A TALE OF TWO FRIENDS

THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT

Blessed with 2 granddaughters, one from each of my daughters, is the best divine blessing one can probably receive.

When they would come on short visits we would be extremely delighted. When they left, needless to say, we were devastated.

Then Providence would have it that my eldest daughter relocated to Pune where we live and my granddaughter Kaira came along.

Little as Kairaa was then, she was a Great Teacher. On returning from her KG and her busy schedule thereafter, she would sit my wife and me down to teach us every evening. She became a Kairaa Teacher and we two were her students -my wife - her doting Grandma was her good student and me, needless to say, was her bad student. Kairaa Teacher would call us Good Student and Bad Student and named us thus. While Good Student was extremely attentive and obedient, answering each question correctly, Bad Student was always playing pranks, asking stupid doubts, and giving wrong answers most of the time. Subjects ranged from Astronomy to Nature to Food and whatever caught the fancy of our little, most lovable Kairaa Teacher. Class would generally be 30 minutes. Kairaa Teacher would wind up her class giving us homework and we needed to stand up and say thank you Teacher; just as it was mandatory for us to stand up and greet the teacher on her coming to class.

Believe me, we looked forward to this class every evening. And so did our Kairaa Teacher. We simply loved it and lapped up every moment.

The beautiful evenings flew past, one after the other. Kairaa Teacher grew up. Now Kairaa Teacher has different schedules, very busy with her chirpy friends. Generally, students grow up and go to higher classes leaving the teacher behind. Here, the teacher grew up and left us with fond memories of a lifetime.

Believe me, there's nothing more enlightening, more divine than watching little granddaughters grow up.

Our second granddaughter Reemyra is no less a Teacher. She is born into an educationist family. Reemyra Teacher too held our classes whenever we were blessed to be with her. This Little Angel stays tucked away in 'City Beautiful' Chandigarh with her doting parents. We get to meet only when they come or we go - and we keep missing this little teacher.

Very bright and very active, Angel Baby Reemyra and Angel Baby Kairaa - as we always call them (now, they do not like to be called 'Baby') are an institution in themselves - unlimited learning at your disposal only you need to have blessings to get it. As they say, knowledge is everywhere, but you need to have the burning desire to pursue and get it.