page 2
( 23 )
In VIth Std, Manjusha was not present. "Her father might have got a transfer", I thought. There was a newcomer in the class, Devika, a beautiful girl, who lived in a rented house owned by Prakash's father. She had one elder sister and two elder brothers.
When I reach near the pumphouse, I would look at the paddyfields. Gone were the days when I crossed the paddyfields and went to school. When I was a small girl, I would walk through the ridge of the paddyfield. On both sides, the leaves of the paddyplants would be grown above. What a fantastic experience it was ! When the grains appeared, I would pluck one or two of them to taste them. It tasted like milk to me. It was the food produced by the plant.
I would remember the Science Teacher's words in the previous classes. She told that we, the human beings cannot produce food. But the plants have the ability to make food. We were astonished to hear the fact. She continued that the leaves would act as 'kitchen' in a plant. Water, which was necessary to make food, would reach the leaves through the roots by a process called 'osmosis'. How would they get Carbon Dioxide, an essential component to make food ? When the human beings inhale, Oxygen is taken inside and Carbon Dioxide is given out. This Carbon Dioxide would be used by the plants to make food. "In the presence of sunlight, using water and Carbon Dioxide, the food is prepared in the leaves of a plant. This process is called photosynthesis". The Teacher explained it many times and asked, "can we live upon this earth, without plants and trees ?" "No", we answered together. "Then what should we do ?" "We must plant trees everywhere". She again asked, "will you cut any tree without any reason ?" "No", the answer came strongly. I am sure that those pupils who heard the words of the Teacher would never cut a tree without a reason. It went directly into their brain and mind.
Suppose the plants are destroyed, what will happen ? There will be no animals and human beings on this earth. Simple fact ! But even the people who own some higher degrees, cannot understand this simple truth.
After the schooltime, I would walk speedily towards my house. My mother would be there waiting for my return from school, with the crying child in her hands. At other times, the child would be sleeping.
In those days, I had a feeling that I was alone and unfit for this world. I felt that I was standing near the end of the earth and suddenly falling into a pit. The Sunday School Teacher told us that we should pray always to drive away our fears. She continued that we have prayers seven times a day and if possible, we must follow it. For our convenience, the prayers are reduced to two times a day - in the morning and in the evening. But in my house, there was no practise of praying in the morning, instead there was curse and tears about doing different jobs like cooking, cleaning the courtyard, cleaning the house, washing the clothes etc.
In the evenings, my father, after taking the tea, would draw water from the well and fill all the vessels in the house. Then he would take bath and go to Kadayiruppu junction, where there was a group of men who discuss all the news that happened in our village and in the neighbouring villages. After that he would return home, at 08.30 p.m. or 09.00 p.m. Therefore, during prayertime, myself and mother would be there. The newborn child would have been already asleep. My brother, though in IInd Std, would be sleepy. My mother would start singing a song loudly, without any tune or rhythm. I would sit on the cot, wrapping cloth over my body and head. I couldn't be able to join her in the song. Then she would start prayer. I knew the prayer but couldn't utter a word. She prayed at the peak of her voice and at times she would look at me scornfully. In Sunday School, I had already learnt evening prayer and morning prayer. But in my home, I couldn't utter a word ! "Is it the way to pray ? No". My mind would always remind me that this was not the way to pray.
Besides, I didn't realise that I was entering the adolescence stage and there was noone to guide me.
( 23 )
In VIth Std, Manjusha was not present. "Her father might have got a transfer", I thought. There was a newcomer in the class, Devika, a beautiful girl, who lived in a rented house owned by Prakash's father. She had one elder sister and two elder brothers.
When I reach near the pumphouse, I would look at the paddyfields. Gone were the days when I crossed the paddyfields and went to school. When I was a small girl, I would walk through the ridge of the paddyfield. On both sides, the leaves of the paddyplants would be grown above. What a fantastic experience it was ! When the grains appeared, I would pluck one or two of them to taste them. It tasted like milk to me. It was the food produced by the plant.
I would remember the Science Teacher's words in the previous classes. She told that we, the human beings cannot produce food. But the plants have the ability to make food. We were astonished to hear the fact. She continued that the leaves would act as 'kitchen' in a plant. Water, which was necessary to make food, would reach the leaves through the roots by a process called 'osmosis'. How would they get Carbon Dioxide, an essential component to make food ? When the human beings inhale, Oxygen is taken inside and Carbon Dioxide is given out. This Carbon Dioxide would be used by the plants to make food. "In the presence of sunlight, using water and Carbon Dioxide, the food is prepared in the leaves of a plant. This process is called photosynthesis". The Teacher explained it many times and asked, "can we live upon this earth, without plants and trees ?" "No", we answered together. "Then what should we do ?" "We must plant trees everywhere". She again asked, "will you cut any tree without any reason ?" "No", the answer came strongly. I am sure that those pupils who heard the words of the Teacher would never cut a tree without a reason. It went directly into their brain and mind.
Suppose the plants are destroyed, what will happen ? There will be no animals and human beings on this earth. Simple fact ! But even the people who own some higher degrees, cannot understand this simple truth.
After the schooltime, I would walk speedily towards my house. My mother would be there waiting for my return from school, with the crying child in her hands. At other times, the child would be sleeping.
In those days, I had a feeling that I was alone and unfit for this world. I felt that I was standing near the end of the earth and suddenly falling into a pit. The Sunday School Teacher told us that we should pray always to drive away our fears. She continued that we have prayers seven times a day and if possible, we must follow it. For our convenience, the prayers are reduced to two times a day - in the morning and in the evening. But in my house, there was no practise of praying in the morning, instead there was curse and tears about doing different jobs like cooking, cleaning the courtyard, cleaning the house, washing the clothes etc.
In the evenings, my father, after taking the tea, would draw water from the well and fill all the vessels in the house. Then he would take bath and go to Kadayiruppu junction, where there was a group of men who discuss all the news that happened in our village and in the neighbouring villages. After that he would return home, at 08.30 p.m. or 09.00 p.m. Therefore, during prayertime, myself and mother would be there. The newborn child would have been already asleep. My brother, though in IInd Std, would be sleepy. My mother would start singing a song loudly, without any tune or rhythm. I would sit on the cot, wrapping cloth over my body and head. I couldn't be able to join her in the song. Then she would start prayer. I knew the prayer but couldn't utter a word. She prayed at the peak of her voice and at times she would look at me scornfully. In Sunday School, I had already learnt evening prayer and morning prayer. But in my home, I couldn't utter a word ! "Is it the way to pray ? No". My mind would always remind me that this was not the way to pray.
Besides, I didn't realise that I was entering the adolescence stage and there was noone to guide me.
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