In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn

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 9^th 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