The school is a temple and the
teachers are God-this is the faith in which students are brought up in India.
But school-going children love the play ground most among all things in school.
The love of children for playing surpasses everything. The running in the
field, the merry-making and the physical activities on the ground make children
fountains of joy. Many children forget many essential activities like eating,
taking bath or even watching their favorite cartoon shows when they get to know
the charm of the playground and the excitement of playing with their peers.
The main motivation for me to go
school regularly was my love for the health education periods allotted in
school. No sooner the bell for play-time rang, I would run into the field. I
was never unreasonably absent in my school because my love for my play mates
and play-time was such a pull. I was active in the playground and in the same
manner I loved indoor games too.
But in class 7, for a traumatic
period, I was robbed of that innocent joy so unmercifully that till today I
remember those pangs.
I had a math teacher and we, his
students, used to think him as the wisest and the most intelligent man on
planet. Despite working for hours, we would miserably fail to work out some of the
mensuration problems in our Math books. But he would instantly solve them and
we would look at him in great awe and wonder. We were impressed by his deep
knowledge.
One day he came with a chess set.
He wanted us to learn the game. But I was smarter. I used to play chess from
class 5 with my grandfather. After describing in detail about the movements of
different pieces in a chess set he invited me to play a game. I played with the
teacher and to my amazement I defeated him.
He could not believe what happened. He was my teacher and I was his
student and that had given him a license that he would win in the game. And a
deviation from this normal supposition silenced the class. He played with me
once again and I could still retain my title. I mean my teacher was vanquished.
This two wins did not make me feel happy rather they made me feel guilty. I
felt as if I had committed a crime by defeating my teacher. My teacher praised
me and packed up the set. I helped him in the pack up. He went away but most of
my friends, now, turned their face away from me. They asked me that how I could
become so heartless and arrogant and had the temerity to defeat one who is our
teacher. Some of my friends reminded me the story of Ekalavya and went away
leaving me alone. Their condemning words seared my heart and filled myself with
a guilt feeling that often accompanies in post-masturbation ruminations. I saw
my eyes were tearful.
Next day, my teacher called me to
play chess. It was the play-time in the school. I wanted to run and play in the
field with my friends. I did not like that indoor game of chess but I wanted to
become like Ekalavya. So I killed my likes and sat with the teacher for the
game. I sacrificed my play in the field for the teacher. For his fancy I sat
with him for the game and I deliberately behaved foolish as much as I could and
my teacher now chuckled and had a sigh of relief when my king was imprisoned.
His face beamed with joy and mine too. He asked me, “Did you learn something?”
Most respectfully, I answered, “Yes sir” and then I asked him, “Can I join with
my friends in the ground?” He allowed me and in the ground a friend while
kicking the football at me seconded, “We must respect our teachers.” To which I noded.
In the evening I prayed with my
sister……..Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru deva Maheswara……Guru sakhsyat Param
brahma……Tasmai shree Namoh Namaha.
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