When 13 year old grand-daughter, Shreya meets 71 year old grandpa, there is a lot to talk, though the sessions are getting less frequent with school, coaching and turn a scholar classes. Yet they meet and she talks, old man listens. And old man awaits the pleasure, like having a hot vada pav. Of her school friends into Tiger Zinda Hai of Salman Khan... accha film hai...., boring history and language classes.. she enjoys maths. Let poets write poetry, kings and politicians make history ... but why thrust it on schools, she asked at a Saturday session, pulling out a history book from her school bag; the history book spun Ajoba. For effect added, 'Ajoba, Ramayan and Mahabharat are bakwas, hai na? How can somebody give birth to 100 kids?'. Ajoba nodded. 'Stories hai. Harry Potter kya such hai,' Ajoba returned and that would have pleased all staunch Bhakts, mosquitoing the place. Ajoba did not realise Potter cannot be touched. Her aunt, Vidya, has Potter-touched her. She is Harry Potter, books, films and the many add-ons... she looks down at Ajoba not being a potty Potter. Ajoba always goes back to Swami and Friends by R.K. Narayan. But Swami is a no-no to Shreya. And then uncle Ganesh, made the point: Shreya and today's world cannot relate to Swami. He was saying Swami is dated, storming Ajoba. In another 50 years will Swami not be? Will there be kids at all or just bhakts and adults? And than Ajoba had to accept the change: iphones, whatsapp, chats, skypes, ball pens, malls have vanvassed Swami. Swami is not. School is an iphone, at least in Mumbai and for Ajoba's Shreya. Of course Ajoba is not blaming Shreya, he never can...there wont be any reversing. Swami at Albert Mission School liked history or that's what Narayan imagines....: '...Next period they had history. The boys looked forward to it eagerly. It was taken by D. Pillai, who had earned a name in the school for kindness and good humour. He was reputed to have never frowned or sworn at the boys at any time.His method of teaching history conformed to no canon of education. He told the boys with a wealth of detail the private histories of Vasco da Gama, Clive, Hastings, and others. When he described the various fights in history, one heard the clash of arms and the groans of the slain. He was the despair of the headmaster whenever the latter stole along the corridor with noiseless steps on his rounds of inspection.' Shreya yawned: 'Neend ata hai, Ajoba, history classes mein. Aur wo teacher...bakwas ... school mein koi padta nahin hain, marks ke liye jaata hai, kuch honewala nahin nahi..' me Lady firmly put down. She politely said Nahin to Swami and switched on Ajoba's iphone for a chess game. Ajoba has never won and this day did not. Will story telling and writing be... without grandmas, grandpas, parents.... will iphones or something better take over.... will there be no Swami? Swami is history not a story.
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Shreya and Swami
When 13 year old grand-daughter, Shreya meets 71 year old grandpa, there is a lot to talk, though the sessions are getting less frequent with school, coaching and turn a scholar classes. Yet they meet and she talks, old man listens. And old man awaits the pleasure, like having a hot vada pav. Of her school friends into Tiger Zinda Hai of Salman Khan... accha film hai...., boring history and language classes.. she enjoys maths. Let poets write poetry, kings and politicians make history ... but why thrust it on schools, she asked at a Saturday session, pulling out a history book from her school bag; the history book spun Ajoba. For effect added, 'Ajoba, Ramayan and Mahabharat are bakwas, hai na? How can somebody give birth to 100 kids?'. Ajoba nodded. 'Stories hai. Harry Potter kya such hai,' Ajoba returned and that would have pleased all staunch Bhakts, mosquitoing the place. Ajoba did not realise Potter cannot be touched. Her aunt, Vidya, has Potter-touched her. She is Harry Potter, books, films and the many add-ons... she looks down at Ajoba not being a potty Potter. Ajoba always goes back to Swami and Friends by R.K. Narayan. But Swami is a no-no to Shreya. And then uncle Ganesh, made the point: Shreya and today's world cannot relate to Swami. He was saying Swami is dated, storming Ajoba. In another 50 years will Swami not be? Will there be kids at all or just bhakts and adults? And than Ajoba had to accept the change: iphones, whatsapp, chats, skypes, ball pens, malls have vanvassed Swami. Swami is not. School is an iphone, at least in Mumbai and for Ajoba's Shreya. Of course Ajoba is not blaming Shreya, he never can...there wont be any reversing. Swami at Albert Mission School liked history or that's what Narayan imagines....: '...Next period they had history. The boys looked forward to it eagerly. It was taken by D. Pillai, who had earned a name in the school for kindness and good humour. He was reputed to have never frowned or sworn at the boys at any time.His method of teaching history conformed to no canon of education. He told the boys with a wealth of detail the private histories of Vasco da Gama, Clive, Hastings, and others. When he described the various fights in history, one heard the clash of arms and the groans of the slain. He was the despair of the headmaster whenever the latter stole along the corridor with noiseless steps on his rounds of inspection.' Shreya yawned: 'Neend ata hai, Ajoba, history classes mein. Aur wo teacher...bakwas ... school mein koi padta nahin hain, marks ke liye jaata hai, kuch honewala nahin nahi..' me Lady firmly put down. She politely said Nahin to Swami and switched on Ajoba's iphone for a chess game. Ajoba has never won and this day did not. Will story telling and writing be... without grandmas, grandpas, parents.... will iphones or something better take over.... will there be no Swami? Swami is history not a story.
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