From Gurus to Goondas

Gururbrahma gururvishnu gurudevo maheswara guru sakshat parabrahma tasmai sri gurave namah. 

Whatever happened to the haloed practice of guru-shishya parampara in our country? Why have we lost the Ved Vyasas, Dronacharyas and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnans in the confused milieu of what we call education today?

India has been renowned for its teacher-disciple tradition and bonding. The gurus of yester years laid emphasis on experiential learning and acquiring knowledge through practice. They earned respect and loyalty from their disciples because they were able to impart such specialized knowledge based on their experiences that was not easily acquired through reading books. The teacher or guru was the spiritual guide, teacher and mentor all rolled into one.

One wonders why teachers did not face so much frustration with their students then. Why did they not brutalize, maim and even murder their students in those days? Something is horribly wrong with our society today- we have criminals in the garb of teachers. Every day the so called “teachers” find new ways to brutalize their students- every day we allow them to dehumanize our children.

Are we apathetic because it is not our own child who is being beaten up and terrorized in schools across the nation? When will we realize that social apathy is the root cause of all the social evils that ails our society? When will we have the courage to own up and say all is not well with my world today- my child is withering and languishing in the posh school I slave to send him to?

Parents, please wake up to your child’s dire need for protection and security. Participate in your child’s life. Leave a comfortable space for your child to come to you and vent his/her sorrow, hurt and humiliation. Don’t leave it till it’s too late. Don’t let Rouvanjit Rawla, Siddhartha Saha and Gobindo Saha’s plight be repeated. The school and its teachers are responsible for the care and education of your children. Demand that from the schools. Create awareness in parents’ associations and take active interest in what is going on inside the portals of the once distinguished schools.

Love, laughter, education and sunshine are a child’s birthright. Let us help the schools in their mission to provide all these to our children. Let us stand by them and create a society where our children can go to school and recite bravely- “where the mind is without fear…”

 Let us join hands and strive to revive the great tradition of guru sakshat parabrahma (guru is Brahma, the Absolute) and make our children believe once more that moksha mulam guru kripa (in the grace of the guru lies the source of salvation).

Outrage

A lot of attention is being given to the unfortunate case of Rouvanjit Rawla, and deservedly so. It has brought an important issue into focus resulting in the CNI (Church of North India) stepping in and censuring the principal of La Martiniere for Boys' School. That corporal punishment is by itself not a civilised way of teaching discipline and reinforcing good values is obvious. However, what strikes me as odd is that Rouvanjit's parents have woken up after nearly four months since the child's death. That a child of thirteen will be sensitive to jibes from peers and authority figures is not surprising. What is however, is that the child did not find a sympathetic ear at home or shoulder to cry on. 

Why was he compelled to confide such deep anguish to his diary? What good are heart-rending family pictures appearing in the media, now? The family support that's being used to garner public sympathy now could have saved his life instead. Newer stories about his being heckled by his teachers are being revealed. The friends and family who are spending so much of their effort in defaming the school now would have done wiser by forming a support group for Rouvanjit and other children like him who are victims of this kind of punishment, earlier. 

Parents everywhere should consider this a wake up call of the worst kind. They must learn to create a comfortable space at home for their children to come and confide their deepest fears and anguish in. Spending more time with their children will benefit both in the long run.