CHARNI ROAD'S STUDY CORNER

This article appeared originally in Mumbai Mirror, of the Times Of India group.

A STUDY IN STUDYING



For the aimless, the driven, the over-worked, the lazy, the disturbed and the peaceful, this study corner is a sacred spot of sanity, finds Rishi Majumder



6:32 pm. A boy in a cheap printed shirt and faded trousers paces frantically, memorizing economic principles. Another, in T-shirt and shorts, is motivated by such momentum to recite history dates aloud in ascending tones. Till a middle aged office goer grappling with legal principles from his evening law diploma course shushes him. This makes a 20 something pretty-ish girl studying her homeopathic medicine syllabus laugh. Who in turn starts being glanced at by a bunch of eager junior college lads otherwise solving their Mathematics home-work. Blocking their view (rather unconcernedly) is a freshly muscled kid wearing an army print cap over his long hair, flashy T-shirt and frayed jeans – who sms-es, looks hesitatingly at a newly bought text book, sighs, and sms-es again. Then: the boy paces more calmly; the other mutters his dates under his breath, the office-goer reads, the girl concentrates; the junior college members go back to arguing algebra solutions (oggling's only for breaks); and the cool kid, well, opens his book. The diverse student community at the 24 hour 50 seat study corner in S K Patil Park, Charni Road manufactures and maintains it's own rules.



7:12 pm. "The place was built many years ago with the park, but it was done up with a translucent plastic canopy, painted properly, tiled and hedged with a marble top only two years ago by MLAs from the BJP and Shiv Sena from the Khazdaar fund," informs above 50 security guard cum cleaner cum gardener Janki Jadav, who lives at the Park. Complementing the canopy's numerous fans is the gentle breeze coming in from over the lush lawn and trees flanking the area. The breeze blows a bespectacled 21 year old Amol Patil back as he looks up irritated from a Balance Sheet problem. "I work as a clerk in a trading firm while continuing with Second Year B. Comb., but I've been studying here since class five," he answer. Amol's house in Bhuleshwar is too crowded for studying. During exams he inhabits this place all night. "Even people who have a room to themselves come here or live far-off come here. But for a poor student this is a necessity!"



7:30 pm. The tube lights have been turned on. As if on cue the army capped boy wonder starts reading his commerce textbook with escalating urgency: "I'm studying for my K.T. exam." He identifies himself as 19 year old Ketan Balsara. And how often does he come here? He mulls before smiling awkwardly, "Rarely." "I could study at home, but there's no drive. The environment forces me to concentrate." The junior college group trudging back from a canteen, have different reasons: "We like the fact that we have a place where we can study as a team, yet remain motivated," say 16 year olds Sumit Chaurasia and Vrijesh Gupta. It also inspires an appetite: "The Uphaar Griha in the park itself, serves tea and meals for as little as Rs 6 till eight in the evening!"



8:00 pm. "We don't let people sit idle or read a magazine," security-man Jadav had warned. Two sitters have flouted this rule however. While one works out a crossword, the other after leafing through a Marathi daily's page 3, stares vacantly with his head propped up on the slab of wood attached to each chair for writing. Questioning glances cause them to exit and sit on the benches surrounding the study corner (but not in it!). An old gentleman saunters in from the park to sit smiling amidst the open-on-all-sides learning spot for two minutes before walking out. "The park closes at eight. I come in after that everyday to just sit amongst them for two minutes. It gives me peace and focus," sighs 59 year old Jayant Phadke, on his way out. "It's more silent than the park even – minimum traffic noise, and…" he points to a board on the central pillar holding up the canopy that reads: Please Keep Silence. "They get angry if my phone rings," he laughs and puts his fingers to his lips. "They go Shhhhh!"



9:16 pm. 25 year old Ajay Pande heads for a drinbk from the cooler. "I still have another two hours to go. The thing is I live in Vikhroli and she (he points to the girl sitting opposite him) in Malad. If we go home to study, the train journey exhausts us so much, there's little energy left," he explains agitatedly. Reason for such turmoil: their Ayurvedic College exams are around the corner. "There's another study centre near Churchgate too, but it's too small," Bhavika Parmar (the girl with him) begins. "Also the garden and breeze here ensures we never have to take a break to go for a walk or anything. Your mind is always fresh!" Pande butts in. "And even though there are very few girls here, I've never faced any discomfort being a girl," she persists. "And also, why no bathroom? The one here shuts at 10. That's a big problem for those who have to study all night," Pandey ends this spurt by slamming a fist into his palm. Maybe he should try political science instead…


12:30 pm. The learner population has become leaner and Jadav's around for his nightly check: "You know, during final exams this place is so packed, even the parks are filled with students." And most of those who've studied from here are back "at Saraswati Puja. Chota Bara Sab Log Aate Hain!" As if in response, serviceman Hitesh Jain offers, "I've passed my CA inter from here." Now he only sits in the garden to reminisce: "That's why I'm sitting on the benches outside the canopy." Another middle-ager sits inside however: "I'm doing my law now," explains 38 year old stock broker Prateek Pali. "I can't get back to studying at home or at work. I thought the atmosphere here might inspire." Rajesh Soni, a younger equities dealer, who's studying his MBA in correspondence agrees, just as the clock strikes one. One shouldn't disturb beyond…