Those Days and Now

English Teachers! And that too in India! Lord have mercy on them! 

Right from 5 in the morning Shivani had to be on her toes. Be it any weather, jumping out of bed, having a bath followed by a quick puja, cooking breakfast and lunch, and then running for the school bus was a routine from Monday to Saturday. On entering the bus, there would always be one or another student waiting for being guided for the speech to be given in the morning assembly or for a solution to some grammar problem or giving her a daily diary to be read or just to simply sit next to her to talk in somewhat wrong English so that quick corrections could be done. 

'Ma'am you told me to write a diary daily... So here is it.. Mom has told me to get it corrected today itself. ' And there she was, correcting and explaining the wrong tenses used in the diary entries of Vivek. 

'I've to speak in the assembly today. Could you guide me on Importance of yoga? I don't know much about it and our house prefect will kill me if I'm not upto the mark! ' Parul requested. 

'Yes,' and Shivani would start helping her in noting down the points ,remembering the lessons of Baba Ramdev. 

Not even two minutes have gone and there would be this class 7 child coming to her seat. 

' Can I sit next next to you? My Dad has told me that if I'll talk to you then my English will get better. ' And Shivani would sincerely try to better the adjectives and the adverbs of Parth. 

On deboarding the bus, there would be Badri waiting for her. And she would know that there has to be a guest for the morning assembly and she will have to be prepared for the introduction of the guest. 

Of course the extra energy required for the 6 periods of continuous English classes couldn't be explained in words. Being one of the most popular teachers, she would always have a super energetic bunch of students waiting to make her class most interactive and interesting. And not to end up here, there would always be classes arranged for her after school in order to make the weaker students excel in English. '

After all their parents are also paying the same amount of fee as others who are relatively better,' used to be the principal's remark. 

Shivani's hectic routine didn't end here. Back home Chiku would be waiting for her. Inspite of being in Class 12, he just couldn't eat food unless and until served by Mom. 

'I've to give him time otherwise he might get spoilt! He is at a vulnerable age!' And there would be many more wild thoughts related to a teenager in Shivani's mind by the time she reached home. 

The moment lunch was over, Shashi would enter the house. And then there would be a one hour thorough energy drain drive in the house amidst noise of utensils being cleaned and Shashi's news about neighborhood on one day or her own problems on other days! 

'What to do? Everyone seeks attention! ' She would reply if Chiku asked her to go and have rest while Shashi could finish the household chores. 

Despite the hurries and worries, life was going on easily for her. But the lockdown due to pandemic corona has given her a space which is desirable as well as not so desirable. There aren't any hurries but there are definite worries. 

'What will happen to Chiku's preparations for IIT? ' He's not studying with the same tempo! '

'What if Papa gets ill in Delhi? How will I go to see him? '

'When will I meet Puchu? I don't know how and when it will be possible for him to come back from USA ? '

Such negative thoughts keep pouring inside Shivani making her terribly depressed at times. 

'So what if I've more time for meditation! So what if I can get up even at 7  & not 5 in the morning these days! So what if I can have my morning cup of tea in a very relaxed manner! So what if I don't have Shashi or any other maids to attend to! ' 

Shivani would always miss her students, classes, and school of the pre-lockdown period!