Teachers day special

Remembrance from the corner of my dairy…

I’ve only four institutions for my studies up to PG. And among these the most important is my first school as it set the base for my future studies and I spent 10 year in Ekdanga Situated near Bhatni ( from 1st to 10th standard ).
The remembrance belongs to the year 1995-96 when I was in 7th standard. That was the era of honor and teachers tried there best to maintain their dignity. The monthly fee was Rs-5. people had faith in government schools and the first lesson taught to us was to respect our teachers. But the respect was more due to fear of being beaten then the lesson taught. All the students of my school used the word ‘GURU JI’ in the respect of the teachers.

In class 7th our class teacher was Mr. Kitab Chauhan. Once he gave me a signed bank voucher to withdraw Rs-500/ from Central bank.

It was honor to me as I got such a responsible work from my class teacher. Just after the lunch I left for the great job done. The bank was 1 KM away from the school means 10 minutes walkable distance. I got the distance in just 5 minutes and passed the voucher to the Cashier. He took 5 minutes and returned me 5×100 new currency notes along with the passbook. I count the new currency three times and passed the amount in the front pocket and passbook into the another as it could be stolen. Meanwhile I got a greed,
“If I’ve much time, I would exchange these new currency with my old notes lying at home, ” I thought at once. That was my personal saving of three years. But this couldn’t be happened as I’d to attend the next period. I gave up the thought and rush for the school.

In the way a Cricket match was in progress and hold due to absence of one fielder which was ran away after bating. In the fielding team there was one of my classmates Shyam ( name changed who was absent in the school that day. He ran to me and requested to attend the fielding.

I’m ever a Cricket lover, I asked the time to one of the man on the road. I’d almost completed the bank job within 15 minutes.
This was limited over game and there was much possibility of
game ending within half an hour. So I accepted his request on the condition of bowling at least 2 overs out of 8.

I got the 2nd over of the match for bowling.
After completing the over I checked my front pocket and shocked. The money had been disappeared. Iron rushed into my soul. I checked all of my pockets again and again. The frustration was getting multiplied every second.

The tragedy was happened to me. I tried to console myself. I asked all the team members whether they had founded the things on the ground. But result was zero I returned back to the bank in the hope of getting the money in the way but all the things went in vein.

But I had to do something to rescue myself. What to do in the case????. Suddenly an idea came to my mind, ” I can give my own money to Guru ji ” But it was not easy. That saving was the outcome of three years and I had cut even my genuine expenses to save Rs. 500. ” To do or not to do ” that was the dilemma. But it was the only way to get rid off the anger of Guru ji. But the most important thing was to be on top to my teacher’s faith.

I decided to sacrifice. Immediately I moved for my home which was not far away from the bank. 10 minutes and I was at home. It was afternoon and Amma was busy in some activity. She didn’t notice me. I opened the geometry box, kept the money in the pocket and left the home without being noticed.

It was mid of 6th period when I reached to the school. I met Kitab Guruji and provided him the money along with the passbook. He saw my faded face, uneasy breathing and asked if there something wrong. I nodded in neglance. I pretended about the rushes in the bank for getting late in the job done.

The sacrifice done but it was very tough to console myself. My parents and well wishers tried to know the reasons behind my deadly face and silence but it was I. How could I let me be disclosed?.

I wanted to come out from the stress and forget these things like a bad dream. I started to give more time to Cricket to come out from this headache.

4-5 days passed. Mean while Shyam ( name changed ) was being absent in the school for 3 days. On the day he came to the school, I felt some changes in him. My over conscious mind started to hit me on this. We were not very good friend but formal hi-hello always there. He overlooked me many times even I sat just behind him, nor he asked about the missed money though he was the only person in the universe who had my secret. I started to watch him.

In the lunch I saw shyam near the only vendor in my school Madan bhai’s shop. I hurried to him. Madan hand overed 95 Rs. to shyam as he counted the money just near me, means ” he has paid 100 rupees “, intellect told my mind Those days 100 Rs. means today’s 1000 and having 100 rupees was very rare especially to a seventh standard student. I decided to investigate him. But I couldn’t claim the money directly. He could tell a lie and in physic I was no match to him as Shyam was 3-4 years older to me. But now I had a hope of getting my problem solved. I planned every thing in just a minute.

I decided to take help from our Guruji. I moved immediately to Kitab Guruji and told all the incidents in a row. He couldn’t believe at once. But looking on my confidence he agreed to be with me for the investigation.

Bell rang five times and all the students hurried to the class. It was Geography class but we saw our math teacher in the class. Kitab Guruji started asking the truth and shyam denied at once. He turned his head to me. I was ready and cried immediately , ” Check his pocket. I’m sure all the money will be captured.”

He ordered me to check Shyam. I forwarded my hand to the particular pocket he used some time ago to keep the change. Three new notes were in my hand along with some change. He caught red handed and now our teacher had a clue and he started to torture shyam for getting his acceptance of the guilt. He broke shortly and told us the story how he found the money on the ground.
” Why didn’t you told earlier??.” Kitab Guruji scolded me with serious face.
“Got feared” I replied innocently.
” My Son! Learn to face the truth. This is the only way to become fearless.” he added as he teaches me a new lesson.

He also added , “You have courage enough for such sacrifices to keep you top on your duties. But you feared to face whether my anger or being loosen faith?. That’s the question.”

I replied, “Both”

Today on the ‘Teacher’s day” I remember that lesson taught to me…

“Learn to face the truth. This is the only way to become fearless.”

Happy teacher’s day…
Remembrance shared by
Kaushal Shukla
5th Sep 2016.