Hostels - A 'liberal' Prison system?

Born a villager, I never once felt completely at home among the naive and anti-intellectual crowd of my neighbourhood in deepest hinterlands. It was only after a lot of time that I was able to completely fit among the urbanities of a metropolitan, having spent my childhood and college days in a "virtual city" sort of place far away from the screeching noises of cities - Boarding Schools. Surrounded by lush green pastures and the serenity of nature, my morning was welcomed by the day's first sunrays kissing the face; while on the morning jogs. My study hours was spent with the birds singing in the backyard. I would spend the evenings playing football with clean breeze all at the disposal. This, in contrast to the endless chatter and obscurity of the city. But the education and facilities, all made us feel like living in a small city of ours. It was as though living in the countryside, but availing the resources of the city. Modi in his vision for India would later coin the term "rurban" for this kind of adjustment. But in a true sense, it did not completely satisfy the definition of "rurban". It was a completely different experience with many paradoxes. The hostel was an amalgamation of children from varied backgrounds, region, religion and culture; all sharing the same roof. Each dissipating his life's travesties to the other, simultaneously absorbing others. It was one of a kind of itself. But even then, due to obvious reasons, I was always drawn towards the cosmopolitan life, right from my tender age.
While I would struggle to fit among both the worlds, now that I look back, it wasn't a rough ride. Others who are the first in their families to attend a hostel shall tell you the same thing : It renders you unrecognisable to the very people who launch you into the world. The ideas and values absorbed in convent schooling challenge the orthodoxy of rural life, that even in the 21st century are rooted deep in peoples lives. When we have any activity or conversation, it's often a kind of work our parents have never heard of. Social class is very much prevalent in the urban life, eventhough nobody likes to admit it. From an early age, middle-class people learn to get along, using diplomacy, nuance, and politics to grab the upper echelons of the corporate ladder.

Many would call the hostel system as prison and they are right to some extent. Ask any one who studied in hostel and they would have called their hostel as prison at some point of time. Apart from curbing of freedom, exclusion from society and the dreadful punishments, it was the feeling of guilt and isolation that hurts you the most. Why do I deserve this? Why are we doing this? What is it like to live a ‘normal life’? But, after sometime you learn to accept the system, however rebellious you seem to think of yourself. The system always wins. Coz you are part of it.

Many movies and songs have been written against conformism, military style diktat. A human spirit is by default striving for freedom. It is only our will and most importantly circumstance that acts as deterrent. Conformity is stressed in hostels. Rules are stressed and no individual care is given. No attention is given to children’s mind. On the outside everything might seem normal since one is confirmed to a lifestyle and routine due to strict punitive actions. After one comes out of the system (Read : Hostel) they try to make up for the lost freedom and individuality make doing things one normally would not have done. This might lead to precarious situations.

Hostel life opens door to many variegated lives. You know many people stories. But along with that comes, the pain of separation and the problems that come with communal life. Back stabbing, ragging, Fights over petty issues.