Blogger Chat » Subhashree

IDEA

Subhashree — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 19:07:05 +0000

The prominent question which all of us, at least most of us would have asked during our childhood was” why do we have to learn this?”,“is it really that useful to?” Frankly, I did. Right from Ashoka laid the pillar to Preparation of Ammonium Chloride, I have always wondered why I got to read that up. But as days passed by I understood, it was indeed necessary to have learnt why Ashoka laid that pillar. Recently, while I was preparing for my semester, I had Law papers to write, I pondered, as to why I should cramp things in Law. Law was not all about by hearting, it is about understanding. Hence, I see the same pattern of questions running through these generations too.
It was one afternoon, while I was washed off from reading Legal History and Contracts; I sat there staring at those kids opposite to my house. Those opposite neighbors run a small crèche. Kids from 3 years to 7 years are left there by working class people while few more kids come for tuitions. While I was staring at the house that reflected the rays of the scorching heat, a boy was leaning on the wall, legs stretched and by hearting some stuff. So much out of curiosity, I moved out of my house, opened the gate to hear the answers clearly. The boy was reading Geography. It was about the solar eclipse. It reminded about my days at the fourth grade when I read them. Leaving my old memories behind, I stood in front of the gate to see why the boy took so much time to finish that one page. Knowing that he is trying to by heart, I went to my mom and explained the scenario. She nodded with assent. But I did not want that boy to read it without understanding it. I have always noticed that, when we read a novel or a fiction we try and associate our real life to the story to get much deeper in to the story. But when it comes to text books, we just cramp it for the heck of giving the exams and passing the same. Although in reality we cannot associate calculus and a butterfly to our life, certainly we do can sometimes associate certain subjects to characters. When I told this to my mom, she never really thought this would work out. I approached the teacher who took tuitions for those kids. I told her the IDEA of associating things to real life and teach the kids. By this she could easily convey the matter and the kids would retain the things not merely for exams but for their life too!

She tried from the next morning to teach by associating but she miserably failed. She never really made the kids understand the subject. Keeping my exams aside I thought I should do something about this. I took the lead. I went the next morning, and sat on the teacher’s desk. The students were surprised. So far, they knew me only as a neighbor, but now I was their teacher. I went ahead teaching them about the very same solar eclipse. It was something like this:

“Everything was very weird that day! It was dark, the sky was red. It took a long time for me to wake up and I was looked up on as a scary creature. I once believed I was the greatest in the entire universe. I thought nothing would work or move without my exertion of strength, power. The pride and the legacy that I held for years were going to get shattered that day. I saw him, my little brother, getting ready to retaliate on me. I could not justify his retaliation. He felt he was not given all importance; does not wield as much strength as I do. He never changed or was a cause for change. The spring tides might wait for him but nothing else I cogitated once. But never have I disrespected him. Come on we brought human life. Without us nothing goes smooth. But my fate was sealed. I had to witness my gross death by my very own kin.The clock started ticking, and I was expecting my brother to appear before me to blow me off. They happily were preparing for my demise. My death was so welcomed by the world, which once considered me of some incarnation! Some take my blessings, some stalk me for hours. It was annoying and eerie when they sent stalkers to keep a track on my pace. I never despised, but this day! They called it remarkable, they called it a history. I was dying! How would it feel, when u know you’re going to die and the world would see and rejoice and yet you have to work till you die. What if I had shut off before I died? What would have happened, had I not shown up one day? They never thought of all that. I see the flowers, bees, birds, and clouds as happy as ever. My counterpart was getting ready to blow me off, and take my position, my pride, the legacy that I was holding on to. It was not scared, for I am not afraid of death. It was not one or two years but forty years for him to avenge his anger on me. Every day I turn back to my place after my fulfilled day, I have never seen my brother wait for me to treat me with greet. It read 10:50 A.M. I was beating for my life. I could not take this, I would mind if the cloud covers me, the wind blowing me. But my very own brother who perpetually held the universe and dominated to great heights shook my soul. I was burning; the clouds and sky became dark. I saw my brother approaching me. He was as young as ever. His pure heart reflected on his very appearance. Jealousy, the lust for taking my power, my vigor, and my pride was seen in his eyes. I smiled at him, as I did not want to disappoint him. I stood still there. I gazed at his white face as it has been years since I saw it. He approached my boundary surrounded by fire; the time was 10.59 A.M and in another wink I was going to be engulfed in his arms and the world would rejoice this moment. People gathered and hailed to see this very moment that is happening after forty years in the history. My death was very slow unlike before. It was painfully long. Four hours of painful engulfment to death. Winds stopped, it was dark all of a sudden. I surrendered for my greedy brother happily. He blew me off. My death was captured. Those alien creatures and stalkers surrounded my half dead debris and spread their metallic rods. I smiled and resented the moment. Before i disappeared, he looked at me and said,” see you, i am born after you die”. And I was gone. The dark night prevailed. I took a new birth the next day. I shined again!”

I started as a story, comparing the Sun and the Moon, as two brothers. The very same guy, now knew solar eclipse beyond those books and pages. The IDEA indeed worked. Sometimes in life, we never know when we are a student and when we are a master. But whichever character we take, the IDEA of doing it to the best should never go!

Valentine’s Day

Subhashree — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 11:01:33 +0000

She lastly signed her death form. She signed and ended the signature with a raised smiley. He had tears in his eyes but controlled it, her boy friend. In two days its Valentine’s Day and they are in the local hospital. She was admitted for the last time, by last because she reached her terminal stage of cancer. Those scissors and cotton balls must have reminded of her crafts teacher. They gave her anesthesia to relieve her from the pain that she had under gone for almost six long dry months. He has unconditionally been there with her, throughout her grueling cancer period. This is going to be her last few days. She was deep in her sleep. He took the doctor out and warned everyone from the doctor to the nurse and the maids not to show up with a sad, serious face. He changed the entire setup of the room. He covered the room with her favorite pictures, changed the wall screens, and scented the room with her favorite room spray. When she woke up, she was puzzled to see the entire room changed. He disposed off all her medicines which she was having it every day for all those six months. He brought her pretty clothes to wear and played good music. Before going to bed she asked him for medicines. He ran his fingers in to her beautiful black hair and said she has almost recovered and medicines are no more going to be her food. She smiled with joy and prayed God. She told him that her prayers did not go in vain. He nodded, smiled at her innocence and kissed her forehead. He read out some fashion weeks and some novels before putting her to sleep. He chocked in between while reading but managed his fine tone and composure. He slept right next to her. It was February 14^th and he woke up early in the morning, got her beautiful flowers, a mixture of all vibrant colors. She slowly opened her eyes and he stood in front of her with a wide smile and flowers in his hands. She sat up with tears in her eyes. She kissed his cheeks and kept the flowers near her. He said it’s their fifth year of dating and held his fore arm to his chest. Her beautiful eyes looked tiny now covered with dark circles. Her flawless cheeks looked sober and dull. She was very weak yet she believed she has recovered. She asked him as to when they would be leaving. He promised her they would be vacating the hospital this night and they would soon get married by the country side. She was overjoyed by his words. He could not control his tears, so he left the room saying he has some talks with the doctor regarding her discharge. He went to the vivid garden down the hospital. He sat there for hours looking at their couple photos and her love letters and her personal diary. He finally cried, after six months. His strong heart which believed she would recover and come back to his life finally yielded to tears. He saw an eighty year old man in the end of the park. He sat next to him and poured down his entire grief. He lied on his lap and burst in to tears. The man said she is too lucky to have him. But she never could hence have him. He rubbed his teary eyes and left to the room. The evenfall, he played some music for her and went through some books. She asked him for some water. She complained of pain in her stomach. As the night fell, the pain became gross and unbearable. She cried of gruesome pain. The doctors rushed inside and did the necessary. He could not see her like that. He left the room and stood outside. After 15 minutes, the doc came out with tears. He hugged him and said “O, boy! She is gone! But never from your heart.” He cried loudly. He cried so long as he could. He then entered the room and went near her. He kissed her cheek and forehead. He noticed a small note beside her. It read:” Honey, I know you lied about my recovery. I am not angry at you for that. I too pretended to be happy; I did not want to disappoint you. I knew God would not answer my prayer this time. I had always got everything whatever I wished for. I was very greedy and asked him for a life long journey with a guy like you. But unfortunately I am leaving you in the middle of the journey. Hope you forgive me for this. Thank you for those beautiful pictures, music, clothes and flowers. I will always be there for you unconditionally though not physically. I love you!”

He held the note and lied next to her crying. Few months later, he recovered from his grief. He visited her grave every weekend. He listened to her favorite music and went to bed reading her note that she left for him near her death bed every night. And he placed some good flowers in a glass cup near his table, which had the same water that she sipped and left it near her table in the hospital before her demise.

Life is not all that fair. It gives you one big precious thing but you cannot live with it for a long time. It is like, you have a huge chocolate pan cake before you but you’re handless. And it is very rare to find someone like Him to feed you that pancake without asking for a share in it. It was indeed a rare yet a lovely valentine’s day.