Unlike the usual stigma, I loved Mondays, this second
semester I woke up happily on Monday mornings. Monday was Kendra day.
15minutes away from Manipal in Indrali, a small, shrubby locale, located alongside a rail tack is
a Yakshagana Kendra. The Kendra is a dance institute for the
colourful dance form of Yakshagana
and is also a housing for around 35 under privileged children. These children
were usually kids from close by villages with either single parents or with
parents who couldn’t afford their education. The keeper and owner of the
Kendra, whom we address affectionately as Guruji,
is a selfless,kind and considerate man who has taken in-charge of these
children.
The children there have a well sorted out daily schedule.
All of them go to school in the mornings and after a little relaxation once
they’re back, they practise Yakshagana.
In the evening, From 5 o clock to around 8 o clock is their study time, where a
few of my classmates and I come into picture in their lives.
Since all of them come from an illiterate background and for
a fact the quality of education in a government school is not very high, a few
of us volunteer to help them out with that extra help they need with their
academics.
An initiative by a classmate Nadia Narayanan and her very enthusiastic
mother, we, a few students go there every Monday and Thursday for 2 hours.
Initially a lot of us had a problem connecting to the children because of the
language barrier, but like they say, if you really want to do something you can
always find a way.
I was specifically assigned to teach English to two very amazing,
talented kids, Rohit and Sushant. Both belonging to the 9th standard
needed extra help with their English lessons. Me, not being very fluent with
their language, kannada was a little
hindrance. But somewhere down the line the three of us figured out a way to
understand what each of us was trying to say. Rohit said, someday he wishes to
join the army or be a police office. Sushant, being very passionate about his dance,
wanted to become a professional Yakshagana
artist.
Both of them put in their
best efforts to study and undoubtedly improved every single class.
Towards the end of every session, we played for a little,
pranked for a bit had a laugh and bid a happy goodbye.
Phil Collins once said, ‘In learning you will teach and in
teaching you will learn’. Without doubt I did. Twice a week, we spent time with
these amazingly talented kids and I’m not very sure how far I was successful in
trying to help them learn but I definitely did learn a lot.
Primarily and most importantly those kids there, taught me
how to be happy, to be happy with what you have and what you’re given. They
taught me how to appreciate simple things. To be grateful, humble, tolerant and
patient.
Every single time I
met them, every single time their faces lit up when they saw me come, every
single time they gave me a right answer, and every single time they asked when
they would see me again I cannot put in words the satisfaction or happiness I felt.
PADMANAYAKI
CHELIKANI
