Thoughts keep springing up and reflections go on flowing. ………. But the process has to culminate somewhere and here it is – the ending.
Having arrived at the conclusion of the task I have undertaken, I look back with a feeling of satisfaction. A feeling of pride passes over my mind that I have been able to do this much. My conscience poses me a question whether it is all my own achievement. The answer is obvious and reverberating: “No, not at all!” What I am today is the sum total of what I have been in the past to the present moment. Scores of good people have taken to me kindly and helped me in various ways. But for their kindness and generosity I would not have been anywhere. Their names run into a long list and I can mention only a few who make me excited about the grateful feeling I nurture for them. They create in me an urge to try to pass on at least a little of the goodness that I have received from them, for the general benefit. The names that are not mentioned are no less important and they make my life a completely lived one too.
Those are red-letter days in our lives when we meet people who thrill us like a fine poem, people whose handshake is brimful of unspoken sympathy, and whose sweet rich natures impart to our eager, impatient spirits a wonderful restfulness which, in its essence, is divine. The perplexities, irritations and worries that have absorbed us pass like unpleasant dreams, and we make to see with new eyes and hear such with new ears the beauty and harmony of God’s real world. The solemn nothings that fill our everyday life blossom suddenly into bright possibilities. In a word, while such friends are near us we feel that all is well. Perhaps we never saw them before, and they may never cross our life’s path again; but the influence of their calm, mellow natures is a libation poured upon our discontent, and we feel its healing touch, as the ocean feels the mountain stream freshening its brine.
~ Helen Keller ~As I entered adulthood, I was still an easy-going, though not lazy or irresponsible youth. Sri P. Sanjeevappa, was my Headmaster at the two Municipal High Schools in Hindupur (A.P.) where I started my career as a teacher. It was he who taught me the first pertinent lesson in life that as for school work no task is low; any honest work has to be taken up with an honest will and carried out with all sincerity of purpose. With his cool and composed fatherly affection, he used to impress upon me that any assignment has to be taken up as if ‘you are going to learn from it. It is by putting in sincere hard efforts that you work for the betterment of the institution and seek your own uplift’. He gave me the much required push at the right time to continue further studies and come up in life.
When I joined Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Sri K.V. Natarajan was my Principal. As he revealed to me later, he had kept me on probation for six months. When once I completed the probation successfully, he never wavered in his trust of me. He taught me to try untiringly to be flawless in speaking and writing. That he was a voracious reader is an under-statement – reading was his weakness as it were, he would be seen reading a book even while waiting for the bus in biting cold! With his scholarship and eloquence he would leave any audience spellbound. He practically illustrated through his conduct the right way of life – ‘be in it, but be always out of it like the droplet of water on the lotus leaf’ (mÉ©mɧÉÍqÉuÉÉqpÉxÉÉ). I used to think, how nice it would be, if only I could be like him, to a little extent at least!
Prof. V.Sasikumar of CIEFL was a romantic figure for me as I found him among the writers of almost every English Reader I came across during the late 70’s and 80’s. When I heard him on one of the teachers’ inservice courses, it seemed as though my idea of an ideal teacher of English had come alive right in front of me. He had an excellent command over the English language; he excelled in the teaching of English and had a unique sense of humour. The first meeting and personal exchange with him enhanced my regard for him. I could never imagine that I would be working with him on several writing assignments. He taught me how industrious, sensitive, truthful and meticulous one should be for being a writer of any worth. He instilled confidence in me that I can write to some consequence while my association with Sri G. Radhakrishna Pillai and Prof. G. S. Srirama Murti chiselled my meagre writing abilities. Prof. Murti encouraged me to keep on writing whether it is published or not – writing should be a weakness, as it were, he used to tell me.
On being deputed as officiating principal at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Hospet which was newly started, I happened to be travelling with the then Joint Commissioner (Academics) and the Assistant Commissioner (Bangalore region). In their conversation I overheard the J. C. speaking highly of Sri Amarnath Singh. I told them that he was my Principal at K.V. Kathmandu. Pat came the remark from the J. C. “Then we are sending a very efficient Principal to K. V. Hospet!” Being amidst flowers in a garland is enough for the thread to acquire their fragrance. Sri Amarnath Singh made me see the filled part of a partly filled glass ignoring the unfilled one. I saw that in order to be a successful Principal one has to be first an understanding, compassionate human being and then a stern taskmaster, a strict disciplinarian. Even for producing an ordinary piece of writing, he would insist on the correctness and appropriateness of every word used. As I worked with him the dictionary became an indispensable part of my working table. While carrying out any task, he would insist on each and every minute detail to be personally looked into. We used to be awe-struck at his mastery of Hindi, Urdu and English and a wide range of other subjects. He would quote and elucidate spontaneously passages from the Ram Charit Manas. He would speak so inspiringly at the Prayer Assembly of the school that his speeches would draw rapt listeners on housetops around! Being with him would always be an unforgettable learning experience. From basic manners to administrative matters to deeply philosophical subjects he would leave indelible impressions on us. There is no exaggeration in saying that I grew in stature on being associated with him.
Sri C. Veerappa, a good friend and colleague of mine became my Principal later. Though for a short time, we worked in perfect unison. The affection he always used to shower on me is deeply touching. My colleagues who became my students for pursuing their higher studies, Mr. C. P. Kumaran, Mr. D. S. N. Murthi and several others elevated me for, surely I learnt more from them than what they, perhaps learnt from me.
My association with Sri D. K. Saini, the then Assistant Commissioner of K. V. S. Guwahati Region while I was Principal at K.V. Laitkor Peak, Shillong is an unforgettable chapter in my life. Though my higher officer, he used to treat me as his personal friend. We grew so close to each other that I used to just walk into his residence any time and he would drop in at mine (he had nicknamed it Praacharyashram) as freely. The long walks on which I accompanied him were extremely refreshing and ennobling on account of his sheer optimism and wholesome attitude to life. He impressed me immensely with his knack of synchronizing official dealings with personal affinities.
I have always received unlimited affection and enthusiasm from the students I have taught through the entire span of my career. I often get the feeling that though I have grown old in years, I have not come out of the mindset of teenagers as most of my life has been spent in their invigorating company. Even at 60 +, when I go to Class VI and share the students’ zeal and joy a feeling of exhilaration overwhelms me. My students have always been my teachers.
On a different plane, my maternal uncle Dr. G.N. Sarma who was Professor of Political Science at the Maratwada University at Aurangabad exerted great influence on me. His affability and sense of humour have always had an important place in my heart. The affectionate hug he used to give me on his unannounced visits with the emotional yell ‘Chandramohannn!!!’ (he used to call me by that name) is still fresh in my memory. He would be so overjoyed and eager to visit us that one day he dropped into my neighbour’s house by mistake and caused a great deal of embarrassment to him with his usual emotional outburst. Though my contacts with him were occasional, they had a profound
A lily of a day
Is fairer far in May
Although it fall and
It was the plant and
flower of light.
In small proportions
we just beauties see
And in short measures
life may perfect be
influence on my character. Even since my boyhood I used to get very enlightening and elevating letters from him. I would write to him as a boy and he would correct my mistakes in his replies. In my own way I used to observe and follow him and tried to be like him, however poorly I was successful because he was such a gloriously towering personality. He passed away ripe in years. But with moist eyes, I wish Maama should have been with us for a few more years to guide and raise us to greater heights.
In a moment of extreme physical suffering and utterly distressing mental state I felt as though an angel put in my mind the idea of attempting a work as this book. Such immortal intimations can come to me from no better source than my deceased wife Shanta. All through my life with her, she led me on the right path and was with me in all the worthy acts I took up. Utter humility and unassuming nature were her distinguishing qualities that endeared her to all those who knew her.
Poor lady, she suffered ill-health most of her life. That she was childless oppressed her deeply. Gradually, she reconciled herself to God’s will and learnt to treat anyone who approached her as her child. God has created both flowering and non-flowering plants too, yet each has its own place of pride in the universe. Her hearty concern for
others earned for our humble home the name Lakshminarayan Dharamshala. Sometimes as we sat for food all alone she would touchingly remark, “How nice it would be if someone knocks at our door and comes in to share our food!” As if God-sent, sometimes people would drop in. At Kathmandu, one day when I returned home from work she told me that she had gone to Pasupatinath temple where she came across a very old Kannada-speaking couple who were there on a pilgrimage. She talked to them and was literally moved to tears to hear their plight for they had not had
proper food for several days. It was, indeed, difficult to get the kind of vegetarian food that tradition-bound people are used to in Kathmandu. She brought them home, prepared the very kind of food they could eat, saw them satisfied and left them at their place of lodging. She apologized to me for doing this without my permission. I advised her to be visiting the temple every now and then to see if she could find many more people whom she could help.
At difficult times she would offer very pertinent thoughtful advice. Once I faced a very intriguing problem. In the Prayer Assembly I would stand with my students of Class XII. A senior colleague of mine would join me later and say audaciously, “Vidyasagar, do you want to show that you are more sincere than all of us! Come and stand with us here.” It was a very awkward and upsetting scene and this used to happen every day. I shared my problem with Shanta and she innocently asked me if it was compulsory for me to stand with Class XII and not in any other place. It was not so. ‘Then shift to a different place’, she said. I started standing with the students of Class VIII and the problem got itself sorted out.
As we started our life we were rather scarce of resources and had a lot of family responsibilities. She gave me her whole-hearted cooperation without demanding anything for herself. My several brothers keep mentioning even now, it was easier to get what they needed from their sister-in-law than from me. Along with my brothers some students also stayed with us. My purview was to teach them and their homely needs were all taken care of by her. Some of them reminisce her affection and concern for them
and treat her as their mother. Many of my students are still in contact with me more for the care and concern they received from her rather than the teaching they got from me.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and the well-wishers raised me greatly from the state of want. KVS gifted me the prestigious foreign posting to Kathmandu. By that time my brothers had come up and were independent. There Shanta showed herself to be an amazingly different
"Now he has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present,
and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion." ~ Albert Einstein ~person. Affluence kept her humble, but brought out her hitherto latent aesthetic sensibilities. Within the limits, she would provide herself with the best and the finest of things. She knew no compromise on quality. She was a great adviser to her friends on matters of selection of things. I used to wonder wherefrom this plain shy woman got all this expertise. All the same, to her, things were after all things and no more. She would never show them off.
As her days neared conclusion she turned exceedingly pious and amazingly philosophical. She used to hear very frequently a Telugu song which meant: We have to shed famlial bondages as they are neither real nor lasting. She would often echo the idea in her conversations with others. One day I got annoyed and asked her why she uttered such things and if she would leave me too. In a cool dispassionate tone she replied, “Yes, if time comes, I have to”. Not long after she breathed her last. It was as if something that was very much there was in a moment taken away forever. The last time I saw her alive, she waved a bye with her simple affectionate smile as if to say, “Now I am leaving, take care.” One may go to the sea itself, but he will get that much water only that the vessel he has carried to it can contain.
The void that her physical absence has left is irremediable and I have to live with it. But her unseen presence and benevolence have always been with me. Numerous are the situations when I felt I was shoved off shattering difficulties as if by a mysterious hand.
In my most desolate moment I felt as if she prompted me to take up this work. Since then I have felt a strange feeling of liveliness and enthusiasm bubbling within me. I started it with the words: May the noble Soul of Shantha be with me and bless me to make this endeavour a success, and now it is complete. It is all her inspiration, her work. The merits are all hers, the faults mine.
I received encouragement in this endeavour from a large number of my elders, friends, students and well-wishers in making this book. I heartily acknowledge their contribution to the success of this task. My mother Kamakshamma’s, constant goading and taunting about the progress of the book and her eager interest in seeing the book in print are no small factors that pushed me harder and faster.
All I could do in my capacity was to bring the thoughts into a written form. I could not have brought them into an attractive printed book without the involvement and suggestions of my brothers Krishna, Shankar and Bhushan. They deserve a large share of the appreciation received by the book.
As innumerable as the thoughts are, unending is the list of people who inspired them. My reverence is due to all the inspiration that I received from them.
In conclusion, this humble work is placed at the feet of my revered mother on behalf of her eldest daughter-in-law Shantha whom she always looked after as her own daughter.
It is my ardent hope that this book stimulates the thinking of the readers to higher thoughts that ennoble their life to usher in a nobler, happier world.
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