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...

THALAIVARU THIMINGALAM THAANUNGO!

On a custom weekday evening, I was one amongst a million bachelors (empathy) watching Sun Music.

Why sun music? Could be attributed to the following two reasons:

* Typical hatred and boredom developed from the childhood days, due to the inability to overcome my grandma's and mom's passion towards mindblogging (!!??!!), mundane teleserials

* No Set top box (And hence, no Ten sports, Star movies and those kinds)

Suddenly I unintenionaly gave a couple of minutes rest to my poor remote controller. A man in a gaudy yellow silk shirt and a white dhoti, with a neck cover of the red came on the screen. Basically being a music lover, irrespective of whatever the kind being (may be it gaana or melody or rock or ghazal) I enjoyed the beat of the song.

There existed a strangeness or alienness in the way in which the entire song was presented, that created a curiosity in me, and hence probably a liking on the same.

A strange body language with His (the singer on screen) hands and fingers mostly doing the dance, rather than any other part of His body, a cooler, a dark thin man holding a microphone and absolutely following His actions and lip movements, a hardcore dappanguthu choreography were a few strangers worth mentioning that invited my interest.

I was impressed. The tune has made a half way mark entrance in to my mind.

A couple of days later, while I was busy skipping channels, the same song appeared on screen. Now that I got a feel of the tune, I now paid more attention in collecting other general details about the song. What is the movie? Who was the music composer? and the likes.

During the research, I got an interesting piece of info. The man who sang on screen, was also the one who sung behind. GAANA ULAGANATHAN...

I decided to do a bit more research on him. The following were some info about the "Vaala meenu" pugal Ulaganathan:

* Born, brought up in Vyasarpaadi
* Horned his singing skills by singing in Marriages and death ceremonies
* Had already sung a song Gummango in the album Machi (music by A.R.Rehana, S - God's own sister)
* He and his small troop used to drink the whole night, bringing out songs in between
* A good lyricists apart from singing

Sure this guy is gonna reach heights of his own. Eg. The next week of the release of the movie (Chithiram Pesuthadi), he was given the privilege of addressing Aanantha Vikatan, followed by a couple of stage shows with the City's leading orchestras... Why not would the orchestra troops be fond of Him? That too after the Vazha Meenu song becoming a blockbuster hit. Every day sun music starts the day and ends it with this song.

All the best Gaana Ulags ! Entertain us more...

The moment

Jan 21, 2005. A wait worth 24 years came to a halt. A pleasant halt. To be very honest, the conscious efforts in terms of all the learnings, the personal refinement and the sacrifices resulting in the curbing of a few instinctive decisions in me was zeroed down to realise this particular moment ASAP.

Yes, to be very precise and accurate, 21 January 2005, 8:10 PM was the moment when I received a call that surmounted loads of expectations and tensions. Never had I been so lenient and receptive to a roaming call. A call that lasted around 6-7 minutes. The end of which was the arrival of The moment. Felt as if I had been waiting for this moment for years together.

The moment - Me getting placed in Quadrangle

I was one of the blessed, lucky, and probably apt guys who was selected after a day long rigorous interview process.

All the more important was that of getting placed via a campus selection. My parents can now produly say to their peers and relatives that "My son has got a campus placement". Overcoming 12 competitive, knowledgeable HR contestants was not an easy ask, and doing so eventually brought a grin on my face.

Correction, a smile on my face.

The first thing I did after hearing and digesting the news was a telephone call to my parents. All the more eager were they. On the way to the booth (Courtesy - nill balance in my mobile), I have prepared how to deliver this news to my Parents. My mom picked the receiver, and I tried speaking.

Never in my life, had I felt speaking a pain. Not a word came out my mouth. If I am not exaggerating, tears were running down my cheeks, unknowingly. Then a sob. Stunned was the lady attending the booth. A 24 year old sobbing aloud, never minding her presence. It took all my efforts in saying, rather sharing this piece of news to my mom.

"Amma, velai kidachidichu ma"... A loud, lively lovely voice reciprocated, "Yemma Karthy, Congrats ma, rombbbba santhosam". Transferred to dad, now. A confession made "Me getting placed is entirely attributed to you both, dad". My dad was speechless, after a Congrats and for the first time in my life, I could hear him cry.

Messages and calls followed then from my well wishers and friends. With due respect to their support and wishes, I say, none could be compared to the likes of my mom's wish and my dad's tears. For me, my life's most emotional moment were those two hours. A moment I would cherish for my life.

And at this point of time I would like to express my Gratitude to the company that dared hiring me (I hope rightly so :-))). THANK YOU QUADRANGLE... For not only believing me, for not only giving a halt to my long wait, for not only making me aware of my capabilities, for not onlyrewarding my efforts, but also for gifting me The moment.