“My First step towards Jail…alias school”

Is what meant for me......when I was little!!!

Being youngest at home, I was quite a Heroine (It’s factual to say Don) till my cousin was born four years later. My sister, brother, cousins moved to Bellary for their studies along with aunt (Place where I have spent my next 17 years). I was allowed to stay in village as I was too young and even at home they would get bored without kids around. Now when I think about it I feel was “I an entertainment” for them!!!! However I am privileged to say I was born and brought up in a joint family of 14 affiliates.

I just was hitting my fourth birthday; everyone had tough time in controlling me from doing all mischievous things deliberately or involuntarily. Everyone in the family decided its time to screw me by putting me into the Jail so called “School”. For today’s generation it may seem too late, but even today to seek admission in Govt School the min age is 6. However I believe none willing to put their kids in Govt Schools now-a-days. I prefer to call it as Jail, coz everything will go as Teacher hunted “It could be for or against school rules” as it was a Govt school nobody is bothered to know what’s happening in and around the campus... Even private schools got pros and cons that are other side of education system let us not get into it… :)

20 years ago, I even can’t dream of English medium school in my village. Trust me even today there is no registered Private or Govt English medium school.

As I was not eligible to put into regular school, they thought will join me. At least will get used to by the time I become eligible. Almost like today’s kindergarten. May be who knows their agenda could be they can avoid me from doing terrible things at least for few hours of a day… :)

The day has come; I have to hit the Jail gate. Couldn’t take good sleep at night. Mom woke me up early in the morning, took shower, neatly dressed up, applied favorite ponds powder and put black bindi. Black Bindi’s are usually worn by babies and young children to ward off the “evil eye-DRISHTI” (We Indians are firm believers of the evil eye and we often protect ourselves, especially our young children, with a big black bindi or mark on the forehead. This black spot is supposed to diminish the beauty of the child and keep the evil eye at bay is a deep routed Hindu superstition).

I finished my breakfast, drank a glass of milk. On the other part a small black plate bordered with wooden frame which is called as “Slate” along with long “white chalk stick” was eagerly waiting for me. I was feeling bit uneasy to hold them coz for all these days I only had Goli’s (marbles), Bugari and play toys.

Deep in my mind, thought am I going for a battle…? Am I gonna return home? How soon?????? So many questions in that petite brain. Grandpa holding my hand too tightly as though I am gonna escape from him. Grandpa gave two chocolates to me… just to cheer me up :). That is the kind of impression they “had and have”, I will never have a second thought even to jump from building if anyone has promised chocolates to me…. thought sooo sad. Whatever I got chocolates early in the morning…. I waved everyone at home. Mom kissed on my cheek that was much sweeter than chocolates… :)

All the way I was jumping, dancing on the road. Me and grandpa reached jail gate…Teacher welcomed both of us with a broad smile, grandpa returned one and I even did not bother to respond. I saw none whom I knew earlier but for a moment I was happy seeing many kids though they were elder to me (I was much younger). Thought atleast they can let me to play along with them. School bell rang at 0945hrs and grandpa was asked to leave. That was the time I felt gloomy. Tears started rolling down my cheeks. Grandpa kissed on my forehead and said you will have break at 1130hrs. Be here, do not move away and do not come out of school compound as vehicles and cattle’s will be moving around. Just was giving me a clue that interval bell is not lunch or main bell so that I should not run home. And assured will come to pick me up for lunch; don’t worry its only three hours… Three hours I even didn’t know how many mins&secs. I know for sure it does going to be too long. I didn’t cry much, as the teacher was a guy and was yelling at students. I was sure he will not console me. If I cry much, he will definitely hit me to shut my mouth. I wished if I had a lady teacher there... :) I missed mom a lot at that moment.

Everyone asked to fall in line. Then teacher asked everyone to stand straight, said begin National Anthem. Everyone started singing “Jana Gana Mana Adhinayaka Jayahe”, I wondered is this any film song. Whatever I wasn’t aware of single word of it. Just was looking at others and surprised how come they are remembering such a lengthy song, thought kids here are masterpieces.

At the end of “National Anthem”, teacher said about turn and all got it respective class rooms that too each one fallowing the line. I even didn’t know where I have to go, just fallowed kids of my height thinking we all may belong to 1st standard. Coz there won’t be any lower-upper kg’s in Govt schools directly start the 1st standard.

Later once I got inside the class I realized for all students of class 1 to class 7 got only two rooms- two teachers (Even today I wonder how they handled six subjects and around 200 students). All the time Govt schools will be in short of resources and expertise. Everyone sitting on the floor. Small ones with Slate - chalk and elder ones with bag full of books, pencil, pen. I got into some corner place. Teacher started calling names, I was looking at the kids what are they supposed to do now? They were raising their hands and said “Namaste gurugale” means “yes sir”. After a while he called “vidyavathi. Annaji”, I didn’t know it was me. None called me earlier with full name fallowed by surname. Normally I was recognized as Subbi, Putti and as chinna Reddamma by servants at home … When teacher called twice looking at me and said speak out, I said “Yes sir”.

After a while he came to me and wrote a letter “ಅ” on my slate with my chalk stick and told me it is “ಅ” and asked me to repeat with him. He put the chalk stick in my hand and asked me to hold it with my fingers; he held my hand and started writing over “ಅ” which he has written before on my slate. I was following with the chalk stick; in the directions he is moving my hand. He repeated this for three or four times and then asked me to keep doing that and told me to read out every time. I did that for sometime. The “ಅ” he wrote was very thin, but soon it grew fatter and fatter. Even the chalk stick was getting smaller and smaller, initially I wondered and I wished it would get over soon…. :)

After a while interval bell rang. I was happy that I don’t have to scribble the same letter anymore. At least for ten mins, break was only for ten mins. I had two chocolates in my left hand. I thought to peel it and eat but so many around how do I do? Anyways I can’t share 2 chocolates among so many, looked around peeled chocolates and popped two at once… :) Bell rang all elder kids popped into the class; they utilized even those ten mins to play, thought what a time management!

Then scribbling of letter “ಅ” continued till the next bell rang (Another one and an half hour). At last lunch bell rang at 1300hrs for which I was waiting for so long. All kids got out of classroom like flock of sheep’s getting out of sheep shed and falling on one another. I was eagerly looking for grandpa; he was there near jail gate. I jumped into his arms. All the way I was telling what I have done in school that day.

The moment I reached home I started crying “Amma nan schoolge hogalla”- means “Mummy I won’t go to school”. Everyone tried to console me but I was jumping, yelling and crying loud enough. Finally mission succeeded. I was told,“I won’t be going” I thought forever :), they meant for that day…:(