Tuesday, July 23, 2013

UBC day 23- Stepping stones!



That's the school I went to..... Mount Carmel Girls' High School, Nagpur! I had planned on a different post today, but someone sent me this picture of the school that she recently clicked. And my heart was suddenly so alive with excitement!

The big hall that you see under the school name board (just above the two V shaped pillars) is the library. I have spent hours and hours pouring over books in this very space! Any free period and I would be off to the library. We had a compulsory library period once a week, but how could just one book suffice for the whole week? Before the next library period, I would have exchanged at least 4 books with my friends and read it all!

That big ground (only a part of it is visible here) was where our assembly would be held in the morning. A round of prayers followed by the national anthem, and reading out the headlines from the newspaper, the thought for the day and then queue up in a single line, hands at the back and walk to the class in silence. Wow! Those were the times!

Just looking at this picture took to my mind racing to the principal's room, the staff room, the teachers',  the various classrooms over the years, the garden behind the left wing, the playground beyond the visible part of the ground, the primary section just opposite to this building, the auditorium near the right wing, and so much more!

morals and values
 stages of growing up


It was a girls' school and so after the 7th standard, Sisters' (nuns, being a catholic school) were assigned to every group of 10 students. We used to have a session every 15 days, when she would discuss our growing up stages with us and where we could talk to her about our problems, our confusions, ask questions, just about anything. After the one to one session was over, Sister would place a ceramic urn in the middle of our group and give us chits of paper. We had to write our problems on it and put it in the urn. We would pray and then she would strike a match and throw it in the urn. Our problems would supposedly burn away! It was as simple as that! But it would be infinitely therapeutic. I still have the diary in which I have taken notes on puberty and growing up. (did you notice the date on the diary?!!)


This page here talks about Adolescence, age 13 -21, the challenges and how to handle them. I might now need to consult this as my own kids pass through the various stages!!





Hitting the children was strictly forbidden, but I don't remember having come across badly behaved children in our school ever. Following the rules and being disciplined was like an unwritten rule. I still have the slam book that is filled with best wishes from my teachers. Reading this today felt so good, it carried me back to those innocent days when the word of the teacher was final and binding!

 This reminds me of not just these words of hope and encouragement but also the heart to heart chat that I had with the teachers as they filled the book for me.




Teachers are like the potter, who molds wet clay into whatever shapes they desire. They shape the way we think, the way we behave, and what kind of persons we grow into. It is said, that "In teaching, you cannot see the fruit of a day's work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years!" How true!






I look back with appreciation for those brilliant teachers who touched our hearts. The curriculum is necessary but more than that is warmth which is much more vital to the growth of the child.





My closest friend today, is the still the same one I had at school !   She is my first and best friend and we have been friends for almost 30 years now! We met when we were in class 1 and we continue to be best friends forever!!

I have a Pandora's box full of such memories and as I opened it to search for the slam book and diary, I stumbled across a host of other things too! The school badge, the souvenir book, old pictures....all memories, holding a testimonial of the times gone by, a reminder of what I was as a child, of the hopes and dreams I had......  I have spent the better part of the day rummaging through my collectibles, and reminiscing about the old times and smiling through moist eyes! Ah! What a day this has been!

25 comments:

  1. Been a convent product myself I can so relate to this. When was in school, I just wanted to get out into real world, but when the time came to go, I was shattered. And even today that's one place I miss so much.

    P.S. Beautiful handwriting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow!
    you brought back some lovely memories of school!! :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Must make your heart so very happy to have all these memories rekindled!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Right now in just 4th yr of engg..but i had started to miss my school days too.. :( beautifully brought out through words the golden memories !

    ReplyDelete
  5. school life defines the best part of ones growing up! ur post immediately dragged me to my school days! lovely read, princess :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Wow!! This is a sheer nostalgia! A few days ago, even I was going through a bag which had school pics, slam books, autograph books, diaries in which I would scribble quotes and lots of things... seeing all that brought back so many memories and I had this smile plastered over my face for the entire day! :)
    PS : You have a beautiful handwriting. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. strange isn't it? when we are kids, all we want is to grow up...and now all we want is that golden period back!

      thanks!

      Delete
  7. These memories are priceless, aren't they? :D
    My Dad also studied in Nagpur for a few years, by the way... he was in Bishop Cotton. Looooong ago! I went to Nagpur in 2007, and clicked a few pics of his old school. He got so nostalgic about it when I returned and showed him those pics... the Church next to it and everything! :D
    UBC Day 22 - "Life Is Unfair"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. i can understand how nostalgic it would have been for him! i went through the same sea of emotions!

      Delete
  8. Oh my current profile pic on FB was also taken at Nagpur during that same visit... don't remember the name of that jheel or lake or whatever. Will upload another pic on FB, then you might be able to figure it out.

    ReplyDelete
  9. You have inspired me to write a post on my own school life. I had a scrap book of nick carter and all the boyzone boys. Then came a time when I fell in love with Brendan Frazer oh the bygone years!

    Richa

    ReplyDelete
  10. It was treat going through those pix princess.. really.. got me back to my school... how lovingly you have recounted your experiences and how much you treasure it.. so beautiful ♥♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. once that Pandora's box was open, i wasn't even here!! i had time traveled back almost 20 years !

      Delete
  11. OMG , I was googling for the images of Mount Carmel School and it lead me to your page . Believe me my hand tremble even as I type these words. The Library was my favorite place too . And you remember rows and rows of huge trees behind which later got felled to bring in the primary section . I hope you are in Write Tribe . Let me locate you there :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I am surprised at the wave of emotions and nostalgia that your post made me experience. I miss those days, Loreto Convent and even Sister Lydia, the strictest but most fair headmistress

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad I brought back those lovely memories for you! :)

      Delete
  13. Thank you for sharing this fellow Carmelite! xoxo

    ReplyDelete

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person..deep gratitude for those who have lighted the flame within me!! your comments will be appreciated..

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...