गुरुगोविंद दोनों
खड़े, काके
लागूं पाँय
।
बलिहारी गुरु
आपनो, गोविंद
दियो मिलाय
॥
This Doha is crystal clear explanation
of the importance of a Teacher in Indian culture. Teaching in India is
considered the most Sacred Discipline. It’s never considered a profession. It’s
considered a service, to Society, to Nation, and to God. Teachers in India have
always been poor and simple as it is very common phrase in India….. सरस्वती के पुजारी से लक्ष्मी दूर रही हैं!
On the occasion of Teacher’s Day(5
September), I would like to write few words about my best Teacher.
My best Teacher is Mrs. Kandwal, She
used to teach us Hindi in my school, Sri Guru Ram Rai Public School, Race
Course, Dehradun. She taught me in 9th and 12th. Before writing about her I would like to
explain a scene.
You are visiting a market and
suddenly you saw your former Teacher, what could be your possible reaction?
When you saw him, you may get angry
and start to curse him inside your brain. You hate him/her, this could be the
saddest possible case. Then there is a type of teacher whom you may IGNORE. You
feel he did nothing special for me. Then there is another teacher whom you may
greet him. Then there is another teacher, whose feet you touch, and feel
excited to meet him. Finally there is a teacher whom when you see even in the
busiest place, you stops, approaches her and put your head on her feet. This
class of teacher is my Best teacher. Such teacher does not teach subject, they
teach life, they teach Character. Their conduct is guiding light for their
student in the darkest hour of life.
There are few incidences/Observances
of mine, when I was studying under her, these are as follow:
In my class it was self evident to
each student that Harendra Singh Bisht is favorite student of Hindi teacher
Mrs. Kandwal and vice –versa. During those days (and even today J) I was very proud of this fact, but
there was one thing which always hurt me in those days. Though I was best
student of Hindi and favorite student of Mrs. Kandwal, yet she never ever gave
any preference or favor to me, I was always treated like other students. She
never differentiated between any student, the worst performing student and I was
given same treatment. This behavior of her, I could never, understood in those
days. I always thought she should give me preference over other student because
I was best and most Hardworking student of Hindi and also her favorite student.
But today I understand the
significance of her treatment toward me. She was a teacher; her Dharma was to
give knowledge to each and every student with same devotion and affection. She
performed her duty exactly as per the Dharma of a teacher. I have seen that
even very intelligent teacher forgets one thing, that they are teacher, of
every student, of the best performing student and of the worst performing
student. Most often teachers like best performing student of the class and
dislike the student performing poorly in the class, this leads a teacher away
from the path of Dharma. My teacher Mrs. Kandwal seems to know this fact well,
thus her Love/Service/Affection was evenly distributed among all her students,
no differentiation was done, not even on the basis of Merit. She was like
mother for all students.
I never saw her sitting Idle in the
class. She always used to finish syllabus 2 month before the exam, and in the
next 2 months she used to engage students in Discussions/ Debate and quarries
related to various topics from our syllabus and other social/political issues.
In India, where our education system rarely engages students in discussion, she
used to encourage each student to stand up and make a point. The devotion that she
had for her work can be explained by only one word…WORSHIP. Today whenever I
see people saying “WORK IS WORSHIP”….her face flashes in my mind like that of
Mother goddess.
She used to take our first class in
the morning. She was never late in the class. One day she came to class with
bandage on her Right hand and forehead. She took the class, taught us with same
passion and devotion, exploring each line of the chapter in depth. When class
was over I along with my few friends went to her and asked what happened? Why
she has bandages over her arm and forehead? She told us that she met with an
accident on the way to the school. She came to school, got herself bandage using
First-Aid box, kept in the school and was in the classroom exactly on the time.
Her dedication toward her work was similar to that of a Soldier of army. Today
when someone say to me that teaching is very easy and comfortable Job, I pity
on his thinking.
On teacher’s day we (Students), used
to bring gift for our best teacher’s, we used to gift them Statue, Pen and
other items. I remember when I was in 12th I too bought a pen for
Mrs. Kandwal, I was very excited. As soon as she entered the class in the
morning we wished her and presented her the gift. Along with me many other
students have also brought some gift for her, but she refused to take the gifts,
when we insisted she said “I have never
and will never take any gift”, your (student’s) love and respect is my best
gift. During those days we used to think these words as useless. But today when
we (all her student) are all thrown in the battle of life and every day we hear
of corruption in India, then I have all my hopes only on such humble teacher.
People say teaching is a job with
limited work, and very good comfort. They are wrong. A teachers’ goal is to shape
human mind, to shape human character, and hence the Character of Society and the
Entire Nation. Where is the limit of such work?? A teacher has to make new Vivekananda,
new Tagore, new Einstein, new Sachin, new Ambedkar, new Abdul Kalam…where is
the comfort for a teacher? Teaching is not a Job its TAPASYA, its SADHANA.
