Candle and Light

          I was in a queue waiting for my turn. The slow movement of queue and my position made it clear that it would take longer than was expected. I had little choice but to play with my mobile. I opened facebook, started  scrolling down. At one post I found vitriolic comments written abusing a community and response equally disgusting. I immediately shifted to my timeline. It is always pleasing for here I meet my well wishers, my friends, mostly my students. I find likes and lovely comments to my profile picture, birthday wishes, and comments on links of my blog and many more. Just going through it is a kind of reunion for me. It reminds me of quote of Khalil Gibran which I like very much, “Remembrance is a form of meeting”.  Every student there finds place in my heart for the simple reason that every like or nice comment is a pleasing reminder that students-teacher relationship is surviving test of time.

        Now a day’s everybody talks about professional approach and attitude. Student teacher relations cannot remain isolated from it. I don’t hold any grudge against professional approach but probably I belong to little old school of thought. I prefer emotional attachment than professional approach when it comes to my relations with students. I am a professional, my job is teaching and I am paid for it, a professional approach as simple as this and true but it doesn't put me in comfort zone. Being a teacher means not restricted to this, I always wanted to go beyond this. I have always strived for this, struggled as well in attaining this goal. Haven’t met with grand success but have done reasonably well. And yes I want to better my record. This is an area of emotional bonding, caring and feeling for their welfare. Not that I was immensely successful but the bonds that survived test of time keep my spirit high. When on the roller coaster ride of time machine physical changes are inevitable. Still when comes a comment on profile picture that no change sir all these years it’s so natural to be happy about but more than that what is satisfying is the survival of the old bond. If my profile picture becomes a bridge between the present and the past when we shared time the feeling is wonderful. This is the reason why every like matters for me. The hint of survival of emotional bonds, the sense of being still connected is reason enough to be happy.

            On my timeline I landed on a photograph, a farewell scene, I standing with Vikram, Shiraz, Amitava and Pankaj. It was a pleasing experience. To be honest I looked better for then I was 8-9 kg lesser and second my boys with me. Few days before I posted the photograph on my timeline I had a call from US. It was of Shiraz. We immediately melted into past. We were talking after many days. We haven’t met for years. But the time and distance had failed to affect the warmth. It was same. Common topics department, debaters club … all erupted one by one. We relived the past and shared the future. It was farewell time coincidently so I mentioned to him the photo with Vikram , Amitava and Pankaj. He informed me that they were same, the way I knew them. Yes changes there were but along periphery only, the core remained intact. Time failed to stir the depth. The boys around me, the farewell, all came back to me. It was refreshed in my memory, nice boys now turned gentlemen no longer around me but the photo gave me a sense of being connected. It also reminded me of the tradition of passing the candle. The Electronics Dept. had this tradition. It was started by seniors of that batch. At the end of the farewell all final year students light the candles and pass to juniors and they all put them in corridor of auditorium. It was wonderful.   

             As expected the photo immediately attracted attention and likes and comments came along. In the post I did mention that one of the changes that time had brought was that the candle passing was replaced by DJ and the senior-junior burn the dance floor not the candle. Along with some nostalgic comments immediately came the comment that the candle passing should not have stopped. The regret was endorsed by few more. It was understandable. The tradition had a uniqueness and emotional bearing. Ours was the only department with such tradition augmenting the pride the electronics students always had that innovative ideas in college often were initiated in their den. I was aware of this but had no clue whether it really was the case or just was part of usual inter-departmental competition and rivalry. Now at the end DJ explodes. All the students dance to the tune of music being played. The auditorium is filled with light flashes, deafening music and vibrating and shaking bodies. All just enjoy, sweat it out there. When the stop is enforced all come out body dipped in sweat and thirsty. That is it.   

           But that tradition was fantastic. At the end of the last speech by either student or a faculty everything would stop. Music, speeches all come to an end. The first candle would be lit and the other candles join the first. All the final year students would then be joined by juniors. Atmosphere would then be choked with emotions. Yes that overpowering feeling of leaving and passing the tradition of departmental pride could be seen in the candle light. Finally coming out and putting the candles in the corridor together. It was an end that offered beginning. I still believe that is the best way to end farewell as it strengthens the emotional bonds that develop in the college. Time will always play the role of separator but even a small remembrance can help us relive the golden days.

           The professional approach and attitude has replaced building relations. The first one is a razor sharp approach of give and take, a belief that everything comes at a cost which one must be ready to pay and get what is aspired. No place for emotions and relations apart from professional. True it may be in the corporate world but not at home. And in college also otherwise it turns into corporate world devoid of emotions.  It’s an old school of thought I probably belong to.

          Time and distance often play havoc in human relations. A photograph of Shiraz, Vikram,  Amitava and Pankaj holding candles and posing with me has frozen me in time with them. Whenever I watch it I feel the same attachment and warmth that I shared with my students.  It I hope will defy time and distance. Passing the candle was a small emotional act but its light survived for many years. Its warmth can still be experienced.
        Though it’s a candle in the wind it challenges the onslaught of time…

        And hence must be passed…