Happy Teacher's Day!

Ah - Teacher’s day! I was looking forward to it. But I was apprehensive about these Generation Y students…phew! Do they even know why we celebrate Teacher’s Day in India on September 5, I wondered. Last year, my students were a diligent lot. But the current batch is over-smart. I was confident they wouldn’t have any idea about this day being Dr Radhakhrishnan’s birth anniversary. What an exemplary Indian teacher and philosopher he had been!

I secretly wished that some of the kids at least ‘Gooogled’ Teachers Day before entering class today!

The first period started at 7.00 am. My heart went a ‘thud’. I imagined that in minutes I would be flooded with cards, flowers, chocolates and gifts! I adjusted the pleats of my dark blue silk sari and checked the bindi on my forehead. I managed a quick peek in the lipstick-mirror in my purse. I looked good.

‘Good morninggggg ma’am’- my children screamed.

‘A very good morning children’, I pleasantly responded. ‘Please open your Social Studies book. Page 7.’ Nobody uttered a word about Teacher’s Day!

By the time the class got over, I was a trifle upset. But soon I was consoling myself – I didn’t expect anything after all. Periods Two and Three were over. It was time for ‘Recess’. In the staff-room, teachers were flaunting gifts from students. I suddenly regretted leaving MBA mid-way. I rushed to the washroom and in the five minutes I spent with myself, I cried my heart out. I was full of self-pity. Was I a failure as a teacher?

Recess over. Period Four started. Nothing happened.

The school bell rang for a final time at 12. It was time to go home. I switched off the air-conditioner. Suddenly someone switched on the fan and ‘whoooshhh’. Flowers, streamers, sweets were showering on me. I was too surprised to react! Are these the same students I underestimated? I felt embarrassed and guilty. I was presented with a hand-made book called ‘The World’s Best Class Teacher’. Tears welled up in my eyes and a cake arrived from nowhere! As I was blowing off the candles, the children sang in chorus ‘Happy Teachers Day’! Little Rohit spoke about how I had made a difference to this class!

This was the best day of my life. I forgot all about my children back home. I wanted time to stand still. This moment was mine.

Perfecting a knotty note!

Time for early morning riyaaz (practice)! I quickly finish a cup of warm lime-honey water and get ready to explore Indian classical music. ‘Ahaaa’- I clear my throat and adjust the tanpura. The unswerving buzz of this four-stringed instrument helps me stay tuned. I start with a morning song. Fresh mussaenda flowers outside the window and bird chirrups add to the ambience. After three minutes of soft rendition, I elevate my tone to touch a note on a higher octave. My voice goes shrill and my eyebrows crinkle. My ears fail to marry my voice with the harmonic resonance of the tanpura. I realize I am going off-key. I take a cue from the previous note and restart. As I attempt a higher pitch again, I focus on the lyrical expressions and set my voice free. There is unison between the tanpura and my song now! New note mastered- Yay!