I am usually very dramatic with good bye and thank you but today I don't care because it is about Savera.
Savera is closing down.
Thud.
Heart failure.
You dream about some things and they actually come true. They come true,
with added bonus. As a kid even when I hadn't seen Fergusson, I knew
that I would study there. With Fergusson, came Savera. And Savera become
my Central Perk, my Adda. For five years, 'I am in college' meant 'I am
in Savera'.
A few days back, my brother sent me a newsapaper clipping on Whatsapp. Due to rental issues, Savera was shutting down. I called him frantically, had he confirmed with Chetan anna? and yes, he had. Then just to be sure and hoping that atleast he will deny it, I called another Savera loyal. And then another and then another. By the end of the day, I had called and messaged almost everyone from my phone list. And although a few could not understand my agony, those who were Savera regulars sympathized with me.
I mean, How could it?
I had heard rumors that they were going to change the name of Fergusson, and a lot of other stuff. But Savera closing down? Never dreamt about it, Naha. How could it? I mean I had dreamt about bringing my kids to Savera one day. Telling them stories about my Savera times, my college and all the crazy bhai log that I had met in Savera. Anna would be greying, I would introduce my kids to Paneer fish pickle. They would love it. Everyone loves it.
Wake up. Go to Savera. Order a Idli Sambar, dip karun. Have bread toast and fiter coffee(Anna, Glass madhe!!) with it. Chatter with people around, spot someone you haven't met in days. Forget all about college. Who needs to attend lectures when you meet everyone in Savera? Plus, all the Annas, we came to Savera for them. They knew all about us and they were our confidants. They knew our Individual preferences, our likes, our dislikes. Our Exams, Our festivals, Projects. College gossip. Future dreams. Everything.
Savera is not only special to us, but to a lot of oldies that I've seen in Savera every morning. I never asked them about their Savera stories, I always assumed that I'll do that one day, Savera was always going to be there. I guess I missed out on some wonderful stories. Ah.
Now with Savera, Namaskar and Deewar are closing down too. How will FC road feel without them? Where are we going to share a paper Dosa when we are broke? Spend hours completing journals on just a Nimbu Soda? Sitting alone eating, but not alone really, you always meet someone you know.
I wish I could have one last meal in Savera, order every dish that I love, have a goodbye thing with friends. Thank all the Annas. Stay there all day. I am not there though, which makes it hard and easy at the same time. To all those who are there, have fun. Have one last amazing, crazy Savera day. And give each Anna a big warm hug from me.
Savera, I'll miss you.
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I made my friend Luv go to Savera on the last day after writing this post. He went there with a print out of my blog post and glued it to the wall among hundreds of other messages, written all over the wall by Savera loyals.
