page 3 ( 58 ) The beginning of Std IX

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     We were eagerly waiting to enter IXth Std.  There was a reason behind it.  In the Biology textbook, there was a lesson, 'Reproductive System' and a sketch of a woman who is pregnant with her womb and the foetus inside.  When I got the textbook, I read it at once, understood everything but I hesitated how our Teacher would present it in our class.  I think it was the 2nd or 3rd chapter.  Jancy Teacher came to our class with all her finesse.  She was a very bold and courageous lady.  She started her class, we were in an excited mood.  As our school was a mixed one, we couldn't look at the side of boys.  Our Teacher explained everything.  The class was progressing, there was complete silence, but Maya, who sat beside me, started laughing.  For sometime, the class was disturbed. When she became calm, the class continued.  

     On that day, after returning home, at about 07.00 p.m. or 07.30 p.m, my mother came to the front verandah and sat on a chair.  My sister was playing & running there.  She was a three year old child then, I neednot take her in my hands & help her to sleep.  Then I started to read the lesson loudly, contrary to my ordinary behaviour.  I was always a silent reader.  I behaved so because I wanted to inform my mother that I had already studied about reproductive system in humanbeings.  I could realise that she was listening to me silently & wonderfully.  While I was reading, suddenly a doubt came to my mind.  "How does the child come out of the body of the mother?", I asked loudly to my mother two or three times . I could see the feeling of surprise on her face.  I analysed my question many times but I didn't get an answer.  Then another thought came to my mind - Cesarean - the doctor could take the child from the womb of the mother.  But what happens in normal delivery ?  I understood that I had again defeated.  "There are many other things which are hidden from me, like menstruation", I thought.
     As I have already mentioned, I was a daydreamer.  Once I read an article based on science in Balarama  - the world in 2020.  By that time there would be no schools because each child could sit inside the house with the help of computer and learn.  There would be robots to do all the household works.  This portion attracted me vrery much because it is the first step towards the equality of women & men.  Both men & women could do the office work by sitting inside the house.  Then, the parents could take care of their children very easily.  The humans would reach the planet Mars or some of the satellites of Jupiter or Saturn.  Perhaps they could make colonies there - because on this Earth, population is increasing.  

     I wanted to become a scientist and had a special interest to learn about Space.  If the technology allowed, I could go to Moon, standing on the surface of the Moon, I could see the blue Earth on the sky.  How wondrous a scene it would be !  That thought thrills me even today! I could go and find out the secrets of Outer planets & the Keiper Belt.  And again,  if the technology developed much more, I & my spacecraft would escape from Sun's interaction and would make a search in our Milky Way and would escape from there and  travel among the galaxies, with the intention to find out life or water in any of the planets in the galaxies.   Then would I be fallen into a Black hole or attracted by a nearby galaxy ?  No.  My findings would be conveyed to Earth at the very moment in which I receive it.  Then I would continue my journey to the infinite Universe, to find out whether there is life or not.....