Enlightenment in Education?! Are you joking?!
INSIGHT #4
After dinner, Prachana tried to tell her parents what she learned recently about the Sociological and Institutional use of the term Education. She said to them that there seems to be a third one which is very different from these two and asked them if they knew what it was. They listened to her patiently and motivated her to think and explore more and find out about the third.
Her mother smiled and said “If only I could answer to you. Dear, you should explore and find that out. Then you will never forget.”
Prachana had kept both the ‘Use Cards’ side by side on her table and drew a rectangle for the third.
In sleep, she felt a familiar fragrance in the room. She slowly opened and looked through the corner of her right eye; she looked towards the door hoping to find Sarvaa. The room was still dark. The fragrance was strong. She slowly got up, sat on the bed, and waited in anticipation. She looked at the table for the third card in the moonlight that was falling there. But the rectangle was still vacant.
“Looking for the third use?” Sarvaa’s deep voice reverberated in the room. Any child would have been scared to death. But Prachana was cool.
“Do you have any friends who go to regular Schools or who mingle in the society?” Sarvaa’s voice again.
Prachana thought for a moment and said “I have a couple of them. One goes to a fancy college 20 miles away and the other in Government College near here. But I don’t enjoy their company much. They are weird.”
Sarvaa appeared just near her like a genie with a fake astonished expression and asked “Why!? What is your problem with them?”
Prachana got a shock and almost got thrown on the bed. But she was laughing as though Sarvaa tickled her. She settled on her bed and started talking as though telling a long story.
“One, the girl said, (Acting like an introvert girl) ‘I go to college regularly without fail. But I am still confused. I don’t feel confident that I am even educated!’ The other, who is a happy-go-lucky boy, who rarely attends any classes, is happy and content saying (Acting animatedly like a proud boy) ‘I get what I want by talking around and reading my own selection of books. I am not really happy with the pomp in the college. Neither have I felt that I understand what they teach’. Such responses didn’t make any sense. So I normally keep away from them.”
Sarvaa was amused seeing her acting skills. He chuckled and after a beat, she asked “Do you think you are getting educated?”
She said “Yes. But not as I want. I always feel wanting.”
“Now, listen to me. You are doing good studying by home-schooling. But that is not enough. You should not be closed from others. You have something or the other to learn from every other person or thing around you. Look for it.”
A confused Prachana asked “You were supposed to tell me the third use today. You are talking something else.” She bowed her head and sat quietly.
A smiling Sarvaa went near her, lifted her chin up and gazed into her eyes.
“That is exactly what I am going to tell you today, my child! I am happy to take your 'not so great friends' as examples. The girl thought education comes from her teachers and books alone. While the boy thought learning is everywhere. What you learn from books or teachers is superficial. The moment you give depth and understanding to them, it becomes an achievement which the most valuable and general development of your mind.”
Prachana’s eyes widened and Sarvaa could see her body automatically straighten. Then he magically took out a card and placed it in the rectangle she had drawn on the table. A happy Prachana picked it up and looked at it. It was written “The General Enlightenment Use of the term 'Education' ”. On the other side, it had a picture of Sarvaa holding a large crystal ball in which she could see some purple colour electric spark activity happening.
Sarvaa said “Next we will learn about the ‘Criteria to understand the Concept of Education”. Before Prachana could fully understand what she heard, Sarvaa vanished into the Card she was still holding in her hand!
Once again the room got dark after Sarvaa’s exit, she tucked herself under the blanket but still holding the card as though she is holding Sarvaa himself with care.
End of Insight #4
Uncle ji , you are writer very well and it gives light to my understanding. I already saw your old one blog which is superior for me, for that I've already gives a comment to sawbhagya.
ReplyDeleteAgain thanks for writing.
प्रिय गोपाल! आपका कमेन्ट पढके बहुत अच्छा लगा| पहलेवाले कमेन्ट के बारे में सौभाग्या ने बताई थी| जरूर पढ़ते रहिए| अलग अलग विषयों में लिखने केलिए सोच रहा हूँ | आपको कोई सुझाव या प्रत्येक विषय के बारे में पढ़ना हो तो ज़रूर बताईयेगा|
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