To Call or Not to Call...

" Son when you have kids of your own, you would realize what we go through." This was my father's response to my question as to why they called up every Sunday when I joined the NDA 29 years ago.
And my Dad was right.
My daughter, Mishka, has joined a hotel management course at Bangalore and is staying in a hostel. It being an institute run by the Army Welfare Education Society, discipline is a way of life.
Her routine starts with PT in the morning. Thereafter the rest of the day is a blur rushing from one activity/class to another. I called her up at 6.45 yesterday morning and she chirped, "Dad, I have just got back from PT and have 20minutes to get ready. Can't talk to you now. Call after half an hour."
I was on tenterhooks for the next 1800 seconds!! Called her up at the 1810th second. Got a run down of the previous day. Was very happy to know that she is enjoying herself. Had a chat with her in the evening too.
When I called up my wife today morning ( she is on the train on her way back to Bhopal from Bangalore), to ask if she had spoken with Mishka, she said," Let her be. Don't call up so often. Even I have not called."
And so here I sit with my mobile, pressing the search button, typing out 'mishka', her number appears, but I do not press the button with the green telephone logo. My mind wanders off to Bangalore. I see her sitting in her classroom, engaging the professor in some profound discussion on the future trends in the hotel industry, arguing with the F&B instructor on the merits of asfoetida in pasta sauce or pulling pranks on her friends.
I am not able to muster the courage to press the button with the green telephone logo.
Or is it that I am gathering the courage to let my 'baby darling' go.
To call or not to call, that is the question.

My FIRST 3-D experience

You would not believe it but it is true. I saw a 3-D movie for the first time yesterday. It so happened that with my wife away with my elder daughter to Bangalore, I was charged with taking care of the younger one, Anoushka.
Anoushka had been asking me to take her to the Regional Science Centre since a long time. And by yesterday I had run out of excuses. So off we went and what a great time I had.
We whispered into pipes, demonstrating that sound travels in a tube, rolled heavy iron balls up incline planes and lifted weights with great ease.
The high point was our going for the 3-D movie show. I must confess that it was the first time that I saw one. It was pretty engrossing considering that I nearly took a swipe with my hand at the snake which came hissing at me. Gave an embarrassed look to my kid sitting on my right, but she understood and acted as if she had not seen me hitting out.

We had a wonderful time. the RSC has been conceptualised very well. The displays left us wanting for more. Science is an art. Notice the iron filings arranging and rearranging themselves in beautiful patterns when subjected to the fields of different types of magnets. The sheer joy of watching different patterns being formed by liquids of varying densities and colours.
The enormous data that is depicted about our planet is mind-boggling and interesting.
We came back all charged up and smiling at this wonderful outing.
Anoushka has motivated me to go for the 4-D show next time we are in Mumbai. She went to one this summer

Back to School...

It is always a great pleasure going to my younger daughter's school in Bhopal. It is called The Sanskaar Valley School. Spread over nearly 37acres of rolling landscape surrounded by low hills. Spring time sees the blossoms of Kachnar, Gulmohur and Palash turn the earth into various shades of purple, red and yellow. Monsoons make the area verdant green. The drive is beautiful. On two occasions, I have let a cobra cross my path and a viper once. In fact I managed to click the viper. And those of you who are smirking, I say it aloud for you. The viper was scared. It would have been scared had it been you too.

Yesterday was the award ceremony and since she was one of the awardees I was invited. Dr Sumer Singh, the Principal of Daly College,Indore was the chief guest. In this blog I wish to take up one point that he made about scoring marks in exams is not the meaning of a meaningful education. He stressed upon the fact that "getting good marks is only a door which opens your path to to a reputed institution for higher studies". He continued in the same vein that how you evolve as an individual is the true measure of education.
I cannot help taking up the 'door' analogy a little further. A room with just a door will be dark and stuffy. We will need artificial means to light it up and also arrange for circulation of air.
A room with a door and a number of windows will be airy and will have natural light. It will be well ventilated and cheery. It will be a 'healthy' room.
So it is with any person. We find that a multidimensional personality is more interesting than someone who has only one facet.A person who has been exposed to myriad experiences has greater adaptability and dynamism than someone who has purposely restricted his fields.
Therefore, true education would lie in enriching ourselves through exposure to arts, literature, travel, meeting people from diverse backgrounds and imbibing their perspectives. I would say that developing culinary skills, a questioning attitude... oh... the list is endless, they all add to our personality and a well rounded education.
A room with a number of windows permitting light and air to come in during different parts of the day, is healthier to stay in.Similarly, a curriculum with exposure to aspects other than text books develops a healthier mind.
I am glad my kid is studying in this school. She actually looks forward to going there. In light banter if I tell her that we may shift to some other city, pat comes the reply, "Dad, you can go. Mom and I will stay here only." It helps that my wife is teaching there and enjoying herself.
Yes I am 'jealous' of the school. It gives my daughter more fun-time than I do.