A Lesson for my Teacher I lived on the Mosque Streetin Rameswaram, I lived on the Mosque Streetin Rameswaram, a city famous for its Shiva temple. famous for its Shiva temple. Every evening on my way home fromthe mosque, I would linger nearthe temple. I always felt like a stranger here as the temple goers stared suspiciously at me. They probably wondered what a Muslim boy was doing in front of a temple.
The truth was that I loved to listento the rhythmic chanting of the mantras, though I never understooda word. though I never understooda word. There was a strange magic in them. Of course,something else led me there. My best friend,Ramanadha Sastry, was the sonof the head priest. He sat beside his fatherat this hour, He sat beside his fatherat this hour, reciting hymns. Ram would steal a smiling glance at mefrom time to time. a smiling glance at mefrom time to time. At school, Ram and I always sat together on thefirst bench of our classroom. always sat together on thefirst bench of our classroom. We were like brothers.
However,being a Hindu priest's son, he wore a sacred thread, while my white capmarked me as a Muslim. while my white capmarked me as a Muslim. One day, when we werein the fifth standard, One day, when we werein the fifth standard, a new teacher came to our class. He looked strict. He went around the class tapping his cane on his palm tapping his cane on his palm tapping his cane on his palm tapping his cane on his palm and stopped before us. stopped before us. “You, the onein the white cap. How dare you sit besidethe temple priest’s son!” He shouted, “Go sit on the last bench.”
I felt hurt. With tears in my eyes, I picked up my books and shifted to the last row. Ram and I Ram and I wept together silentlyafter school. We thought we would not be allowedto be friends anymore. When I reached home that day my father looked at me and asked, “Were you crying... what’s wrong son?” I recounted the whole incidentto my father while Ram also told his family the same story. Early the next morning Ram came running to our house and said “Father has asked you to come to our houseimmediately.” I was terrified. I thought I was infor some more trouble.
We hurried backto Ram's house. My heart skipped a beatwhen I saw our new teacherstanding there. My heart skipped a beatwhen I saw our new teacherstanding there. My heart skipped a beatwhen I saw our new teacherstanding there. “In the lightof our discussion, “In the lightof our discussion, “In the lightof our discussion, apologise to Kalam here,”said Ram’s fatherwith a stern face. apologise to Kalam here,”said Ram’s fatherwith a stern face. I could not believe whatI had just heard! The head priest wasasking the teacher to apologise to me? “No child is less than anotherin God’s eyes. “No child is less than anotherin God’s eyes. “No child is less than anotherin God’s eyes. It is your duty as a teacher It is your duty as a teacher It is your duty as a teacher to help students live in harmony in spiteof the differencesin their background. live in harmony in spiteof the differencesin their background. live in harmony in spiteof the differencesin their background.
You can no longer teachin this school,” he said. Our teacher immediately asked me to forgive him. He hugged me and said, “I am sorry, Kalam, “I am sorry, Kalam, I have learnt an important lessonin life today.” Ram’s father saw that the teacher sincerely regrettedhis behaviour and permitted himto continue teaching. permitted himto continue teaching. From that day on, Ram and I sat together proudlyon the front bench. We have remainedthe best of friendsever since.
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