internet at the Oxford.   After knowing that it's in the form of a book called "Era of Darkness", I got a copy and started reading it. Tharoor's language made me feel "Am I a layman in English???". The book was dammn interesting. Sin after completing reading I felt reviewing and went to the Librarian sir room the next day that I wanna review it. He was so happy that I chose the book but sadly that book hadn't made its space on the shelf.

The librarian assured me that he'd get it to the shelf and asked me to read again and asked to come with a brief write-up. After all the exams got over, in June I went to his room with a ten-page write up. By then, the slots got booked for August for the book Family matters. However, he assured us that we shall have two reviews this month. We have planned on 27 August but later got postponed to August 31.

The book reviews in the college shall be like a festival. When one enters the college the day a review is going to be conducted a welcome banner would appear at the library entrance and few pieces of the review invitation on the notice board and the library staff that day would go earth and heaven arranging everything. That was a pleasant war. This virus which I caught at the reference hall had become to show it symptoms after these reviewing sessions and I'm now about to get paralyzed and some would call me that I'd turn maniac. However, I like and await ti get paralyzed of this virus.

Today is the day I was tested positive of that virus...

Feeling Nostalgic...

Happy reading!

Dedicated to our Dear Librarian sir

Also read - Andhra Loyola memories - Answer Scripts