Story of Watermelon

Once there lived a boy in the village of Parra in Goa which was famous for its watermelons. Every year farmers would organize a watermelon eating contest at the end of every harvest season in May. Farmers used to invite kids from all over the village to participate in the contest. The farmer would keep the best watermelons from harvest for kids to eat at the contest. Kids were allowed to eat as many watermelons as they wanted Only condition for them was not to bite into the seeds of watermelon and spit out all the seeds into a bowl.

Years later boy went to college. After completing his studies boy came back to his village after 7 years. Boy was very happy to return to his village and went to the market looking for watermelons but there was nothing like before. All was gone. Watermelons that were available in the market were small. The boy came to know that contest was still held but things were changed now. Whole farming and contest things were now handled by the farmer’s son. Farmer’s son held contest even now but there was a small difference. When the farmer's son took over, he realized that larger watermelons would fetch good money in the market so he would sell the larger ones in the market and keep the smaller ones for the contest.

This same thing continued year after year and at last best watermelons were finished from the village. What went wrong?? How did this change?? Previously when the contest was held best watermelons were kept for kids to eat and seeds collected in bowls would be used for the next harvest of watermelon. This way farmers would get the best seeds from next year's harvest of watermelons. It would yield even bigger watermelon next year. Now when his son took over, he would keep the smaller ones for the contest because of which next year yield watermelon was smaller, the year later even smaller. In watermelon, generation was one year but village best watermelons were finished in 7 years.

Moral: Human generation changes after 25 years but it will take us 200 Yrs to understand what’s wrong with the education system. Today’s generation scrap or change older traditions without realizing and understanding the deeper value and meaning of those traditions. Change is good but first We should try to understand why we need to make a change.