School days are an important part of our life. In fact,they are the golden period of our life. What that prompts one to readily agree with Darwin, & his theory of evolution that a man is descendant of a monkey is recollection of their school days is it not? Were we not monkeys without a tail during those days? It is during one or another part of our school days, our behavior resembles that of apes. That is why unhesitatingly we too always agree that the man is a descendant of a monkey. It is during the school days one undergoes immense transformation too. One develops physically as well as mentally during school days. Of course, everyone of us do not understand what is taught in a classroom to the same extent. Some of us understand more and some understand less what is taught in a classroom. School days will never come back to anybody again and again. One can never easily forget their school days at all. It is during school days we learn right from alphabets, addition and subtraction to everything . What we are today is nothing but an improved product of what we were when we were at a school. During the school days many of us do not realise importance of economy of time and value of time etc. Afterwards, we repent a lot in this regard. It is nothing but crying over spilt milk.
Undoubtedly, our home is our first school. It is from there we step into a school which is recognised as a temple of enlightenment. Knowledge that we acquire there is a permanent wealth which cannot be either snatched or stolen by anybody at anytime. In fact education is capable of bringing one more fame and name than anything else. Value of education cannot be estimated. In fact, it is invaluable. It is really deplorable schools which were temple of enlightenment are now a days becoming more and more commercialised. It is school from where a real man or a person moulded in all respect emerges. There are only a few who do not want to remember their school days. School days are unforgettable . In fact, everyone without an exception loves to remember their school days. School days are one of the happiest and most memorable days in one's life irrespective of one's social status. Hence, they remain ever green in one's memory. It is a carefree, hassle free life. It is when one would have no other botheration than attending their studies. It is when one’s ambitions would have no bounds at all.It's when we dream and dream. It is a time to dream even. It's when one would not have definite direction to their life also. One would not think twice before having an aspiration during school days. It is when one won't have even a slightest idea about upheavals of life. It is during this period only we come across poems of great poets like Rabindranath Tagore, Wordsworth, Lord Tennyson, Milton, and Keats, Kuvempu, Kumaravyasa etc, and novels of R.K.Narayan, Oliver Goldsmith, and plays of Shakespeare. We learn about great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln during our school days only. They influence us at that time only. School days are one of the most active parts of one's life. It is during those days when one resembles mercury the quickest of metals. It's during those days when one is as quick as a deer, and one is always on tip of their toes and ready to run. It's when we were bubbling with enthusiasm and energy, it's when one couldn't find even a single grey hair on our heads & it was black hair all over. It's when our voice was louder and tone a little bit hoarse too. How much mischievous we were during school days? We were pestering our teachers at school and mothers at our home during those days. It is when we were skipping classes. It is when we used to attend the classes by proxy. How can we forget those days, it is when we were unaware even when hair had grown plentiful on our head and mother who then had to recommend us a haircut .Only a few begin their school days smilingly whereas majority begin it crying. I began my school days crying. It seems sending me to school was an uphill task to my parents.
Before going to school, we are free birds. In school, we don't have freedom as much freedom as we have at our home. We are confined to four walls of a classroom for hours. Until we are accustomed & become interested in studies it is really tough. The teacher controls us otherwise it is difficult for her to run the class. Initial days in a school are really not pleasureful.
Most of the qualities that we have to-day are acquired by us during our school days only. Base of one’s character is formed during school days only. It is during schooldays day by day we attain maturity. It is during school days our talent is spotted and encouraged. Competitive spirit buds and blooms in us during school days only. One acquires book knowledge as well as knowledge about various sports & games during school days. It is an important phase of one’s life. It gives direction to one’s life. It is when one either chooses a right path or treads a wrong path. It is a delicate period in one’s life . It is during school days knowingly or unknowingly one carves out their future life. It is a time when one requires more guidance and supervision than at any other time in their life. It is when one does not think twice to say or do anything. It is when we were more in present and less bothered about past and future. It is then our well-wishers were more bothered about our future. Majority of scars and other inedible marks that we find on our body today were one which was sustained by us during our school days. They are reminiscent of our school days. Generally Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination comprises of ten to eleven years of study. Thus school days are spread over a period of ten years. Depending upon the resources at the disposal of a school management, a class used to be divided into two or three sections. Number of students in every section used to range between thirty and forty. Thus, one used to have numerous classmates. When we remember our school days a series of questions like "Where are those classmates now? How are they? What they have become?" etc arise in our mind. It is very difficult to find answers to all those questions. It is hard for one to remember names of those classmates. One can remember at the most only a few names among those a large number of classmates. One can remember names only those who were intimate, those who were good at studies, and those who were at the forefront for one or another reason. Now with the development of information technology, a website like classmates.com can be created and one can furnish details about one’s schooling in same. It is a way to revive friendship once again. I was short tempered. I had quarrelled with many of my classmates. I was not in talking terms with a few of my classmate at the time of my leaving the school. I remember and laugh at those incidents. I could not meet even some of them after the school days and beg their pardon.
In schooldays one is less mature than what they would be afterwards in their life.Knowledge that majority of us had during those days was definitely insufficient and needed improvement. In short, majority of us were immature during those days. Our knowledge would be half baked one at that time. Everything we cannot learn during the school days. We learn primarily fundamental during the school days. It is limited knowledge. Now we realise that in many cases what we had understood during school days was different and incorrect. It was many times absurd too. Sometimes when we recollect the poor understanding that we had during our school days and we laugh at ourselves. When we remember our school days, we recollect a chain of incidents. A teacher asks a question in a class. Nobody in the class knows the answer to that question except you. You stand up and answer that question. Teacher pats you. Naturally, you become happy and proud. When we recollect our school days we remember numerous such occasions. We remember also occasions when we had to cut a sorry figure too. Faces of happy go innocent pals of our yester years and awe inspiring personalities appear before our eyes when we remember our school days. One's interest during those days would be generally manifold. One discusses during school days everything below the sky without any shackles. Similarly, it was during those days one got fantastic ideas too. Life can be said to comprise of seasons and that part of life which we spend in school is undoubtedly spring season among those seasons. School days remind us of Wordsworth's poem " a rainbow". One wishes life to be like one's school days. In this context only that poem is reproduced here below:-
"RAINBOW "
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began,
So is it now I am a man,
So be it when I shall grow old
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man:
It is during school days we blossom. A recollection of incidents that took place during the school days always brings us happiness. Our teenage - the most beautiful part of our life, falls during school days only. It is during school days one attains physical as well as mental maturity and starts talking about love, sex, winking, ogling etc. School days are not confined merely to four walls of a classroom; they extend far beyond those four walls. It is these days, which are worthy to be remembered by one and all. It is a carefree, worry free, bird- like life. School days run on friendship and mutual trust. Friendship generally grows between classmates during the school days. If maintained well, it is everlasting. It makes one forget class, creed status and everything through out one’s life. The leniency and access to one another among such mates continues unaltered as it is in school days through out rest of their lives even. Similarly, such mates seldom make use of plural forms during their conversations. We learn swimming,and cycling during the school days only. I learnt cycling at Gandhi Maidan in Kundapur. It was known as Nari byana during those days for it seems that jackals used to roam there. It was Chandra Mouli my class mate who taught me cycling. We hired a small sized bicycle from cycle shop of Narayana for an hour or so for the purpose. We incurred in this regard expenditure of a few annas. Can I forget the jolly ride that we friends had there afterwards to nearby Kumbhakashi? It was an unforgettable ride. Kumbhakashi is at a distance of 5 miles from Kundapur.
School days are very competitive too. Of course, here competition is not for amassing wealth but competition is for forging ahead in studies, sports and games, and extracurricular activities. Some are book worms. Some excel in studies as well as in sports and games. Some are good at extracurricular activities. It is world of different type of personalities. School days give us a picture of future generation.
It is during school days when sometimes either one does not comb their hair properly or when their haircut is sometimes wayward too. Many of us were not buttoning our shirts and shorts properly too during that period. It is when majority of us used attend to school by walk and many of us being unable to purchase sandals were bare footed. It is when one pays less attention to fashion. It was an unfashionable world. It is when we used to consume sweets and other eatables as much as we could without any limit. Can we forget cucumber pieces with masala or raw mango pieces with salt and pepper, or masala mandakki with onion etc? What a taste we used to have! We classmates used to quarrel among ourselves in the morning and by evening we used to become friends once again. There was no animosity, grudge or anything for that matter at all. What an enthusiasm we had! .On countless occasions we used to fall and get ourselves hurt. But we never used to care those injuries at all. We were very curious to know as many things as possible. Our interest was manifest. Some were interested in studies. Some were interested in sports and some in games.
During school days all the students do not dwell near the school. Some have to travel several miles to attend the school. Some have conveyance to attend to school whereas some do not have. They have to cover the long distance by walk. Some bring food packets along with them from home. At about one ‘o’clock majority of students feel hungry and await anxiously the long bell to be rung. As soon as it was rung, what a scene we used to come across. How hurriedly we used to come out of class? Can we forget those moments? Can we forget sitting round here and there in the vicinity of school and exchanging various items of food that every one of us had brought from home. In no time the food used to exhaust. It was more and more of chatting then. We used to forget where we were. How many squabbles we used to have? How many Gods promises we used to make or accept. Only a long bell used to awaken us. Often we remember those happy moments. One has to be attentive and serious in a class. One has to hold their breath during a class. As soon as a period was over, school bell used to ring, our teacher used to leave our class to enable the other teacher to take the class. It was a great relief for every one of us. What noise we used to make. We used to make heaven and earth one. Again, there used to be pin drop silence only during next period. Our discipline used to depend upon the teacher who used to take the class. These are our memories only now.
School is a wonder land. School is a partner in our progress. It is an abode of knowledge. Our hunger for knowledge would remain unquenchable in those days. It is during one’s school days, we find that one’s curiosity at the peak or zenith. Our interest in other extra curricular activities would also be nonetheless during those days. Childishness which is supposed to leave one never leaves majority of us completely during our school days. Further it does not decline uniformly in everybody too .We appears to be innocence personified at that time. Knowledge of majority of us during school days would be by and large limited. We remain ignorant of many things and are unable to decide which is good and which is bad many times. We need guidance and supervision very much during our school days otherwise there is every possibility of we being spoiled during those precarious moments. Many of us are not serious about even studies at that time. We wile away our valuable time too. We remain minors during that period and as minors laws of land are not harsh to us. Our acts are viewed leniently and generally they are pardoned. It is a period to learn and learn only. It is always better if one plans for the future at that stage.
How many times I forgot umbrella in my class during rainy season. How many times I collected it from headmaster’s room. Once or twice I had canning from headmaster for that lapse. What has instilled discipline in us to-day? Is it not punishments like canning for wrong doing, marking absence for late coming, making us stand up on the benches for causing distraction in the classroom or for not attending to homework etc by our teachers. As soon as we think of our school days, we remember those incidents too. It is during these days gradually one learns manners, behavior and attains maturity. It is when one has neither superiority complex nor inferiority complex. It is when one mingles with everybody without any hesitation .Every parent also desires that their child should not feel inferior to others in the class at any cost. As such, they try to meet majority of the needs of their child despite all the odds that they have to overcome in the process. It is during school days we are identified as "Tomorrow's citizens" ,"Budding talents" "Budding beauties" etc .Child is the father of a man " in this vein only great poet William Wordsworth adds this line in his poem " Rainbow "
School days are important phase of one’s life. It is when one's parents have great expectations from their children. In fact, expectations of parents exceed expectations of students during school days. Parents keep high hopes on achievements of their children . Of course, expectations vay from parent to parent. Some parents want their children to be doctors and some like their children to be engineers and so on. On our part we build castles in the air. Some of us are serious about their dreams and some are not. As a result, ambitions of some are fulfilled whereas ambitions of some are not fulfilled. Thus school days are unique to everybody for one or other reason. Generally when we are leisurely or when we meet friends of yester years, we remember those days. It is remembering the past. I remembered my school days in this way only. I had been to wedding of my nephew at Bangalore some time back. Wedding is usually a get together. After a long time my elder sister and I met a bank chairman's wife who used to visit us almost daily in connection with her combined studies with my sister. We remembered our good old days. There was all the elegance and grace in the appearance of that lady except the happiness and liveliness of the yester years, which prompted me to recollect my school days and feel that school days are one of the happiest days in our life.
During the school days I devoted more time for playing and less time for studying . I had not earmarked any time for playing. Whether it was morning, or whether it was noon, or whether when it was getting dark, I was used to play. When I was at play, I not even felt hungry. How long I used to play in a day. And what all I used to play. At sunset I used to be damn tired yet I was returning home reluctantly. There after on return at home I used to feel sleepy though it was reading time. With a book in hand, I used to fall asleep sometimes. Though, I was aware that early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise, I never practiced it. Those days I used to have sound sleep. That sleep was absolutely free from all worries. Moreover often that sleep used to couple with dreams also. As a result I used to forget many times that I was a student and used to get up late.
I was ambitious too . I used to build castles in the air. My needs were innumerable. I had no idea as to whether my parents could afford them or not. I used to place demands before them without even thinking a bit. I was not aware what type of days would be in store for me in the days ahead? Everything seemed to be rosy. How lively I used to be which I cannot dream even now. I was brimming with enthusiasm and energy. If I have wings, I would have flown to those days. There seems to be no end for recollecting school days. There was no artificiality in life during those days. Majority of my classmates were very innocent. We did not know what cunningness was. I used to relish food very much. What an appetite and hunger I had in those days. Now I cannot even imagine such a appetite and hunger now. I was very naughty. Ours was a fairly big family. We were eleven children comprising of four boys and seven girls.
My father was a bank manager and mother was an illiterate hard working house -wife. She knew nothing but working hard from morning to night in the kitchen. My parents were very caring and affectionate. My brothers and sisters were also affectionate. I was brought up very tenderly.I had a little exposure to world at large. I did not know how to deal with people. Everything was taken care of by my ailing father. School days of some are confined to a single school because their parents are not on a transferable job whereas school days of some are spread over many schools. Those who attend different schools are subjected to different atmospheres. There are advantages and disadvantages in attending a single school and different schools too. One, whose school days are spread over many schools find change in syllabuses, comes across different teachers and different class mates etc. It affects bond between a student and a teacher too. There is less duration and there is a little scope for bond to grow between the two. Short duration does not allow friendship between classmates to grow much also. Since my father’s was on a transferable job, my education was spread over many places. I began my schooling in St Mary's Immaculate Convent School Shimoga where I studied first and second standards. My third and fourth standard education was at primary school attached to National High School, Basavanagudi Bangalore. Fifth standard, I studied at Ganapathi Middle School, A.S. Street, Bangalore. Sixth Standard was studied at Dalavai Middle School as well as at Sharada Vilas Middle School, Mysore. I completed seventh standard to eleventh standard at Board High School, Kundapur. Thereafter Intermediate at Intermediate College at Hassan. Graduation in science, I did at M.G.M. College Udupi.
School days bring back to us the memories of awe-inspiring personalities of teachers who taught us. How simple they were? We always hold them in high esteem. Majority of them were simple and used to wear dhotis and jubbahs. There was no commercialization of education in those days. Those who used to take up teaching as their profession were either from rich families or from middle class families whose main intention was only imparting education and not making money. Most of them were agriculturists. They had no selfish motives. They were the source of knowledge. They used to derive pleasure in teaching. They were one of the most respected people in the society and used to command the respect of one and all. They were the well-wishers of we students. They used to take care of students as if they are their own children. The teachers were setting ideals to us. They were the unforgettable personalities who dent mark on us. It is they who instilled discipline in us. We were subjected to punishment whenever we did something wrong. Generally, if we do some distraction in the class, the duster or chalk pieces used to be flung at us after warning by the concerned teachers. Similarly, we used to receive caning for not attending to home work properly. If we did something grave, we were sent out of the class or asked to stand up on the bench. Serious offenses were brought to the notice of headmaster or parents and suitable punishment contemplated without putting student's future into jeopardy. Every opportunity was given to pupil to mend and tread a right path. We were made to realize the sanctity of a school. There was no discrimination whatsoever. Though ancient "Guru Shishya “tradition was not there, majority of us used to consider the teacher as supreme.
What a preparation we used to have for our school day celebrations. It was more than a month long preparation. We come across school day celebration every year during our school days. It was always a grand function. It was an important memorable function too. It was like a festival. It was a team work. How many competitions we would have during that period? Some were indoor competitions and some were outdoor competitions. Outdoor competitions consisted of sports and games separately for boys and girls. Indoor competitions consisted of essays writing in English, Kannada and Hindi Singing competitions, handwriting competitions, reading competitions etc. We as well as our teachers used to have a busy time at that time. It was when young and old were equally filled with enthusiasm. A school day used to conclude with dramas, and prize distributions. Every instance pertaining to a school day haunts our mind as we remember a school day celebration.
How can we forget stress and strains which we used to have during exam period. As and when examinations approach examination fever engulfs majority of students. Some are prepared to face examinations at anytime. Some start their preparations only when examinations are fast approaching on war footing. They burn the mid night oil. Some try to understand subjects whereas some resort to mugging. Some pupils’ sole intention is to pass an examination. Rumors like leakage of question papers etc spread during examination period. In a way it is school examinations that make one ready to face life. Mere intelligence is not sufficient to secure high marks in an examination. It depends on other factors also. The way one presents answers to questions that appear in an exam has an important role.The answers should be to the point & presentation should also be good and attract the evaluator and should not give any scope for them to deduct any marks. In a way facing an examination and securing high marks is an art. On the eve of exam one normally starts revising their lessons for an examination. One guesses questions that would appear in the examination. One would be naturally happy when expected questions appear in an examination. Their heart fills with joy. They would be in a hurry to answer them and in hurry burry they make mistakes too. Of course, when questions were tough, their plight was inexplicable.
Many of us had no idea that answers should be to the point and brevity is a style. We used to think that our examiner will be more impressed if we consume more number of answer sheets. We used to feel proud to submit answer paper at the earliest. We were unaware that hurry bury spoils everything and we should make the best use of the time at our disposal.
I was not regular in studies. I used to burn midnight oil during exam period. My father used to mock at me. He used to compare my exam preparations to learning how to shoot an arrow just on eve of a war. Of course, my preparations for exam was like trying to dig a well when a house was on fire. My mother used to wake me up early at that time so that I could study well and prosper well in my life. But, I used to fall asleep with a book in hand. Even several cups of coffee had little effect on me. Coffee was unable to drive sleep away from me.
After examination is over one does not keep quiet. He or she assesses their performance. They compare their performance with that of others. They arrive at probable marks that they would score in the examination. How happy one would be once the examinations are over. Everybody has their own way of relaxing there afterwards. It depends upon every individual. Some go on long tours. Some visit their friends and relatives. Some read books which are other than their text books like novels, story books etc. Some resort to playing outdoor games. How anxiously I used to wait for vacations.
How much joyful I used to be, on declaration of holidays. That was the relaxation period after our exams. L.L.A. Library was by the side of my house. I could get any number of books from there as well as from nearby Panchayat Board library. In addition to this I used to get books from my school even. There was no dearth for books or enthusiasm. Depending upon the interest created by the writer, I used to read the books. I was not at all time conscious. I read novels written by Messers Shivaram Karanth, A.krishna Rao, T.Subba Rao, Sharat Chandra etc. Besides, I read a large number of detective novels too. I did not know that there was difference between reality and fiction. I used to guess the concluding part of detective novels. Whenever my guess was okay, my joy had no bounds. The probing, suspense, which were there in those detective novels and that used to create a lot of curiosity and interest in me. I enjoyed them. I liked Conan Doyle's Sherlock Homes very much. Pearl S Buck, and Charles Dickens, was the other novelists who had much influence on me.
How enthusiastic one would be to go on tour, excursions, and picnics during school days. It is when one really enjoys them to maximum extent. It was summer vacation of fifth standard. We were at Mysore. My cousins had come from my native place Udupi for sight seeing. I enjoyed picnics and excursions, in their company to nearby Srirangapattinam, Brindavan garden gardens, Chamundi Hills etc. Those moments are still green in my memory. They were well versed in Tulu language. They taught me a Tulu song which I remember even to-day. It was a song where a coffee planter proposed to marry a beautiful maid. She refused to marry him when he offered her ear rings, necklace, bangles etc. she did not yield to all those temptations. The maid agreed to marry him only when he agreed to part with keys of treasury where he had stored all his treasure. How can I forget such instances?
As and when school reopening approaches attitudes of students are different. Some are happy that school is reopening and that they would be busy. Some feel uneasy because once again they have to follow the routine of getting up early, studying, going to school, attending to homework, etc. Generally a teacher evaluates all the answer papers during the holidays and would be ready with them when school reopens. What an anxiety we would have during the announcement of results and knowing of our performance in annual exams. Every student is generally anxious to know his or her performance. Even parents are anxious to know the performance of their children. So when a teacher walks into classroom after an elapse of long or short holidays, the noise created by students due to exchange of pleasantries turns into pin drop silence. One by one teacher distributes answer papers. Some secure marks as expected and become happy and some secure less mark than what they had expected. Of course, they become sad. By and large it is a worth watching atmosphere. Comparison of marks among friends, competitors etc take place. If more people secure good marks, the teacher is praised for their liberal attitude otherwise the teacher is branded as very strict. Question paper is blamed many times for securing poor marks. A few admit their dismal performance. In fact, some students do not prepare well for an exam too. Further, some students are not intelligent also. Thus poor performance is not generally due to a single reason.
There after the class teacher used to hand over progress card to get attested by the parents .If the progress was excellent how much proud parents as well as we used to be The progress report used to receive warm welcome and publicity. It used to be circulated among friends , relatives neighbors and everybody proudly. On the other hand, if the progress was unsatisfactory without any fun fare with sermons as well as scolding from parents it used to be returned to the class teacher tamely.
Our enthusiasm while entering the new class had no bounds. We used to be curious to know who is our English teacher, Kannada teacher, math's teacher, what new lessons, what are our non detailed books, text books and so on and so forth. I used to show lot of interest in neatly getting the books bounded. But at the end of year, the books used to be in torn out condition whereas some of the classmates of mine used to keep them in as it were condition and out of the proceeds of old books ,used to purchase books for the next class. When I learnt cycling my joy was immense. With all the energy I used to peddle the bicycle at top speed. I was not bothered whether I would fall or have bruises or have an accident. I was neither caring for the heat of the sun nor I was feeling hungry whenever I went to nearby cashew gardens with friends. There I used to climb to the top of trees to pluck cashew fruits despite ants biting every now and then. I cannot forget the taste of those fruits. Those cashew fruits were very sweet, fresh and ripe. I could have bought them in the market. But I would not have had the satisfaction, happiness and enjoyment, which I got while plucking and having them from the treetop. Similarly, I was not caring for thorns while plucking mostly half ripe berries and a few fully ripe berries from the treetop. The taste of those berries was twice that of those sold at door- step. The desires were very small but the satisfaction on fulfillment could never be forgotten.
How much I was enjoying cricket. I wanted to be Dattu Phadkar, Shubas Gupte, Vijay Hazare and what not. I was so much indulged in playing cricket that I used to forget heat of the sun, my meals, and my studies and was not even worried about my future. I never used to feel weary. I was just like a free bird. My parents never questioned me. Their affection was so much that made me think that I am the monarch of all I survey. I might have wasted my valuable time and might not have given due attention to my studies which it badly needed in those days. Here again, I could not get back the joy, satisfaction, which I derived while playing cricket even though I did not turn out to be an outstanding player. I could represent junior team of our school only. Even to-day, I generally do not miss watching relay of cricket matches on T. V Cricket is a craze which has been with me since 1948 when I was only 9 years old. Then I had the opportunity of watching famous cricketers of those days from Karnataka namely Messer's L.T. Adishesh, L.T. Ashwath, L.T. Subbu, G Kasturirangan playing cricket at National High School grounds in Basavanagudi Bangalore. To-day, where Kempe Gowda Bus Terminal - the biggest bus terminal in Karnataka, is situated in Bangalore was in those days it a barren land called Subash Nagar. I remember to have played football there. Similarly we friends used to go to river that too when the river was in full tide. We did not know swimming also. But we used to enjoy the plunge and the chill of the water. We were not carrying the bath towels too. We got our clothes dried in scorching heat. What a fun we had. One may call it an adventure but I cannot forget the experience and the thrill.
Similarly yakshagana, which is wide spread in my native district South- Kanara, attracted me much and I enjoyed them a lot. We used to leave our home after supper after 10 P.M. in the night for "Yakshagana” It used to be conducted in some paddy fields under petromax lights. We used to carry mats and blankets from our homes. The play used to run till 6 to 7 a.m in the next morning. Every participant in the yakshagana used to have his make up himself with gorgeous costumes. Every participant used to feel the role. The knowledge of every participant regarding epics Mahabharata and Ramayana every one of them excelled that of another. It was profound .A portion of either of these great epics was generally was taken up for display in competitive and combating way. Their dialogue delivery was superb. As a result we never used to feel either the weather or sleep. We used to get fully engrossed in watching and listening to the discourses till morning. They used keep us spell bound by their spirited wordy battle and dances. I can never forget that experience. I remember some of the great names in the field of yakshagana of those days even now. They were Messer's Haradi Rama, Veerabhadra Naika, Keremane Shambu Hedge, and Malpe Samuga. There were no tickets for yakshagana in those days. Either a rich person or a group of persons used to take care of the expenses and arrangements.
During school days I was fond of movies. I was not even bothered to know whether it was a Kannada movie, Tamil movie, Telugu movie or Hindi movie. It mattered a little to me. I used to get fully engrossed in a film. Tears used to roll over my cheeks whenever there was a sorrowful scene. I was always under the impression that everything that was taking place on the celluloid screen was real. Afterwards, I used to imitate Shammi Kapoor, Shivaji Ganeshan, N.T. Rama Rao, M. R. Radha, and what not. What a thrill that M.G. Ramachandran stunts used to create in me. I used to remain spell bound while witnessing his movies. Singing was my past time. Can I forget the melodious songs of yester years sung by Md Rafi, Mukesh, Mannadey, and Ghantasala? A picture used to cost us less than a rupee at that time. In some places there was no permanent structure for cinemas. Movies were shown in tents with old projector and after every reel and sometimes in the middle we used to have a break. Mosquito and bug bites were common in those theatres but I was not caring for them at all. I enjoyed the movies to the hilt. Now that class is known as Gandhi class and is famous for whistles and cat calls. Now it is impossible for me to witness a movie in that fashion and enjoy it.
As time elapses our thinking undergoes a sea change and we do not remain what we were but school days remain what they were. School days are the days when we were more complacent than what we are to-day. It is when our wants were numerous and all were important and big to us. But to-day majority of them appear to be trifle, funny and easy to be satisfied too. When we recollect some of those wants we are amused. We laugh at ourselves. It was when we thought that our teacher knows everything on the earth. Teacher's word was final to us. Teacher was guide, philosopher and friend to us. I remember to have gone to my teacher with numerous doubts and questions.
Innocence is really a bliss