I was one of them and my teacher was a strict, disciplined life who taught me the lessons in the most brutal ways as possible. I was in 6th standard.
If you ask me to define my school life in one word, i would say - 'Dance, music, acting'. Oh wait! These are 3!!! Hell! Who cares. I was always in top 3, thanx to my photographic memory. But the real deal was my charismatic performances in dance, music and acting. On top of that with no professional training. I was born with these 3 engraved in my DNA. There was a rumor, if i am participating in any competition, other competitors will talk about 2nd or 3rd position. They knew my participation means NO 1st position as it was reserved for me only. Just like SC quota reservation. I had even witnessed teachers fighting for me to be in their team. Also got slapped by one angry teacher jsut because her team lost a debate competition to me. Ahhhh the good old days!!!!
Anyway i am not writing about bragging about my school life. OK. There was some bragging. But come on! Those were my school days! My best days!
Now back to the 'ENLIGHTENMENT OF PREESHAA'
I belonged to a poor family with 2 younger brothers always sick, taking turns to admit in hospital, my grandma who was not fond of my father or my family, my father who was like a replica of Hitler working in Indian Railways, working day and night to keep up his family together, to make ends meet, and my house maker mother who was too busy to take care of her 2 sons. I was a healthy child, with brightest of the mind, always surrounded with friends, happily laughing, and ignored by parents. I knew the condition, i knew what we were going through, sometimes i used to rebel, sometimes i fought for small things, sometimes i just gave up. Life was going on. Patiently looking for the perfect opportunity. And soon it came.
Like today's kids, i didn't have 2 uniforms for the school. It was just one uniform a navy blue frock and white shirt. The frock length had to be below the knee. I studied in all girls school. So i was using this uniform for 3 straight years. I grew few inches but the uniform didn't, in fact it got shorten due to multiple washes. Since i was the class monitor, it was expected of me to be an ideal student i.e. Two plaits in blue ribbon(i was in blue house), clean, ironed uniform with blue belt, black polished shoes with white socks. And damn i was so perfect! Except the uniform. My blue frock was short. OK. Let me honest it was 2 inches above the knee.
Every day my class teacher used to ask me -"Beta, you are class monitor! You represent not only this class but our school in various functions. You have to look like a perfect student. Ask your father to buy you a new uniform as soon as he can."
I used to nod my head and tell her that this month is little tight but next month i will pakka ask my father to get me a new uniform. And yes i repeated these lines for quite a few months. 6 months may be. Then came February. In our school the festival of 'Shivratri' was quite a boom since it was Sindhi government school. We used to have a lot of competitions and feast for sure. Like all the functions, this time also one of the teacher chose me to recite a poem in the function. Wait. I remember her name. Yes. Mrs. Sinha. Since i was a part of school musical band, i had a very sweet melodious voice. Plus a very innocent face. So she chose me this time. Everything was done. I was prefect in recitation. The only problem was my uniform. There was no way i would be at the stage in front of all the students and teachers and top class guests, reciting a poem in a knee short uniform. She asked me if have any other sober frocks to wear at the function. But i had none. So i had to borrow the uniform from one of the student.
The day came and gone. Making me an overnight twinkling star of not just my school but nearby schools too. When i was there, at the stage, watching the peon adjusting the mike according to my height, all those eyes on me, all those ears. And when i started to recite those lines in a musical poetic way, everything in that hall fell into a drop dead silence. When i finished, the next thing i heard was the thunderous applaud from every inch of the hall, Few of the guest at the stage were giving standing ovation. (I didn't even know what' standing ovation means). They loved my poem, the recitation, my voice. Later i was awarded by 2 guests for my 'extraordinary' performance. My award - Rs. 200 in cash. That was the biggest sum of money i had seen till that day. Earned by me. It was mine. I was happy? No. I was something else. I didn't understand at the moment. So i let it pass.
Next day after the school prayer, once again i was facilitated by the principal and she gave me an envelope containing my reward. Rs. 50 in cash. When we moved to our respective classes, all girls cheered for me, congratulated me which was shunned down by the arrival of my class teacher. I was still wearing my old knee short uniform.
She proudly looked at me and asked,"How much was the total price money you got?"
"Teacher ji, it's Rs. 250/-", i said. "
"This is enough money to buy a new uniform, isn't it?"
"Yes teacher ji.", i said.
"Good. Now you don't have to ask your father to get you a new uniform. You have earned enough to buy a new one. Do you understand?"
Yes. I did understand. Then. Finally. At that moment, the one which i let it pass.
That was the enlightening, awakening moment of my life. The one which life taught me at the very tender age.
It was so simple yet so strong and meaningful - "Never underestimate yourself."
From that day i never looked back. I started participating in various competitions, specially dance competitions. I used to dance at 'Ganpati' & 'Durga' feastivals. and on 'Ambedkar jayanti'. I stared using my skills, my talent to earn money so that i don't have to be a burden on my family. And i continued it for a very long time. this was the experience which gave me courage to step out of my home and do a job, becoming the first female in my close family to do a job.
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It's been decades for this incident. Yeah i am that old. but the memories are still with me and always will be. When i offered Jerry Hughes from Hughes Foundation that i am willing to take summer hobby classes at 'House Of Hope', this was the first story i told the kids before beginning the classes. I just wanted to let them know that age, surroundings, are all just a myth. If one has willpower to do something, nothing in this goddamned world could stop that flow of passion. You just need to believe.
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