A Dirge for the Rainy Day in Schools
(https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/a-dirge-for-rainy-day-in-schools/article71480307.ece)
Holiday is fun; an unexpected one is delightful; but the ‘rainy day’ in
school was sheer bliss.
It’s strange that the dictionary defines ‘rainy day’ as a period of want
or need – for example in a sentence like – ‘We must save for a rainy
day. For us kids, however, it was something opposite- a day of
enjoyment.
No festival generally falls in July and August, and hence, the schools
did not have any holidays during these months. The rainy-days came as a succour
to us children in the dreary times.
In those days, more than thirty years ago, the school-going was very
different from what’s it today. The post-liberalization multitude of
four-wheelers scenario was some years away and even the two-wheelers were not
that common as they are now. Cycle-rickshaws and bicycles were the usual mode
of conveyance to school. So, if it were to be raining more than a drizzle
during that one hour period before the school-bell time, it was quite possible
that that day would be declared a rainy day because it was difficult for most
to reach school. We particularly prayed
our hearts out for a rainy day to be declared when we hadn’t done our homework.
Even if it was raining hard and everyone was sure that the schools would be
declared closed, we would still dress up to go to school. In fact, we would all
be more eager to go as compared to other days! When else would we be permitted
to venture out in the rains but for school!
The onward journey to school wasn’t that fun that the return one was. We
would go fervently hoping for the school to be called off and careful that our
bags and uniforms do not get wet in case the school remained open. We became happy when children returning from
the school met us on the way shouting that the school had been closed. We did
not stop and turn back however. We went ahead to reach school as the rain water
filled field lay in wait for us to splash around with friends. We cared little
as our shoes got wet and were delighted as it made “choon-choon” sound
as we moved around in them. To adults it may have been an annoyance; to us
children it was music.
The journey home was real fun. Getting drenched was one of the great
pleasures of the season. Ensuring that the school bag was safe from getting
wet, we cheerfully surrendered ourselves to the downpour and arrived home
soaked to the skin. How we loved our cycles plashing in the puddles of rain
water! How we pleaded with our rickshaw puller to lower the hood of the
cycle-rickshaw so that we could enjoy the raindrops as they danced and fell
amidst the blowing wind! How those travelling in the school buses gave us
envious looks! Even the trees, with their branches laden with rain water,
drenched those trying to take shelter beneath them as they swayed gracefully
celebrating monsoon.
The rest of the day was spent in indoor games
or reading comics if it was raining, and out in the park, when the rain
stopped. Computers were something one hadn’t even heard of, and mobile phones
were beyond pale of imagination.
Times, however, have changed. Rainy-day
holidays in schools are a rarity nowadays. With most of the urban school
children travelling to school in buses or other four wheeler vehicles, reaching
school even when it’s pouring, is not difficult. Even when there is that rare
occasion when the schools are declared closed, the scourge of online classes
takes over. The poor kids and the teachers curse technology and participate in
(to borrow words from Thomas Hardy) the general drama of pain called virtual
education where learning is, in reality, but an occasional episode.
I pity today’s school children for what they miss- experiencing the grandeur of
nature, dancing raindrops, swaying trees, carefree drenching in the monsoon,
squeaking shoes, jumping in the puddles and still managing to save the school
bag from getting wet.
Dr Skand Shukla
