Suicide of a student in BJB College

 It was really sad to find the other day about a girl from BJB College in Bhubaneswar committing suicide. Her suicide note had squared blamed three senior girls for ragging her which led her to take this drastic step. It was deja vu for me as it took me down the memory lane as I am quite familiar to ragging as well as to BJB College which was my Alma Mater for a short period of time.

Suicides are happening quite frequently in educational institutes these days. It is on rise amongst the youngsters. The surging hormone in their bodies can go wild, creating havoc in their hearts and minds, which can be due to myriad reasons like failures in career, romance, academics or bullying by others as it seems in this case.

Every person has the right to live. It hurts utmost when someone commits suicide. And it hurts more, if that person happens to be young. At tender age, their mind is raw, immature and susceptible to mood swings. Like every person in their age, they too have a dream, but unwisely decide to procrastinate their dreams by killing themselves. 

When does a person decide to end his or her life ? It is not just because of the frustrations they undergo with their life, it's more due to their lack of care or concern for rest of the world, which includes their near and dear ones as well. If I feel suicidal for some reason, I may resist that thought for a moment, if I think of my family, even if I don't care about me. Apparently those who chose to end their lives prematurely don't care about their loved one and take the decision at the spur of the moment, never ever getting a second chance to regret their decision. No wonder our Hindu tradition regards committing suicide a "Paapa" (vice), a cowardly act.

I studies in BJB College for only couple of years but have a long list of memories associated with. My father taught in that college for at least a dozen years and we were quartered at nearby BJB Flats. As a kid I used to attend the College Annual functions. I enjoyed the drama shows and the drama associated with College Union elections - the histrionics on the day of "Why I stand" meetings, the scented pushing cards reserved for the pretty girls with plain ones destined for the lesser mortals. hopeful Dramatic Secretaries to swing their hips in a more dramatic ways. Once a candidate tore off his pants on stage while dancing to a Jeetendra - Sridevi number exposing his DORA, a popular underwear of that time. 
He continued to dance until the muffled laughter from girls in the audience with their face covered in palm gave away to cat calls from the boys.

Fondly remember eating "Chaat" standing next to a trolley owned and operated by a man named Sanatana who ran brisk business with girls being his most loyal customers. For years we siblings would go around the College Puja Pandals on the days of Saraswati and Ganesh Puja, cherishing the syrupy Prasad (offering to God). It was fun to attend Department feasts (a locally used term for soiree of food and fun) and the picnic cookouts in winter. Those were the days I look back with nostalgia.

Now coming to ragging, I along with my classmates were ragged pretty bad by our seniors during the first year of Engineering in REC (now NIT). Those days physical ragging was rampant in Engineering Colleges. I was slapped no less than two dozen times by seniors, once a slap hitting my nose and blood started oozing out of it. I was furious and wanted to report to the authorities. But sanity prevailed and I refrained from going to hostel superintendent at nick of time following advice of my friends.

I am not a very brave person, but never had any suicidal thoughts at any point of my life, after being ragged or otherwise. I do not condone ragging, but if you are a victim it ain't worth ending your life for it. If it gets into your nerves better complain to the authorities and let law take its own course. Living a life is far more important than ending it.