The Magic Chant

“Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” Patrick Rothfuss,

I looked at her lovingly, she looked a lot more confident and seemed zealous. Teachers spoke a lot about her. I kept saying she was mine. She was indeed mine as I was her class teacher for five years in a progression, and we had ascended the steps of the subsequent class together, but she was shy then and lacked the expertise she had today. I asked her, 'how could I not elicit these qualities within you'? Had I failed as a guide, friend or as a teacher. She looked at me with a beaming grin, and spoke a lot, I could infer only the fact that the college had given a boost through kind words, to her sense of worth.

The recent suicide of four teenage girls of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) water sports center, Punnamada, Alapuzha in kerala moved the people of India. Police said the girls tried to commit suicide after the coaches reprimanded them, forcing them to take the severe step. It has once again reaffirmed the impact of  words in human life.

The ‘word’ or ‘Shabad’ has the ability to reach the lord. Many argue that some shabads in Guru Granth Sahib are of more importance then others. However, an important understanding one must have is that noshabad is greater than the other. Everything in Guru Granth Sahib has been compiled together to bring an understanding and a dialogue with the Eternal so that we may understand the 'True' essence of Ek Onkar (The One all existing forever continually creating Lord)[wikipedia].

As I pondered about words, memories gave way in the past when I met this special friend of my mine at the Army Public School. They said she was related to the Brigadier and could carry information to him. Everyone tried to be friendly, but I avoided her deliberately.  I had passed every possible exam to retain the job, there were stray incidents where I had fallen into trouble owing to my righteousness.  The goal, then changed to just continue working peacefully, but I loved the children. Being a civilian and with a few posts for the trained graduate teachers it was an ordeal retaining what once had been a passionate endeavour. It was slowly turning mundane when I met Mrs. Neerja Tehlan. They said her husband was a Colonel in the Army. Her son had been admitted into my class and I was his class teacher. The little boy had gained a prime place in the class within minutes. Even before I asked, the students yelled ‘ Ma’am a new admission, the Chairman’s son’. They watched me to see my reaction as the students too understood the  cause of the disparity. The boy was very sweet and basked in the new found glory, he knew well that he was not the chairman’s son. I said that it did not matter who one is related to, but it does matter what one grows into. Soon he was at home with the class, and we all forgot that he was influential.

In the staff room we had casual introductions to Mrs. Tehlen. As the last bell rang, I ran out to drag my bike from the parking and rush home. Neerja waved and then inquired whether I could drop her home. I was reluctant as I felt she could easily have someone else drop her. I told her all the shortcomings in my bike, she remained unperturbed and sat on the scooter. She was fair, pretty, tall and well built, my bike was the ordinary one then, it must have been the most uncomfortable ride for her, however she travelled with me. She started being friendly, and trusted my advice for all the school work. I feared her trust thinking that it could put me into another tight spot as I could hear people whispering that I was trying to gain her friendship to be secure. I wondered whether my teaching, sincerity and my qualifications were insufficient that I needed her friendship to gain security. My self-esteem was in a perplex by now to understand these as deeply as I do today. Luckily the Brigadier gained a promotion and was transferred. Now I could respond to Neerja’s friendship more openly.

We  now looked forward going home together. We had a great number of leisures together that brought us closer. She loved my dosa, while I adored the paranthas she brought. We ate leisurely and talked peacefully about life. She shared similar ethics, and we had a great time understanding the ups and downs in life. We laughed and shared secrets, nonetheless called up each other to talk more. It was after years that I had a friend like Neerja. She had the art of whispering things while bringing a smile on my face and above all we loved the travel on my bike. She would disembark at the Alkapuri gate and walk the long distance in the cantonment residential area, in the sun and rain when she failed to board the bus. We loved clicking selfies, and photographs,  making me realise the disappearance of monotony. She taught Hindi while I was mostly given sciences, though, I was pursuing English Literature. She had a perfect knowledge of Maths and science and cleared the combined selection board exam despite the head injury she had in a minor accident owing to her spirit and efforts

The next year the timetable changed, we had lesser leisures together and lesser time to spend with each other. She no longer accompanied me on the bike as she had made arrangements to get dropped at home. Yet we lingered in the parking, the corridors and many other places and made up  the lost time. People told us that there was a difference in our friendship, but we were sure about our camaraderie in spite of all our misunderstandings. We laughed recollecting the musings and the rumination of thoughts.

Then came the blow, the news of her husband’s transfer. I felt terrible, but it was inevitable. She gave me great strength through her words as she left. There was an emptiness, but I continued working. When I quit the job she was there to make my days better. She gave me the consolation of focus and a boost to my trailing self-esteem. With time a freshness entered my withering worth channelising my life better, her words played their effect once more. When my book got published, she rejoiced it by buying, reading it in a stretch and giving me a pep talk  to bounce back to life. She seconded the vision I had and helped me overcome the delusions in life. She shared the belief I had, making it fierce and exhilarating.

Perhaps my student had received this satiation of psyche through a pep talk, a pump up session,  an unbiased positive attitude, unveiling a confidence and a vision and an ability to see the indiscernible.  An invigoration to achieve her goal. The Guru Bani or Shabad should be a mantra, of a kind ‘word’ to the younger generations.

 “Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy.” Norman Vincent Peale