This is the story of me being in 8th standard of my school. I and my friends in the class hate the History lecture. This subject was the most hated among the other subjects and same goes with the teacher. She was from Kolkata and Bengali accent could easily be felt in her voice. Only thing which was common between us was the interest. She was not interested to teach and so we were not interested to learn. One day we were informed that a professor will come to meet us tomorrow. He was a history professor in the best college of the city. Still, the subject history was most hated.
Being in school we were not suppose to go home or bunk the lecture. Our time was dependent on bus timing. Once you are in the premises’ you can leave it only when the bus come, else be there and sit on the last bench.
We were in premises’ that day and ran to grab the last bench. People use to fight most of the times as who will get the last bench. The one who misses it sits on the first row. We call them warrior. Because when they still feel sleepy and they can’t close their eyes. I was lucky one who got the sit on the last row.
A short figure, old age, silver hair entered in the class and everyone stood up. He smiled and said sit down. He asked few question about us and was walking in the middle of two set of benches. This path was the area on which teacher can reach up to the last student while teaching.
He asked whether we like the subject or not. No one answers. He again asked now everyone said ‘No’. He took the book and pulled out a topic related to Ashoka. He told us about his childhood, he becoming the greatest warrior in the Indian history. He went on saying and we kept listening. Everyone was imagining as part of the story and 2hrs went so fast that no one thought of. We haven’t heard lectures like that in the past. It was fantastic. After the lecture he asked again, do we like the subject? We said ‘YES’.
What exactly happened was not magical. Subject we hated most was never interesting for us. It was the way he taught us. Doing work daily make us monotonous but still we had to complete the work. What a good leader need is make the work interesting such that people should enjoy. They should feel being part of it.
I have learnt the lecture and learnt from what happened. If you need to bound the people around you and make them happy with the work, just make it interesting.
There would be no back benchers again.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Mango Shower
They say mangoes come here after mango showers. In my childhood, I did not know what is meant by the mango shower, exactly. The only thing about mangoes I knew was, in May after the schools are over we will board the train to Bettiah, my home. Place of copious mangos. Home surrounded by 15-20 mango trees of different species a heaven for mango lover like me.
We usually have plenty of mangoes stored in a dedicated room for mangos. This room was intentionally open for 24 hr so that anybody anytime want to eat them they can just walk in the room pick as many as they want. I quote the word “intentionally” is to eat the fruit before it gets unpalatable. Therefore, mangos were showered from trees for us and for me this was the mango shower.
That day we were playing Hide and seek on the roof. I was hiding behind a small water tank. Behind me there was a mango tree which had most famous mango specie in the state. I turned for a moment looking to the tree and saw a yellow dot behind green leafs. This was visible from this particular angle only. I somehow went and climbed the tree to reach that hanging fruit. I took that mango to kitchen and was shock to know the fact that it was the first fruit, which ripped on that tree in that season. I felt proud being the first person to eat it and what else a mango lover need. But suddenly that moment turned into melancholy when I was told to cut it in at least 10 pices and serve to elder as a first fruit. I was wistful. I fought on issue that I am not going to give this to anyone. After this fight I was taught a long lecture that I should share this. It was as if like I had found big treasure and need to share with everyone. I was thinking what I did. After long discussion it was cut in at least 12 small pieces and I got one and another one I manage to get, so I had two of them.
I remember that taste. What a fruit it was. Awesome! I still search the same taste in mangoes in my city but I dint find any.
This is May end. I have heard that mangoes are on full strength again in Bettiah. But I can only remember the taste of mango sitting in front of my personal computer.
We usually have plenty of mangoes stored in a dedicated room for mangos. This room was intentionally open for 24 hr so that anybody anytime want to eat them they can just walk in the room pick as many as they want. I quote the word “intentionally” is to eat the fruit before it gets unpalatable. Therefore, mangos were showered from trees for us and for me this was the mango shower.
That day we were playing Hide and seek on the roof. I was hiding behind a small water tank. Behind me there was a mango tree which had most famous mango specie in the state. I turned for a moment looking to the tree and saw a yellow dot behind green leafs. This was visible from this particular angle only. I somehow went and climbed the tree to reach that hanging fruit. I took that mango to kitchen and was shock to know the fact that it was the first fruit, which ripped on that tree in that season. I felt proud being the first person to eat it and what else a mango lover need. But suddenly that moment turned into melancholy when I was told to cut it in at least 10 pices and serve to elder as a first fruit. I was wistful. I fought on issue that I am not going to give this to anyone. After this fight I was taught a long lecture that I should share this. It was as if like I had found big treasure and need to share with everyone. I was thinking what I did. After long discussion it was cut in at least 12 small pieces and I got one and another one I manage to get, so I had two of them.
I remember that taste. What a fruit it was. Awesome! I still search the same taste in mangoes in my city but I dint find any.
This is May end. I have heard that mangoes are on full strength again in Bettiah. But I can only remember the taste of mango sitting in front of my personal computer.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Summer biking
Summer is always boring for me, it becomes killing in a long weekend and sitting Ideal at home for whole day and waiting for crepuscule so that I can go out for a long bike ride. I need reason for riding. Every opportunity of biking for long distance excites me. I am a sloth on the highway so enjoying the ride is first priority instead reaching early to the destination.
This trip was little spooky. On Saturday afternoon it came into reality that we are driving till Kashid and will kick off at 5PM. It was most exciting then rooming around the city. Being a sloth I was instructed to drive fast so that we would reach there early. I and my fellow biker started together but in between I lost him in my rear view mirror. I didn’t stopped thinking that he will catch me any time and in Lonavala were we were planned to meet another biker, so it was our first stop. In Lonavala I received a call from him saying there is smoke coming out of his engine so he will somehow manage to come to Lonaval and then decide what to do next. After a long drama it was finally decide that we will continue our ride he was instructed to ride a bit slow. So, now I was not the only slow rider as I had a company. Before reaching Alibag all bikers meet and decided that except me and companion all will head toward Kashid and get a room for us.
We reached Alibag at 9:30PM and tried calling others but there were out of reach. Somehow in Kashid we meet them at 10:30PM and went to the resort. Just were we parked the bike the sea winds were strong and the sound of waves hitting the shore were more loud. This might be because of full moon gravitational pull. There was no need to light the candle as the moon light was enough. We took the table and chair out in the beach near the sea and decided to take the dinner there. The sea waves were kissing our feet. This was best time I was enjoying. After dinner we started walking beside the shore at mid night the moonlight was on its full strength, we were talking and banter on each other. After a good walk we took out the bed sheet spread on the beach and slept near the sea shore on the sand. I looked at the sky it was full of stars and looking through my foot I can see the small lights which were the ships in the sea. It was full moon light and the enchanting breeze was giving an awesome feeling. We kept looking to the stars and talking. Later around 2:30PM we decided to go back to the cottage and sleep.
Next day morning around 6 o’clock we took a walk on the sea shore. After walk we went to a tea stall took a cup of tea and slept on the swing. After an hour we decided to move on as the sun started to get hotter and we need to return home soon. This was best trip I have enjoyed in such a short time.
This trip was little spooky. On Saturday afternoon it came into reality that we are driving till Kashid and will kick off at 5PM. It was most exciting then rooming around the city. Being a sloth I was instructed to drive fast so that we would reach there early. I and my fellow biker started together but in between I lost him in my rear view mirror. I didn’t stopped thinking that he will catch me any time and in Lonavala were we were planned to meet another biker, so it was our first stop. In Lonavala I received a call from him saying there is smoke coming out of his engine so he will somehow manage to come to Lonaval and then decide what to do next. After a long drama it was finally decide that we will continue our ride he was instructed to ride a bit slow. So, now I was not the only slow rider as I had a company. Before reaching Alibag all bikers meet and decided that except me and companion all will head toward Kashid and get a room for us.
We reached Alibag at 9:30PM and tried calling others but there were out of reach. Somehow in Kashid we meet them at 10:30PM and went to the resort. Just were we parked the bike the sea winds were strong and the sound of waves hitting the shore were more loud. This might be because of full moon gravitational pull. There was no need to light the candle as the moon light was enough. We took the table and chair out in the beach near the sea and decided to take the dinner there. The sea waves were kissing our feet. This was best time I was enjoying. After dinner we started walking beside the shore at mid night the moonlight was on its full strength, we were talking and banter on each other. After a good walk we took out the bed sheet spread on the beach and slept near the sea shore on the sand. I looked at the sky it was full of stars and looking through my foot I can see the small lights which were the ships in the sea. It was full moon light and the enchanting breeze was giving an awesome feeling. We kept looking to the stars and talking. Later around 2:30PM we decided to go back to the cottage and sleep.
Next day morning around 6 o’clock we took a walk on the sea shore. After walk we went to a tea stall took a cup of tea and slept on the swing. After an hour we decided to move on as the sun started to get hotter and we need to return home soon. This was best trip I have enjoyed in such a short time.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Somniloquy
Railway !! what is this? How you define Railways an Indian Railway? A metal container of dimension 20-30 feet long and 10 feet wide running on two parallel steel tracks. Have 3-4 different version of container and all the version of container connected to each other. What makes this long Train of containers special except being the mode of transportation for long journey?
I can suggest one answer. It’s is the only place where you live, eat ,talk and most important trust strangers whom you have just meet and prepare yourself to be with them at least for one day. I also travel by train alone and frankly I didn’t enjoy much. I usually speak less in train but what makes me to speak with traveler is there behavior in the train what I feel it is funny.
I was coming back to my working city from my hometown. I had my reservation so I left my home late to catch the train. Departure was fixed at 11 o’clock night. So my dinner was at my home, I think every passenger dose stomach full of dinner so that they can sleep like a top or sleep like a log in this train. I went to my berth in 2nd AC and kept my luggage under my seat and spread my bed sheet so that other passenger who are willing to sit on my berth should know that I will sleep soon. Train left and after an hour and half everyone went to sleep. Few people who sleep late were awake and talking. My neighbor was a student and he also went to sleep soon. In mid night I was awake by a harsh sound like something sparked. People were watching the ceiling and searching what happened. The sudden spike had fused the bulb. I ignored it and slept again. After few hours suddenly I heard someone saying something in a female voice. I opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark every were. The sound was still coming like a lady crying and suddenly saying something and laughing. I was horrified. I looked closely around and discovered that the student was talking in sleep. A Somniloquy. Somehow I managed to sleep.
Next day I woke up and had my tea. In afternoon I started talking with him asked about his whereabouts. He was holding a book titled “Ghost Stories”. I asked are these stories true. He smiled. I said to myself which ghost was in your dream last night. Both of us have to reach the same station which was schedule next day morning. The same night he was again repeating some dialogues of the book. This time I was well prepared not to get horrified and complete my sleep.
That incident is well bookmarked in my memories. It was nice to meet that boy and hope that next time he will carry a book in which stories are not of ghost but spiritual ones.
I can suggest one answer. It’s is the only place where you live, eat ,talk and most important trust strangers whom you have just meet and prepare yourself to be with them at least for one day. I also travel by train alone and frankly I didn’t enjoy much. I usually speak less in train but what makes me to speak with traveler is there behavior in the train what I feel it is funny.
I was coming back to my working city from my hometown. I had my reservation so I left my home late to catch the train. Departure was fixed at 11 o’clock night. So my dinner was at my home, I think every passenger dose stomach full of dinner so that they can sleep like a top or sleep like a log in this train. I went to my berth in 2nd AC and kept my luggage under my seat and spread my bed sheet so that other passenger who are willing to sit on my berth should know that I will sleep soon. Train left and after an hour and half everyone went to sleep. Few people who sleep late were awake and talking. My neighbor was a student and he also went to sleep soon. In mid night I was awake by a harsh sound like something sparked. People were watching the ceiling and searching what happened. The sudden spike had fused the bulb. I ignored it and slept again. After few hours suddenly I heard someone saying something in a female voice. I opened my eyes and looked around. It was dark every were. The sound was still coming like a lady crying and suddenly saying something and laughing. I was horrified. I looked closely around and discovered that the student was talking in sleep. A Somniloquy. Somehow I managed to sleep.
Next day I woke up and had my tea. In afternoon I started talking with him asked about his whereabouts. He was holding a book titled “Ghost Stories”. I asked are these stories true. He smiled. I said to myself which ghost was in your dream last night. Both of us have to reach the same station which was schedule next day morning. The same night he was again repeating some dialogues of the book. This time I was well prepared not to get horrified and complete my sleep.
That incident is well bookmarked in my memories. It was nice to meet that boy and hope that next time he will carry a book in which stories are not of ghost but spiritual ones.
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