From my unborn identity to the age of now, I have seen things changing so fast. I have seen how people have become a deserted land, I have seen the changes in suspicious modernity, I have seen changes in “disgusted” culture, I have seen how before transplanting artificial body parts how everyone has become an artificial disease for himself/herself or for the society of human beings. But yes, that was a flip side of the whole story. A comfort life, a feel of freedom, an unwanted belief of my conscious mind are also the part of changes. Even I am also an example of the changed world.
May be we are of short term or long term memory but yes there are days or things or places which are there in our mind at an unallocated memory space. A different, a different place where I met so many humans of my kind who were just in this world with unintentional will. Yes, I am talking about first day in any school. Lots of kids with an unintentional will. And when they got together they created a different world. But they had to grow and they grown with and intension, with a will.
Mr Ramraaj Vaiskhi, a seventy year old person, who has lived his life with whatever he wanted, whatever will he had, whatever wish he wanted fulfill. A well known person, with overt thought, born in an unmanaged world but he managed everything in his life, a man with principles which is an unobvious example, residing with his wife Vaiskhi Ramraaj in Nirala Nagar, Raebareli district of Uttar Pradesh, an area known for people with wealth only, I think so. No one tried ever to look at that area with any other perspective and so I am too. You may laugh by reading the names; it was a proposal from Ramraaj after two years of their marriage. But why so? Vaiskhi’s father was a palmist and it was him who suggested to change name of Mr. Ramraaj. So, Mr. Ramraaj put a proposal to Vaiskhi to change their names. Isn't this romantic ….hmmmmm.
You can see a photo album of both of them and guess how romantic Mr. Ramraaj was. Though all the photos are black and white but on their faces there are colored expression and true emotions…not to pose just for photo the word “pose” wasn’t at that time in the English dictionary, I guess. That album was one of valuable assets of Mr. Ramraaj. And that house at Nirala Nagar that was ancestral, sometime we should go into depth of people known as wealthy.
Mr Ramraaj was a school teacher of Mathematics at Government Intermediate College. He has published few books of mathematics of 10th or 12th standards. Also, the books used in Governement School published by Government of Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Ramraaj is one of the authors. It has been around thirty two years for him being in Government Intermediate College and residing at his ancestral home, after completing his training for teaching and his first placement at Government Intermediate College, Pilibheet (The district comes under Uttarakhand now). He is well known in the society as well as in the district and because of his published books he is known in the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Like every plus has a minus, in this story as well there’s a minus. Mr. Ramraaj and Vaiskhi didn’t have a kid. It was after three years of their marriage when Vaisakhi was pregnant but after four months of her pregnancy she started feeling a continues pain in her stomach. After a long treatment when doctor couldn’t do their best they suggested remove uterus to save her life. There was a tumor in the uterus and there was no option to do any surgery because she was pregnant. They both bore that pain together. Behind every smile there always is a piece of sorrow or pain. When a baby is born, the first thing that does is ‘cry’ but that cry gives a smile to everyone. I think then only we learned how to smile; ask a woman who bears that pain to give birth to a baby and the cry of that baby gives her s big smile and a long awaited relief.
Mr. Ramraaj got retired from his job at sixty two. That’s age limit for any government job in state of Uttar Pradesh. After his retirement, Mr. Ramraaj has started taking tuitions at his home only. There was big queue of the students who wanted take tuition from him. Teaching was Mr. Ramraaj’s passion, interest, hobby and only activity of the day. The fee for his classes was too less. As tuition is a new business for most of the unemployed educated youngsters. Earlier people were used to dream of becoming a doctor or engineer but now running a school or tuition is one of the dreams of so many youngsters. Isn’t it funny? May be not . There’s nothing bad in this. I always ask why these tuitions? I guess it’s a wrong question .
One Sunday, someone in the very morning knocked his door. Vaiskhi opened the door. Ramraaj was taking bath.
“Hello”
“Hello” Vaiskhi replied. There were two, one lady and one true gentleman. Both were of mid fourties.
“Yes” Vaiskhi wondered to see them because no one has knocked her doors for so many years. May be it sounds strange but facts are facts only.
“Mam, I am Vishwajeet and she is Minakshi. She is principal of SJS College and I am vice principal of the same.” The gentleman explained.
“OK” Vaiskhi was confused. I think. She might has forgotten how to deal with that. She has also forgotten when one has knocked her doors last time.
“Actually we are here to meet Ramraaj Sir”.
“Ok” that was nothing new for Vaiskhi.
Vaiskhi called them in and asked them to sit on sofa.
“Actually, he is taking bath. And then he will do pooja (prayer) and after that only he will be here.” Mr. Ramraaj’s daily routine was on Vaiskhi’s lips. Why not, if she too used to live with him the same life.
“What will you take, tea or anything else?” In India, tea is the most common thing which is offered in any family or any house or home . I think that’s the best thing one can offer to his/her guests. Even Pepsico and Coca Cola also jumped into selling tea at stalls .
“Just a cup of tea” Well said…I think Vishwajeet guessed that right “anything else” simply means “nothing”.
Vaiskhi left the room. Minakshi and Vishwajeet were sitting on the sofa and looking here and there…while there was nothing in the room except a calendar.
It took around twenty minutes for Mr. Ramraaj to get ready. At the other side Vishwajeet and Minakshi were over with their tea and were just waiting for Mr. Ramraaj.
“Sorry for making you wait.” A man in white kurta and paizama (an Indian ethnic dress) entered in the room. They greeted each other.
“Vaiskhi told me that you are from SJS College, so tell me…” He stopped…anyone could understand, there must be some purpose behind Vishwajeet and Minakshi’s visit…In last thirty five years…no one just came…neither to greet him on his wedding anniversary or his birthday. So, why should Mr. Ramraaj do any formality?
“Actually Sir, we were planning to meet you for a long time. But it couldn’t happen.” Vishwajeet started the conversation or the intension why he was there.
Mr. Ramraaj, didn’t even looked at Vishwajeet but yes he was listening to him. He knew that they are at his home with some purpose only...I think one expectation!!!. If they weren’t in need they wouldn’t have come, that was sure. Ultimately they are businessmen.
“Sir, we got to know that you are retired now and you take tuitions. We are here to request you to please join our college. But not on our conditions, on your conditions only” Vishwajeet said that straight.
“So you want me to work as a teacher?” Mr Ramraaj asked him straight too.
“Hmmmmmmmmm…No. We request you to join our college on your conditions that means if you really wish to take classes you can and at whatever time. This is our responsibility to manage everything. Now, money matters. I know sir, you don’t take tuition for money, so that is up to you only.” Vishwajeet said that all whatever he wanted to.
“Your school is a business for you. Give me time. If I join your college then there will be a fixed timing. You are in management but I know how to manage things. I will be taking classes of 10th, 11th and 12th only and that is on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from morning 9:00AM to 11:30AM” His quick reply really have shocked everyone. But I think he knew that for what intention Vishwajeet and Minakshi were there. He just had to take a decision.
“Now money matters. Tell me the figure.” He was really so straight.
“Sir, actually it’s all up to you.” Vishwjeet replied.
“You are a businessman but I am not, you must have a figure in your mind.”
“Sir, we really don’t have any idea.” Vishwajeet really didn’t have any guess that Mr. Ramraaj will agree so quick.
“Ok, I’ll join on Monday. You can go now, my students are waiting.” Don’t know if he is so rude or so cool or so understanding….fuhhhh I really don’t know.
He joined that college. He had a great respect in the college. Every teacher was amazed to know this news.
Being a principal of the college, Minakshi announced that in the school that “Mr. Ramraaj, a well know mathematics teacher, will be taking classes of 10th, 11th and 12th standards. Your classes may be rescheduled according to his timings and we expect all of you to well behave in his class. Hope you understand what I mean. You are blessed to attend his classes. All the best to you.” I think Mr. Ramraaj to needs that ‘All the best…’. Sorry, it’s my personal view.
Sometimes, I ask myself what these schools and colleges means. Are they a study center or just for business? Are these managed by management or the teachers are managed by students. I think there is a management but only time tells when teachers are managed my students and vise versa. God knows…..
On the very first day at SJS, Mr. Ramraaj was busy with formalities of the college and meeting fellow teachers, no matters if he really wanted to meet them or not. Minakshi introduced him with every staff of that college; all the faculties, accounts, admin, library and rest of the staff. He was just expressionless like they were alive but were dead. Might the expressions on their faces changing but how does that matter. A fake smile and fake expression, I think that’s the world today, people themselves don’t know why they are smiling…it’s really funny but there is no fun in that. One thing I must say here, all the staff were very-very obliged to their principal…hmmm…may be not; or may be they are obliged to that school…hmmmm…I think no…they were only obliged to himself and piece of papers with print of Mr Gandhi’s pictures…I mean…Indian currency. Why shouldn’t be they obliged to Indian currency….they must…and every of us should also…ultimately that’s is the currency of our country.
From the next day only, he started taking his classes. Every student used to give an amazed look at him…they may be thinking ‘Who is this old man, keeping shirt out of his trousers and always holding a book in his hand’. It really seems weird, at least in any private school or college. The look does matter to them. It doesn’t mean knowledge doesn’t matters to them…may be sometime it doesn’t.
I have seen in Government Schools in India most of the teachers used come by their bicycles but dare any private school teacher can come on bicycle. If they don’t own a two wheeler or motor bikes they have to take man-puller rickshaw…doesn’t matter if everyday they used to fight with that rickshaw-wala for wages…ok… leave that.
14th November, 2007; it has been almost five years for Mr. Ramraaj teaching at SJS. Every year he used to see some new faces at SJS, not only of students but of teachers too. You must have understood what I mean? Sometime teachers leave school because they get better amount and sometime school says ‘NO’ to teachers because they have got a new teacher on less salary…Don’t know what kind of industry it is? Mr. Ramraaj never attended any festival nor any program at college. He never ever got into the staff room. The only place where he liked to sit other than his classes was library. But he never issued a book from library. Quite surprising!! Isn’t it? But he used to sit there.
It was 10:30 morning, Mr. Ramraaj returned back to home…like always, doors were open. He didn’t even call Vaiskhi; went to his room and lied down *****chair**** looking at the roof of the room.
Viaskhi, heard the sound of doors but she was sure of that, it must be her husband only.
“Do you want tea?” Vaiskhi asked from another room.
“No” Mr. Ramraaj didn’t say anything except this ‘No’.
There are moments which have no emotion and no expression, even they just don’t need anything to say or share anything; it’s sadness I think. People don’t get words to express that. Like for a kin, his/her every wish, demand, need, love care, thirst and hunger or may be more…the only way to express that is to cry. I think better to ask a doctor, not me, if I am correct or not?
He opened his cupboard and brought out some papers. On his very first day at SJS, he was given lots of legal documents, including document describing his job at SJS, terms and conditions. And a legal document describing Corporal Punishment, which describe types of punishments can not be given to a student, and if on does, a legal action can be taken against that teacher; that simply says that if you punish a student for any reason you will be punished; all the freedoms are of just student but a teacher doesn’t have any freedom. Don’t know if these laws are followed in government schools are not but private schools follow these laws strictly. I know you won’t ask me, ‘why so?’ But its me damn who will tell you why, it’s because how can one businessman dissatisfy his costumer. Aren’t these students a customer? Mr. Ramraaj had read that all documents and signed them and given back to registrar of SJS.
He was sitting idle, doing just nothing…what else you can expect from a seventy year old man? He was so quiet…the room was bearing that quietness, I could feel that. His body, his face, his eyes…everything was just quiet except his body parts that need to be functioning to make him alive. He was lost in deep thoughts. I won’t say that, ‘thoughts are an imaginary world, though those thoughts don’t have any physical existence’.
He remembered how one day Minakshi and Vishwajeet came to his home? How he joined SJS on his own terms and conditions? How he was introduced with the staff of SJS. How every student used to give him a weird look and teachers too? He remembered how one of the teacher flirting with a girl student in the college; don’t know what kind of lesson he was teaching, but whatever was that the girl was learning…”The Lesson” don’t know what lesson.
All of sudden, Mr Ramraaj himself broke down the silence of that room and the silence of his heart, like one was having sound sleep and was in sweet dreams and suddenly someone killed him, though that’s in dream only. That was the last thing which he remembered or he could remember.
“Who is that?” Mr. Ramraaj was taking his class and suddenly one boy student shouted loudly.
“Sorry Sir” the guy stood up.
“Get out of the class”
“Sorry Sir”
“I said, get out of my class”
“Sir, what I did? My cell was in vibration mode and suddenly it vibrated, I thought its some lizard or something”
“Did I ask you for any explanation? Please get out of my class.”
“What Sir, this is not my mistake and what will be wrong if I stay in the class?” Nothing else one can expect from a student…who has got every freedom…even he has right to use that freedom.
Mr Ramraaj, left that class immediately and went straight to Minakshi.
“I am sorry, but I can’t take classes from now.”
“What happened Mr. Ramraaj?” that was the first time when anyone in SJS called him by his name. May be Minakshi called him by his name to show the people sitting in her room that she is the one who governs that school.
The peon told the whole story to Minakshi (in her ears only).
“It’s just nothing Mr. Ramraaj. Student’s does mistake sometime. It’s just small thing.” For her it was really just nothing because she has seen even worst…I guess. If she didn’t have bore this all, she didn’t have got the power of being a Principal of SJS. (Sorry if I sound bad).
“You know, Mr. Ramraaj, his father is SSP of Raebareli and you have got opportunity to teach these students in this college” What the hell that lady was saying.
“I am not the vegetables or fruits which you sell at door to door. You might sell yourself but I can’t.” He said that right. And he left that college. No one said anything. Everyone (staff) just looked at him with an obliged kid of Madam Minakshi.
I think freedom doesn’t mean how to use that but freedom means how to misuse that. Minakshi didn’t say anything because she is paid for being quiet and all other staffs as well. And why should she bear one, who never ever wished her; never ever called her ‘maam’ to realize her that she is the boss; one who was another boss in the same college…’he was the boss of himself only’.
I remember, his speech in a staff meeting, where he has said “We are not teachers, we are just paid for teaching student. We have become a teacher not by our wish but because our wishes just couldn’t come true. But now if we have become teachers, we just remember that what are the responsibilities we have. Doing our job is not a desire, it is more than anything and we must not forget our personal life is dependent upon our professional life, so we should take our job personally not just professionally. Why personal? Because the day you leave this job you will loose everything, the respect, the money, the good going life and many more.” Everyone clapped, they clapped loudly but the truth they heard from him had hurt most of the hearts who always had felt great by doing every irresponsible thing, being a teacher. The truth wasn’t in the sound of claps, instead that was on everyone’s face except Mr. Ramraaj’s own.
I don’t blame anyone of this society or any place of this society. Schools or colleges has become a business now. Teachers are doing their job only. The only thing matters to them, is the money they get. Why shouldn’t they think of money? They should but yes they shouldn’t forget that they have been given a responsibility of making citizens of this country. Giving freedom to students is nowhere wrong but yes they must be taught of the values of that freedom, they must have taught what’s their responsibilities are; giving freedom doesn’t mean let one free to do anything but let him do better out of him. Everything has been mentioned in the act to explain the freedom, but they forgot to mention the lesson, which everyone should learn ‘why this law is made’.
Mr. Ramraaj was sitting alone…I think he was with himself at that time and when one is with himself he doesn’t need one to be there. The entire room had worn that quietness which was inside Mr. Ramraaj. He wanted to teach students but he had forgot that he is paid for just reading out the words and numbers written in the books but nothing else.
In the other room, his students were waiting (for tuition). Vaiskhi was still busy with her work. But it was long time when she heard of a sound from Mr. Ramraaj’s room. Vaiskhi heard some sound from student’s room and she was surprised, how could that be, if there is Mr. Ramraaj. She came to Mr. Ramraaj’s room. He was so stilled. His eyes were open but there was no movement in any part of body. There were papers in his hand. The only photo album of his marriage, was on the table. Vaiskhi touched his hands and she could only feel the coldness and the quietness of his loving, daring and caring husband.
Facts About this story:
1. The character Mr. Ramraaj. His real name is Mr. Ramraaj Singh. He is 70, and was teacher at Government Intercollege, Raebareli.
2. Raebareli is constituency of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, Party head of Nation Congress Party.
3. SJS College is still the best college of Raebareli (All the characters of this college are just an imagination)
4. You can read more about corporal punishment here http://www.legalservicesindia.com/articles/punish.htm
My Special Thanks:
Mandvi (MBA Student IBS Gurgaon), Devi Krishna (A journalist (as I know)), Amrita James (MBA Student IBS Gurgaon), Kewal (B. Tech Student from Delhi School of Engineering), Niraj (B. Tech Student from Delhi School of Engineering), Randheer and Tariq.
Don't know if I was able to convey my message by this story…I will really appreciate if you share your views with me. I shall be highly thankful to you…
Thanks.
-Copy Right © Vishal
