"Good Morning Teacher!!"
A bunch of kids greeting me in their chorus sing song, and all standing in unison, and that's what Saturday morning brings for me.They are just like the other kids you've come across..some smiling, some shying away from your inquisitive glances, some wanting to come closer and have a tete-a-tete, and then some Einstiens's lost in their own dream world..sounds like just another primary school class setup, right..but may be not.Unlike you and me, they are the kids of those slum dwelling construction workers, who keep changing places because of their changing jobs. As a result, their kids can't have a formal education, and are deprived of this very basic need.
But not always, if you have a SMILE school around:)
SMILE schools are an initiative of Samyukta Foundation, which cater to the educational needs of such children.These schools have permanent faculty, that teaches children six days a week.
And we, a couple of folks, go to these schools every Saturday morning to see, how the children are progressing, and track individual children of their progress.Some of the brighter folks make it to permanent schools as well, and believe me, the sense of introducing a child to the world of knowledge is so fulfilling.
I started doing this only a couple of weeks back, and it wasn't an easy thing for me initially to get out of my bed at 9 on a Saturday morning, when you would instead like to loll cosily, after a hectic week at office, and when you got to sleep only at 2 on the Friday night. Believe me, for the first time, I had to use all my will power to do so..and then there was the dreaded language issue..the kids don't understand Hindi or English, and I have no doubts on my Telugu proficiency.
So I thought, I might not continue this for long...but dunno what kept me motivated, and I am glad, it did:)
I look forward to Saturday mornings now, waiting to be greeted by those smiles. These kids are from a different background. They look different, and some of them don't even take a bath regularly..Most of the time, its rags that make up for their school uniform, and some of them have slates in one hand, and a younger sibling's finger in another. Yet they are as innocent as any other kid..and the pleasant fact is that they love to learn..in fact, more so than their privileged counterparts..probably because when you don't get something easily, you learn to appreciate it more. A shack for a school, with no electricity, and these kids learn there..all motivated, all set to work.
They introduce you to a different world..a world of needs, worries, and uncertainties..and also to a world of hope..one where they would some day be fulfilling others's needs..and one where they would stand up for themselves.
I go there, teach them all using gestures, chalks, and slates,.. and bring back a few smiles in return...and all the effort is worth it!!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Smile Please!!
After a looong time, its time to do nothing:)..I am OOF(Out of office) for NINE whole days..wohoooo!!
Nine days of doing Nothin...eating..lolling happily in the bed...freaking out..and chilling!
And when I say chilling..need to mention my trip to snow world yesterday..Priya's here at Hyderabad, so early in the morning yesterday(that was at 1 p.m.), madam demanded that we visit the famous Snow world..and we set off!
After a gruelling time between the Hyd traffic, we managed to reach the place, shelled out some 600 odd bucks for tickets, and after all the wait in the queue, we found the whole setup utterly disgusting...there was no snow, and the place was not at all maintained...I was kinda feeling cheated for all the effort, time and money.
But then, something happened that made my day..and I am still smiling thinking about it.
The snow world shows are hourly, and they batch people for each show. Apart from us, our batch comprised mostly of couples aged 65-70, and they were a big group. It was sheer joy to see them enjoying the whole thing with a child like hullabaloo, trodding in their long jackets, gloves, and snow boots. They were playing merrily like a bunch of kids just released from school..jumping, enjoying rides, and even snow boarding!!
And while I and Priya were figuring out what next, I suddenly heard a really cute "Smile Please!"..Curious, I turned around...and there was a pair of toothless smiles awaiting!!
One of the elderly couples was posing for photographs, and an old 'daddu' was trying to set the right pose for them.."uh..aise nahi, haath pakdo, aur thoda sa Smile Please": I heard him say.
They smiled.
I smiled too!
Nine days of doing Nothin...eating..lolling happily in the bed...freaking out..and chilling!
And when I say chilling..need to mention my trip to snow world yesterday..Priya's here at Hyderabad, so early in the morning yesterday(that was at 1 p.m.), madam demanded that we visit the famous Snow world..and we set off!
After a gruelling time between the Hyd traffic, we managed to reach the place, shelled out some 600 odd bucks for tickets, and after all the wait in the queue, we found the whole setup utterly disgusting...there was no snow, and the place was not at all maintained...I was kinda feeling cheated for all the effort, time and money.
But then, something happened that made my day..and I am still smiling thinking about it.
The snow world shows are hourly, and they batch people for each show. Apart from us, our batch comprised mostly of couples aged 65-70, and they were a big group. It was sheer joy to see them enjoying the whole thing with a child like hullabaloo, trodding in their long jackets, gloves, and snow boots. They were playing merrily like a bunch of kids just released from school..jumping, enjoying rides, and even snow boarding!!
And while I and Priya were figuring out what next, I suddenly heard a really cute "Smile Please!"..Curious, I turned around...and there was a pair of toothless smiles awaiting!!
One of the elderly couples was posing for photographs, and an old 'daddu' was trying to set the right pose for them.."uh..aise nahi, haath pakdo, aur thoda sa Smile Please": I heard him say.
They smiled.
I smiled too!
Friday, August 15, 2008
Reviving the lost freedom!
I woke up to the sounds of "Jhanda Ooncha Rahe Hamara" today morning from the nearby school..and in a flash..all of the memories of this special day that I have nurtured since childhood came alive...and then I was wondering..how my definition of "FREEDOM" has changed over time.
Long back, at kindergarten, "FREEDOM" was something to be celebrated by drawing a tricolor using pastels, and taking it to school, all dressed up for the parade, early in the morning. Of course, I am not forgetting the boondi laddoos, we used to get in return, after listening to hours of patriotic speeches, and songs.
Then came the next stage, when the idea of INDEPENDENCE day started meaning a Holiday. I remember celebrating many such independence days with family, and friends all going to a picninc spot. Of course, the patriotic songs now got replaced with Antakshari, and tambola games.
Growing up further, all my NCERT books taught me the freedom struggle, and the sacrifices people made to make India a free country. Henceforth, I would remember those freedom fighters in great awe, and thank God, that the Britishers have left.
Then there came a time at high school, when I wrote speeches to mark this day. .and then practised for hours in front of the mirror, making sure, I do not mess up, on the D-day. I still remember my trembling feet, when I gave my first Independence Day speech in front of an entire school..my nerves shaking, and my hands wet with sweat, even in the month of August.
By now, I had started appreciating this day, and its significance in the life of Indians..and to me, it meant an occasion that NEEDS to be celebrated...But then my little heart was shattered as I started realising, that in essence to most people, this day does not mean more than a public holiday, a dry day, and a day to savour free laddoos, or a day to make some money by selling tricolors at traffic signals, and that most people even don't realise that this is a special day..Believe me, I was in tears, when I realised the apathy of people towards this day for the first time..even wrote a poem pouring all that I felt on paper..I was probably too shielded from the real world problems to understand that you can't celebrate freedom, when you have needs like food and clothing to worry about..and when you don't know, when you'll be having your next meal, and when you have a leaking roof that needs to be catered more importantly, than celebrating freedom...So freedom loses all meaning without the basic needs being addressed.
We were not a free country in my eyes now.
As time passed by, I found myself guilty of losing my childhood perspective on this subject, and was facing the obvious consequences of growing up, and getting more individualistic at the same time.
For me, 'MY' freedom was precious..freedom to do what I want to do in Life, freedom to skip prayers at home, freedom to go to movies at will...But there was a growing anguish inside...when I started learning, that I can't do all that I want..and that I am bound by the family, and society at large to make sure, my actions do not break their medieval aged rituals, and their hard set of unshakable rules which never made any sense to me...
Neither India was free, nor I was.
And then it was the last weekend I finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Set in the backdrop of Afghanistan, the novel is a devastating tale of two women who endure the unendurable at each and every step in their lives..You start reading the book, and a lump starts growing in your throat..and just when you start thinking..nothing worse can happen..you are thrown into the next piece of wreckage.Even the basic human rights were denied to these women under the Taliban regime.The atrocities that they tolerated during that time are enough to make your hair raised at ends..
Turning every fresh page made me realize how much more FREE I am..how much more blessed I am..and the almost dead, hopeless freedom suddenly got resurrected with a new, fresh face.
Happy Independence Day!!
Long back, at kindergarten, "FREEDOM" was something to be celebrated by drawing a tricolor using pastels, and taking it to school, all dressed up for the parade, early in the morning. Of course, I am not forgetting the boondi laddoos, we used to get in return, after listening to hours of patriotic speeches, and songs.
Then came the next stage, when the idea of INDEPENDENCE day started meaning a Holiday. I remember celebrating many such independence days with family, and friends all going to a picninc spot. Of course, the patriotic songs now got replaced with Antakshari, and tambola games.
Growing up further, all my NCERT books taught me the freedom struggle, and the sacrifices people made to make India a free country. Henceforth, I would remember those freedom fighters in great awe, and thank God, that the Britishers have left.
Then there came a time at high school, when I wrote speeches to mark this day. .and then practised for hours in front of the mirror, making sure, I do not mess up, on the D-day. I still remember my trembling feet, when I gave my first Independence Day speech in front of an entire school..my nerves shaking, and my hands wet with sweat, even in the month of August.
By now, I had started appreciating this day, and its significance in the life of Indians..and to me, it meant an occasion that NEEDS to be celebrated...But then my little heart was shattered as I started realising, that in essence to most people, this day does not mean more than a public holiday, a dry day, and a day to savour free laddoos, or a day to make some money by selling tricolors at traffic signals, and that most people even don't realise that this is a special day..Believe me, I was in tears, when I realised the apathy of people towards this day for the first time..even wrote a poem pouring all that I felt on paper..I was probably too shielded from the real world problems to understand that you can't celebrate freedom, when you have needs like food and clothing to worry about..and when you don't know, when you'll be having your next meal, and when you have a leaking roof that needs to be catered more importantly, than celebrating freedom...So freedom loses all meaning without the basic needs being addressed.
We were not a free country in my eyes now.
As time passed by, I found myself guilty of losing my childhood perspective on this subject, and was facing the obvious consequences of growing up, and getting more individualistic at the same time.
For me, 'MY' freedom was precious..freedom to do what I want to do in Life, freedom to skip prayers at home, freedom to go to movies at will...But there was a growing anguish inside...when I started learning, that I can't do all that I want..and that I am bound by the family, and society at large to make sure, my actions do not break their medieval aged rituals, and their hard set of unshakable rules which never made any sense to me...
Neither India was free, nor I was.
And then it was the last weekend I finished reading A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Set in the backdrop of Afghanistan, the novel is a devastating tale of two women who endure the unendurable at each and every step in their lives..You start reading the book, and a lump starts growing in your throat..and just when you start thinking..nothing worse can happen..you are thrown into the next piece of wreckage.Even the basic human rights were denied to these women under the Taliban regime.The atrocities that they tolerated during that time are enough to make your hair raised at ends..
Turning every fresh page made me realize how much more FREE I am..how much more blessed I am..and the almost dead, hopeless freedom suddenly got resurrected with a new, fresh face.
Happy Independence Day!!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
What is love?
Well..this one's an excerpt from the internet..a survey was conducted on what love meant to kids ..and the replies were more profound, and close to heart than what we grown ups can think...couldn't resist posting it here:)
See what you think:
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when hands got arthritis too. That's love"
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on cologne and they go out and smell each other"
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired"
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK"
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday"
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well"
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore"
"My mommy loves me more than anybody.You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night"
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken"
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and says he is handsomer than Robert Redford"
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day"
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones"
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an imagination!!!)
Amazing..eh!! So what's your definition of love??
See what you think:
"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when hands got arthritis too. That's love"
"When someone loves you, the way they say your name different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth."
"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on cologne and they go out and smell each other"
"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of French fries without making them give you any of theirs."
"Love is what makes you smile when you're tired"
"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK"
"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday"
"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well"
"During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore"
"My mommy loves me more than anybody.You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night"
"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken"
"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and says he is handsomer than Robert Redford"
"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day"
"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones"
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." (what an imagination!!!)
Amazing..eh!! So what's your definition of love??
Seven things I can't stand
1. The mention of my marriage to my mummy by my mummy's aunt's chacha's bahu's friend. I mean boss..mind your own lives..your nose ends where mine begins.
2. Women bitching about their in-laws(Well that's the most common breed)..or anybody else for that matter.
3. Lizards..eeeeexx!!
4. Kids acting too grown up for their age.
5. Saas bahu serials.
6. Intrusion in my space..its sacred to me.
7. Bugs in my code!!!
2. Women bitching about their in-laws(Well that's the most common breed)..or anybody else for that matter.
3. Lizards..eeeeexx!!
4. Kids acting too grown up for their age.
5. Saas bahu serials.
6. Intrusion in my space..its sacred to me.
7. Bugs in my code!!!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Rant time
God!! I have been off blogging for such a loooooooooong time..in fact I have been off so many things I love to do for weeks now:(
Huh..this software industry does strange things to people...and to sum up..life gets constrained within a few coffee sips from the pantry...bundled up with those outlook calendars...and oh..not to mention the deadlines hanging with them...and on top of giving your life and blood to it, you end up being a "RESOURCE"..Oh how I hate that term..kinda lends me a non-living character..and to worsen it all..suddenly everybody starts talking about your marriage..Damn!!!
Seems only one of them can survive at a given time..either the project..or my hypothetical projected marriage that happens every time I plan to go home...
Now, now..i know I am cribbing..its not that bad after all..with all "so fat pay packets to flaunt"..so what if you don't have the time and energy to spend it after slogging your guts out for an eternity...
Wait..cribbing again!
Let me start afresh..am I doing this job for money..or do I really like it?
I guess the answer is "Both". Yes there's this financial independence which I won't give up at any cost, but then every piece of code that runs gives me this sense of achievement..and to be honest..as long as I am sitting in front of my comp coding..its just plain fun..every bit of it.
The only issue I see here is that too much of any thing can be obnoxious..and that includes code.
Guess..I am not working this weekend..not logging into my dev machine at office anymore...no more of .NET and Sharepoint going in my head..and that's a promise to myself...but oh..I just got some mail..Be Right back!!
Huh..this software industry does strange things to people...and to sum up..life gets constrained within a few coffee sips from the pantry...bundled up with those outlook calendars...and oh..not to mention the deadlines hanging with them...and on top of giving your life and blood to it, you end up being a "RESOURCE"..Oh how I hate that term..kinda lends me a non-living character..and to worsen it all..suddenly everybody starts talking about your marriage..Damn!!!
Seems only one of them can survive at a given time..either the project..or my hypothetical projected marriage that happens every time I plan to go home...
Now, now..i know I am cribbing..its not that bad after all..with all "so fat pay packets to flaunt"..so what if you don't have the time and energy to spend it after slogging your guts out for an eternity...
Wait..cribbing again!
Let me start afresh..am I doing this job for money..or do I really like it?
I guess the answer is "Both". Yes there's this financial independence which I won't give up at any cost, but then every piece of code that runs gives me this sense of achievement..and to be honest..as long as I am sitting in front of my comp coding..its just plain fun..every bit of it.
The only issue I see here is that too much of any thing can be obnoxious..and that includes code.
Guess..I am not working this weekend..not logging into my dev machine at office anymore...no more of .NET and Sharepoint going in my head..and that's a promise to myself...but oh..I just got some mail..Be Right back!!
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Mis-adventures of Kodeez 1.0-Part2
In the previous post, I just scratched the surface of what all happened during our Ooty trip..
N here's an add-on by Pallo, read on:
"But no , as if that was not enough , amid passing thoughts of getting back to Bangalore from nowhere, we half-heartedly decided to go to Ooty which was some 150 km (4hr) from that place( I dunno the name).
We took a local bus to Ooty that jostled us all through the way amid scenic beauty.
Upon reaching we were all charged as though all that misadventure of the night gone by had never happened.
Not that Ooty was not great, but we are dare devils of the kind that if together even in hell, would say “chal yar Yamraj ke maze lete hain” …
Our tryst with destiny (pronounced dhesstinyyy) did not stop here. During the motorboat ride in Pykara Lake the boat came to a grueling halt in the middle of it.. our songs (mile sur mera tumhara) soon changed to Hanuman Chalisa to bring us back to the shore... At least it did not develop a snag after refueling… (as our TT did)
The train from Connoor to Ooty also deserves a mention… we had a local rustic experience right between us (quite literally) the culprit again was a TT ;-) We could not catch a glimpse of each other, let alone have a dekko at the tunnels n waterfalls the train passes through.
Later the auto rickshaw I was in, displayed hiccups but somehow managed till the bus station.
No, alls not well yet… we boarded the bus to Bangalore …settled our huge luggage …found that was a wrong one … moved to another amid commotion.
That bus ride … Omigod ….we were so be-bus inside it….had we not held tightly to our seats , there were chances we were found off them / exchanged places with others …
This trip seemed to have been testing us on our commuting skills…"
N here's an add-on by Pallo, read on:
"But no , as if that was not enough , amid passing thoughts of getting back to Bangalore from nowhere, we half-heartedly decided to go to Ooty which was some 150 km (4hr) from that place( I dunno the name).
We took a local bus to Ooty that jostled us all through the way amid scenic beauty.
Upon reaching we were all charged as though all that misadventure of the night gone by had never happened.
Not that Ooty was not great, but we are dare devils of the kind that if together even in hell, would say “chal yar Yamraj ke maze lete hain” …
Our tryst with destiny (pronounced dhesstinyyy) did not stop here. During the motorboat ride in Pykara Lake the boat came to a grueling halt in the middle of it.. our songs (mile sur mera tumhara) soon changed to Hanuman Chalisa to bring us back to the shore... At least it did not develop a snag after refueling… (as our TT did)
The train from Connoor to Ooty also deserves a mention… we had a local rustic experience right between us (quite literally) the culprit again was a TT ;-) We could not catch a glimpse of each other, let alone have a dekko at the tunnels n waterfalls the train passes through.
Later the auto rickshaw I was in, displayed hiccups but somehow managed till the bus station.
No, alls not well yet… we boarded the bus to Bangalore …settled our huge luggage …found that was a wrong one … moved to another amid commotion.
That bus ride … Omigod ….we were so be-bus inside it….had we not held tightly to our seats , there were chances we were found off them / exchanged places with others …
This trip seemed to have been testing us on our commuting skills…"
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