Red pens everywhere

The months of March and April are full of examinations in India as the academic session comes to an end. The situation of students is discussed in a lot of forums but very places have mention about the teachers. Being the daughter of a teacher, I have witnessed the situation on their side as well.

My mother was a teacher and was very economic, she always bought pens with replaceable refills. She would plan her schedule way before the examination season so we will see bulk of red refills bought. As soon as the exams would start, she would get bundles of answer sheets to check. Mom would make sure she had all the resources to check answer sheets no matter where she was in the house. So red pens would be placed on study table, dining table, coffee table or any other place where she might sit for 15 minutes or more. As the exams progressed, the refills would start getting over quickly. One day I needed to sign some form and I picked a black pen. My father came rushing with a loud “STOP”. He asked me try the pen in a rough paper. As soon as I scribbled on the rough sheet, I realized the black refill of the pen was replaced with red refill. Even the refills of the non-red pens were replaced with red refill. He gave me a black pen to sign the form. He kept it carefully in the cupboard with a “This is one of the last few pens with non-red refill left in the house”.

Today when I see students going for exams, it takes me back to my school days when we would stand outside the examination hall doing last minute revision till the bell was rung. It was the thought of the long summer vacation after exams that would keep me going. Next time you visit the house of a teacher during exams, don’t be surprised to see red pens everywhere.

Enjoying with Colors

The festival of Holi happens when the season is about to change from Winter to Summer. There are warm days and cold nights. Many people fall sick. During my school days the final exam for an academic session used to happen in April. The month of march used to be full of internal assessment where our notebooks, workbooks and assignment books were checked. Falling sick had to be avoided because one may miss out on internal assessment.

On the day of Holi we used to prepare our bags with colors and pichkari. Pichkari is like a spray bottle. We would fill colored water in it and spray it on others. We would be given strict instructions to avoid water while leaving the house. Within 5 minutes of stepping out of the house, we would be colored and wet. In those days, cell phones were not common with kids so after 2 to 3 hours, it would be time for lunch. We would be so colored that it would be impossible to identify us. Calling up the neighbors to find out if we are near their house would not work. So our parents would come out in search of us. Once they found us, we would have to go home. That day we would spent long hours in shower. The rest of the day would be spent in instructions of being extra careful since we had exposed ourselves to the risk of getting cold by playing with water. The next day all of us would have colored faces. For a change, our school prefixes would be lenient in their checking. The amount of color on the face would show how actively one celebrated the festival. Although the festival of Holi would come right before the final exams, it would give us a colorful break from studies. I do pray those days come back again and we are able to meet everyone without the fear of getting sick. Wishing everyone a very Happy, Safe and Healthy Holi.

Father’s Magic

There are few rituals we used to do before exams like preparing a schedule for studies, questions for last minute revisions, ensuring stationary was up to date, etc. One of them was to pull out the clip board and clean it. I had a brown clipboard. By the time I was in fifth grade, my clip board was so scratched that it had started looking old and worn out, just like the bark of an old tree. A week before the exams, I told my father, its looking so old as if it was older than me (I was 10 years old then). My father smiled and said “Leave it to me”. Two days later, there was a bright yellow clipboard at my study corner. I was surprised because a yellow clipboard was not available in the stationary stores that I knew then. That year everyone asked me about my clipboard in the exams. I was so happy that I wrote my name twice on it. The bright yellow always brought a smile even in the nervousness of exams. I continued to use the clipboard till the last exam of my college.

One might be wondering Papa must have brought a new one but my father was practical. In spite of all the scratches, the clipboard was good enough to continue a few more years. All the doors of our house were being painted at the same time when I mentioned my old clipboard. My father painted it with the left over paint and then nicely quoted it with varnish. It was properly dried and placed at my study corner. These were the moments when the magician in my father came out. There are many instances when our fathers become magicians in addition to being our friend, philosopher, guide, cheerleader and parent. On this occasion of Father’s Day, let us take an opportunity to appreciate the creative genius that we have as our Father. Happy Father’s Day.

A new experience

Sight from my window on Gudi Padwa and Ugadi

Today is Ugadi(Telegu new year) and Gudi Padwa(Marathi new year). This was always a day of celebration in my hometown Baroda as well as in Mumbai and Pune. In school days, march was a month of tension as April used to be the month of final exams of the academic year. The classes used to be in full force with syllabus being completed for every subject. Everyday we used to be told to prepare for the exams by every adult we met, be it the teachers, parents or neighbours. Also the 10th and 12th boards would be going on. Hence the entire neighbourhood used to be silent. Still Gudi Padwa used to bring happiness and cheer. Some of us used to reschedule our new year resolutions to this day.

My best memories of Gudi Padwa are in Mumbai and Pune. In mumbai, I used to have a team mate Preeti. Due to our long working schedules we had become fast friends. Every year she used to bring Puranpoli for me on this day. In pune almost the entire city seemed to be decorated. People would be wearing new traditional clothes. The shops would be decorated. Sometimes the entire building would be decorated. Even in our software companies, ladies would come dressed in Sarees. There would be mails wishing everyone. Last year my maid specially made puranpoli for me.

The month of march is really beautiful in Baroda(Vadodara), Pune or Mumbai. All trees are green and gardens are full of flowers. I loved to see the unripe mangoes(karies) hanging on the trees.This year I am in Baltimore and had a completely different Gudi Padwa. After a week of sunshine, it snowed. Hence instead of a bright I had a cold snowy Gudi Padwa making the new year a new experience. But then we all should have some unique experiences, thats what makes our life colorful. My work went smoothly throughout the day. Also 20th march’2015 is the first day of spring. Even google is celebrating it with a google doodle. I thank everyone who made this festival special for me.

I wish everyone a very Happy Gudi Padwa and Happy Ugadi.

Exams!!!!!!!

The academic session in India begins in June and ends in April. The end of March signals the beginning of exams. This has more effect on human life than any season. The neighbourhoods become quiet and kids spend more time indoors. Most of them have tension on their faces. These days the competition begins right from kindergarden and so even the parents move around with a very serious face.

As a kid I used to become very scheduled during this time. Getting up on time, studying and reducing on watching television. Everyday when the morning alarm used to ring, I used to tell my lazy self, “Its just for a month and then you will be free after the exams”. When I see the kids today, nothing has changed it seems. The same tension, the same schedule and the same anxiety. The exams make a child realize the importance of being regular with studies. It also explains the need to take up the responsibility of one’s studies. At my home, there used to be a new tension after exams. My mother used to be a teacher. As soon as the exams used to be over, her paper checking used to start. I still remember watching television endlessly whereas mom checking for hours.

The only people happy are the ones who are in 10th and 12th grades. The board exams get over by march end and so does their ordeal. The 10th graders are the happiest as the first challenging exam is over. Consequently the multiplexes are filled with them.

To all the people having exams, just put in your best. All the best.

Third week of March

In my school days, the Indian academic session began in june and ended in april. March was the month of orals and inspection. This meant a revision of the final exam syllabus. It also meant ensuring all your books have been checked, are covered and in good condition. There were many of us who would change covers towards the end of the year. After this week none of us would lend our books as the final exams would start in April. This was the time to prepare the schedules, list out the weak areas, discuss with teachers and be ready to study for the exams.

The tension was more on the parents than the students which is the case even today. Recently I heard two mothers speaking in my neighbourhood. One was telling the other that their children really need to be fit now as the exams are approaching. Also the neighbourhood becomes quiet as the kids are studying. Even so many years after school, I can feel the exam approaching everytime the third week of march ends.