My school

For what I am like now, and for what I am not like now the following are the MAJOR influential factors:

1. My Parents
2. My school

I feel its impossible for me to describe my relationship with my parents through words (never quantifiable) and therefore could not really bring out the influence that they had in me. Let me come to the other factor, my school.

Only fresh, unsullied, lively memories come into my mind on hearing someone say 'school'. And its impact - Huge and deep. The holy place where I did my schooling was Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Tirunelveli. Known as the Oxford city of South India, for the number of education institutions in and around the city and the world class education they offer, Chinmaya is one of the best schools in Tirunelveli.

My parents were very selective and choosy in making this decision. The all important decision of selecting the school wherein their son is gonna get educated. They had to weigh many options, and of all the important one of looking at the distance part. At the time of me joining my LKG, I had to travel somewhere around 12 KM from my house to the school.

Nevertheless, at that point of time, they never allowed either complacency or a compromise to creep in, and hence I was blessed to be a Chinmayan right from my KG classes. Never could I forget the first day. I could not but remember my first day. I never made an issue or problem, and was a samathu payyan likingly going to school.

I have by now entered to my class room, and some 25 odd other kids (Guys by now) were there, most of them weeping, and some crying loudly. I was sitting there bravely looking at them thinking, "What the hell is happening? Come on buddies, cheer up". My mom was the one who accompanied, and she was made to feel proud.

"Yen payyan samathu". All of a sudden, they asked all the parents to leave the place. I was a bit tensed. Then, without any notice, they shut the door closed. That's it. A loud cry, not from my fellow buddies, but from me.

I could absolutely recollect that moment even now. From that first day, till I got all my certificates indicating my eligibility for a bachelor's degree, my school has given me many learnings (obviously). I can proudly say that I am a Chinmayan, and I do say so.

Some of the aspects which most of the schools (at that time) did not touch, that our school mastered and tried transferred to us were Moral Science, Gita chanting, and Phonetics. Many believe that most Chinmayans coming out will be strong disciplinarians. I feel this could be attributed to the Moral education that has been inculcated in us.

The environment in which we were brought up is worth a mention as well. Hardly you could feel the heat of the sun, and mostly you would be guarded under the shadows of huge, traditional trees. We used to have two days Sadhana camp every year, that would give us the energy for getting charged up the entire year.

Chinmaya Vidhyala is not merely a school for most of us. It was a way of living, a holy place where we learnt many good things, apart from studies, apart from discipline, apart from respect and apart from education.

As a way of giving respect and a way of thankgiving, let me give my school pledge

"We stand as one family bound to each other with love and respect.
We serve as an army, courageous and disciplined, ever ready to fight against all low tendencies and false values within and without us.
We live honestly the noble life of sacrifice and service producing more than what we consume and giving more than what we take.
We seek the Lord's grace to keep us on the path of virtue, courage and wisdom.
May Thy grace and blessings flow through us to the world around us.
We believe that the service of our country is the service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the People is the devotion to the Supreme Self.
We know our responsibilities, give us the ability and courage to fulfill them.
OM-TAT-SAT"

Chinmayan...