Page 2
( 9 )
When I entered Std IV, I got an additional text - an English textbook. I was glad that I am going to study a new language. The alphabets were already known to me. I carefully turned the pages of the text and looked through it with curiosity.
Karunakaran Sir, who taught us Mathematics was a very angry man. I remember all of us standing in the classroom because we didn't know the answers. Prakash, one of the students was being beaten everyday and his head was being hit at the walls of the classroom as he was very weak in his studies. Everyone in the class was afraid of him.
During the lunchbreak, me and many of my classmates would go to Bindu's house with our lunchboxes because of the scarcity of water. There were only one or two taps in our school. Bindu's family was very amicable to us. When we would reach there,somebody would be drawing water out from the well. It was very easy to do so from their well. Then I would think about the well in my house. It was very deep and as a result when I put the bucket in it, would not fill it and pull the half - filled bucket out with much difficulty. After washing our hands, we would either sit inside the house or outside in the verandah. Her parents wouldn't become annoyed even if many persons came there. After the lunch, we would wash our hands in the water which was already kept there. We would again draw water out and wash our tiffin boxes. I would draw water again and again so that I could enjoy the trouble - free life they experienced ! I also had gone to the house which was just opposite to our school, for washing my hands and tiffinbox.
Oneday, Padmini Teacher came to our class and announced that she was our needle work Teacher. Those who were interested in needle work should bring a piece of white cloth, needle & thread from the next day onwards. I was not interested in needlework but I wanted to learn it because my mother would often say,"this girl doesn't know even a small job like stitching".
In the IVth Std, there was a new student in our class, the daughter of Lilly Teacher, Shincy. All of us looked at her with enthusiasm - the daughter of our Teacher ! She was beautiful and fair ( fair in the Indian concept ). There was an intimation oneday that a dance class was going to start in our school. Those who are interested can join in it. A small fee would be charged from the students. The moment hearing this, I dropped the idea of joining in it. One day, some of us went to the dance class to watch it. The Teacher was teaching them different steps. The students moved their hands and legs according to the instructions of the Teacher. "I wouldn't perform like this", feeling this, I returned.
We witnessed some people coming to our school, at the 1st interval time oneday. They were the Medical Team Members. The news spread everywhere that the nurses had come for injections. Most of the students became afraid. I also became very sad - I didn't like injections. When the doctor suggest for injection, I would cry and the doctor would change it into some tablets. That was the usual practice in my case. But, in the school, how would I escape ? Now I remember that with how much difficulty I received the injections in school.
My mother was speaking about visiting Vallarpadam Church for about three months. There was an offering to be performed in that Church. One Sunday my father told me, "next day you're not going to school, instead we're going to Vallarpadam Church". First, we went to Kolenchery, about 3 km from our house. Then, from Kolenchery to Ernakulam - I felt that it was a long journey. While sitting in the bus, I was thinking about my classroom and the happenings there. After reaching Ernakulam, we had to enter a boat to reach Vallarpadam because it was a small island. Inside the Church, my father and mother were on their knees. I was standing there, because in our Church, it was the usual custom. Then, my mother told me to knee like her and I did so. After the prayer, we returned. I don't know for what purpose we went there, even now. On returning home, my father said that we could visit the Cochin Airport. There we could see the arrival & departure of aeroplanes. We came near the ticket counter and the person sitting there, said that we should pay Rs 10/- for each one. My father, who was carrying my brother, turned suddenly and said to us, "the rates are very high, we may go back". Sadly I returned, looking back again at the ticket counter and the airport. I was in an excitement to see an aeroplane,closely. Everytime when I heard the sound of an aeroplane, I would run outside my house,and watch it till it disappeared. In that moment of distress, I looked at the officer appealingly and he made a gesture. I told my father to look at him. He permitted us to enter the compound. An aeroplane was there, preparing for its departure. I wondered to see its size. The door was closed very slowly and at last when it went high and became a small one, I couldn't believe my eyes !
( 9 )
When I entered Std IV, I got an additional text - an English textbook. I was glad that I am going to study a new language. The alphabets were already known to me. I carefully turned the pages of the text and looked through it with curiosity.
Karunakaran Sir, who taught us Mathematics was a very angry man. I remember all of us standing in the classroom because we didn't know the answers. Prakash, one of the students was being beaten everyday and his head was being hit at the walls of the classroom as he was very weak in his studies. Everyone in the class was afraid of him.
During the lunchbreak, me and many of my classmates would go to Bindu's house with our lunchboxes because of the scarcity of water. There were only one or two taps in our school. Bindu's family was very amicable to us. When we would reach there,somebody would be drawing water out from the well. It was very easy to do so from their well. Then I would think about the well in my house. It was very deep and as a result when I put the bucket in it, would not fill it and pull the half - filled bucket out with much difficulty. After washing our hands, we would either sit inside the house or outside in the verandah. Her parents wouldn't become annoyed even if many persons came there. After the lunch, we would wash our hands in the water which was already kept there. We would again draw water out and wash our tiffin boxes. I would draw water again and again so that I could enjoy the trouble - free life they experienced ! I also had gone to the house which was just opposite to our school, for washing my hands and tiffinbox.
Oneday, Padmini Teacher came to our class and announced that she was our needle work Teacher. Those who were interested in needle work should bring a piece of white cloth, needle & thread from the next day onwards. I was not interested in needlework but I wanted to learn it because my mother would often say,"this girl doesn't know even a small job like stitching".
In the IVth Std, there was a new student in our class, the daughter of Lilly Teacher, Shincy. All of us looked at her with enthusiasm - the daughter of our Teacher ! She was beautiful and fair ( fair in the Indian concept ). There was an intimation oneday that a dance class was going to start in our school. Those who are interested can join in it. A small fee would be charged from the students. The moment hearing this, I dropped the idea of joining in it. One day, some of us went to the dance class to watch it. The Teacher was teaching them different steps. The students moved their hands and legs according to the instructions of the Teacher. "I wouldn't perform like this", feeling this, I returned.
We witnessed some people coming to our school, at the 1st interval time oneday. They were the Medical Team Members. The news spread everywhere that the nurses had come for injections. Most of the students became afraid. I also became very sad - I didn't like injections. When the doctor suggest for injection, I would cry and the doctor would change it into some tablets. That was the usual practice in my case. But, in the school, how would I escape ? Now I remember that with how much difficulty I received the injections in school.
My mother was speaking about visiting Vallarpadam Church for about three months. There was an offering to be performed in that Church. One Sunday my father told me, "next day you're not going to school, instead we're going to Vallarpadam Church". First, we went to Kolenchery, about 3 km from our house. Then, from Kolenchery to Ernakulam - I felt that it was a long journey. While sitting in the bus, I was thinking about my classroom and the happenings there. After reaching Ernakulam, we had to enter a boat to reach Vallarpadam because it was a small island. Inside the Church, my father and mother were on their knees. I was standing there, because in our Church, it was the usual custom. Then, my mother told me to knee like her and I did so. After the prayer, we returned. I don't know for what purpose we went there, even now. On returning home, my father said that we could visit the Cochin Airport. There we could see the arrival & departure of aeroplanes. We came near the ticket counter and the person sitting there, said that we should pay Rs 10/- for each one. My father, who was carrying my brother, turned suddenly and said to us, "the rates are very high, we may go back". Sadly I returned, looking back again at the ticket counter and the airport. I was in an excitement to see an aeroplane,closely. Everytime when I heard the sound of an aeroplane, I would run outside my house,and watch it till it disappeared. In that moment of distress, I looked at the officer appealingly and he made a gesture. I told my father to look at him. He permitted us to enter the compound. An aeroplane was there, preparing for its departure. I wondered to see its size. The door was closed very slowly and at last when it went high and became a small one, I couldn't believe my eyes !
