I called my brother yesterday, just to check if I missed any crazy episode from his life. Well, he never disappoints me in that department. He has got a new pet now – A Great Dane … that Scooby-doo type of dog, that too in his hostel room. For those who don’t know, my brother is studying veterinary science and lives in a cramped hostel room. The dog is pricey too, costing around 60K, and was bought by his college senior. Now my bro is acting like it’s official Dad – feeding, roaming, and spending a good chunk of his monthly pocket money on its welfare.
Like a good sister I tried to cajole him out of this affair but he refused to oblige. Instead bribed me with future Great Dane puppies. Well, the prospect of having a Scooby Doo in my home actually stopped me from further debating the topic. But today I found out, through my Khabari sister that the dog has got Glaucoma. He’s blind. I actually felt quite good about my brother. Huh, he’s kind… who would have thought. 😂
When you have two veterinary students in your home, you need know the most expletive curses to curse them, specially when they think that “Gallus gallus ” is a far better way to call a Hen. You have no idea how many times gallus gallus features in our conversation. I have sworn to call their future kids gallus gallus.
There’s a whole world of scientific names that is ‘Kala akshar bhais barabar for me’ and my smarty air-headed siblings seem to excel and know only that language. If I had stayed another month with them I would have got a first class degree in Veterinary Sc. They would hardly utter a word that could be understood by common people. As if it’s forbidden.
“That is called Pennisetum pedicelatum … it should be fed to Bovines…”
It sounded like a curse that Harry Potter could have been used to kill Voldemort.
It sounded like a curse that Harry Potter could have been used to kill Voldemort.
Bewildered, wide eyed – that’s the expression my family wears around them.
Last Bihu my sister came home with her scalpels and other weapons in search of animal parasites. While returning from a relative’s house she saw a dead creature near the road and insisted on taking it home for practicing dissection. My Dad was horrified at the mere idea of carrying the dead remnants inside his beautifully maintained car. He pressed on the accelerator and sped off.
Their adventures don’t end there. Every day a new comedy unfolds.
Be it getting kicked by cow in practical room,
or locking horns with bull,
or getting a finger chewed by the favorite horse,
or treating a blind owl and exchanging it for a cat,
or the obsession to have Tarantula as a pet – the only thing that has prevented my sister from doing so is the unavailability of the food for Tarantula in Guwahati Pet shop.
The butchers near veterinary college are super skilled at extracting the digestive and reproductive system of goats, because that’s where my sister and her classmates get the material to be used for practicals.
Early morning the students of veterinary college could be seen wandering out and about Khanapara, looking for parasites and the likes, to be submitted as class assignment.
They would obviously compare their adventures with my life, which consisted of only two things – a box and a keyboard. And the only terminology common between us was Mouse.
That’s my sister, sewing a goat’s ear, I believe.

This is the life of veterinary students. And I envy these two so much.
Haha! Hilarious. I still remember the Urea post this is another feather on the cap. So much fun, Raji. How they take scientific names to trick you 😉
Oh wow, Raj! So proud you must feel to have such darling siblings! I loved, and enjoyed reading about the curses you have learnt (hehehe) and the curses you could have learnt had you been a Vet student! And, yes, all those bhaari-bharkam words that Harry Potter might use…I forgot that word already! How DO they remember it all!
Super post, Raj!
I saw my future in this post, Raj. I really really enjoy reading your siblings’ tales. 😀 The firstborn too is crazy about dogs and animals. She too has interest in veterinary sciences and aspires to become and IFS. The only thing that keeps her at a distance from me is that I am not allowing a dog in the house.
I couldn’t stop laughing at the dead creature in the car thought. My stomach aches. 😀 And what a lucky butcher that he can sell off the remainings too. 😀 Such a funny post to read. Enjoyed it thoroughly. Thank you! 🙂