TEACHER’S DAY.

This teacher’s day was first of its kind in my life. This teacher's day was very special to me because it was one of those teacher’s day's that I had actually celebrated after 5 years. Till I was in the school every year it was a great celebration time. But after I entered my intermediate, life became hell and all celebrations were just the holidays we used to get. We never had any celebration. My graduation life was very beautiful but I never celebrated teacher's day as a festival. It was a routine day with just wishing the teacher's on the day meant for them. Here in my post graduation the college has it as a ritual. All the national and cultural festivals are celebrated. I was actually surprised when our seniors put forth the idea of celebrating the day as I had totally forgotten such occasions of celebration and such sweet memories we take back with us. The day started on a casual note. It was the teacher's day organized by the students of the zoology department so it had to be special. All the girls in the department were clad in beautiful saris and the guys looked very sincere and obedient dressed in the formals. The celebrations started with inviting all the teachers. The teachers were felicitated and most of the students made their speech speaking about the importance of teachers in one’s life. Even I made a speech on the day thanking all the teachers who were and are part of my formal education and all those who taught me the way of leading a successful life. I was quite satisfied with what I had spoken. We then requested all our teachers for their valuable words of encouragement. One of my favorite sir’s started his speech with praises for the students who had spoken well. I was elated when I found out I was one of them. My happiness knew no bounds. Being appreciated by one of my favorite lecturers was a great feeling in itself. According to me one doesn’t need any great appreciation than this. The words he spoke had a great impact on me. As the teacher’s day formed a part of the 10 days of Ganesh festival he spoke about the lord.

Firstly he spoke about why he is considered the supreme. I guess everyone knows this story. But the next few words of his speech were simply superb. He spoke about the form of lord Ganesha. Has anyone wondered why he has such a form? What importance his form has in our life??? But he was the one who made me think that his form teaches one the way of life. I would like to share those few things he made me realize with you.

Firstly let’s consider the trunk he has. Everyone knows he got the trunk from an elephant. The trunk which can break large trees picks up a small twig with utmost care. This if taken in our life teaches us that each situation needs to be given the importance it demands and not more than that. Then each situation can be dealt with without any trouble. Next let us think about the four hands he has and the four things he holds in his hands. One of the hands usually holds a lotus. As the biology speaks, the flower always blossoms and never remains as a bud. In the same way an individual should blossom, open up in his character. The second hand holds a spear. It teaches us that we should not hesitate to raise it to prevent a crime and should be ready to raise it even upon our self when we commit a crime. The thing we should learn from this is that we should not suffer crime silently nor should be a part of it. We should raise our voices against it. The third hand is usually raised as if blessing some one. It’s that we need the elder's, the lord's blessing to lead a very happy life. The fourth hand usually holds a laddu. It is the reward for all the good we do in our life. The vehicle he uses to travel is a mouse. It is always present with its head raised looking at the lord's hand holding the laddu. But it never goes upto his hand to take it, or bite it with its sharp teeth. It stays there with the anticipation that lord will give it something as reward for the work it has done taking him around. This teaches us that we should do our duty and never expect a reward. We will surely get the reward for all the deeds we do. Then let’s look at his ears, head and his eyes. He has very large ears, large head but very small eyes. This teaches us that we should keep our ears wide open and listen to everything but should look at anything as minutely as we can see with the small eyes and think before we do anything. These few words had a great impact on us. The way he explained the form of lord Ganesha made me feel that everything in the mythology has a reason. It’s only that we need to go to the meaning of it. The one who doesn’t believe in the existence of a super power can also learn from this. One need not believe in the presence of god but if these few things are implemented in our life then our life will be changed a lot for the better.

This was such a special teacher's day for me because I got to learn many things and look at the super power we believe in, with a different perspective. He ended his speech with a few words of encouragement. Then we all dispersed after the national anthem. His words have been so thickly imprinted in my mind that they can never be forgotten.

SNEHA NAIK