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The Great 1998 Allahabad Exam Trip – A Journey of Friendship, Mischief & Memories

 In the summer of 1998, just after our intermediate exams, seven of us — wide-eyed, full of dreams, and hungry for adventure — set off on what was supposed to be a simple exam trip from Patna to Allahabad. It was supposed to be about engineering entrance tests, staying focused, and chasing our career dreams.

But honestly? It turned into one of the most unforgettable trips of our lives.

🚆 The Train Ride That Had It All

We boarded the train with exam stress in one hand and wild energy in the other. The squad:
Dharmbir Singh, Shah Ali Adnan, Shwetank Chandra, Anubhav Jha, Tashfeen Khan, and me — all of us just 15–16 years old, with a head full of hope and hearts full of mischief.

Squad goals, 1998 edition – on the way to Allahabad with big dreams and bigger jokes.
A couple of beers may or may not have made their way into our hands (you know how "cool" we felt back then). Somewhere near Buxar, our laughter got a bit too loud — and boom, enter the RPF. That moment when the RPF questioned us for the noise and the drinks? We acted innocent, swallowed our smiles, and apologized. But once they left, it was hard not to burst out laughing at our almost-caught red-handed moment.

That train ride wasn’t luxury, but it had everything we needed — banter, bonding, and beer-fuelled brotherhood.
🏨 The Oven-Hot Hotel Room in Allahabad

The famous “oven room” — uncomfortable, noisy, and full of memories.

We arrived in Allahabad with the sun blazing down and went straight to a hotel that was probably older than our combined ages. The room? A literal oven. No air conditioning, a fan that creaked more than it cooled, and just enough space to crash — if you didn’t mind sweating through the night.

Yet somehow, that unbearable room gave us some of our best laughs. We cracked jokes, teased each other, and turned the heat into comedy. Our pre-exam prep? Mostly consisted of revising while sweating and complaining — and still managing to smile through it.

📘 The Exam Was Just One Part of the Story

Yes, we did show up for the entrance exam (in case anyone’s wondering 😄). We walked in nervous, heads spinning with formulas and physics, and walked out — tired, but kind of proud that we made it that far.

But as the years have passed, I realize: it was never just about the exam.

It was about growing up a little. About understanding friendship in its raw, unscripted form. About knowing that no matter where life takes us, that summer, that train, and that sweaty hotel room would always be ours.
💭 25 Years Later… The Laughter Still Echoes

It’s been over two decades. Life has scattered us across cities, professions, and time zones. But every time I think back to that trip — the RPF scolding, the sweaty nights, the endless leg-pulling — I smile like that teenager on the top berth of the train.


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