Hi, I am renganayaki I got a chance to visit Evidylokha centre at topslip during my visit to Coimbatore. After so much cajoling my son gautham also accompanied me. On 8th august we caught the first bus at 6 O clock from pollachi and reached there by 7.45(limited bus services). How do I to describe the place? The people living there are on the lap of mother nature. The school location is a scenic beauty. If you have seen suriyan(tamil film) that is the place.
The school headmistress and the teachers are totally dedicated. These youngsters must be appreciated for living in that remote place with the children. At first the children had a little inhibitions towards us .Later, they mingled easily. I was not able to identify my children. They all looked the same to me in their uniform. Anu, with her tom boy look reminded me of georgina of famous five. Raman’s hospitality is unforgettable. I can never forget the way he called me to have lunch with them. Lakshaman, the other twin of Raman had a timid look. He was a bit hesitant to get mingled. He speaks seldom. In fact he hardly spoke to me till the end. Raman then introduced me to his younger brother Rajesh, who is currently in his 4thstandard. I was able to meet only 3 students from that class, the rest were all absent on the day. If any function arrives the children will go home and return to school only after the teachers take van to their place and convincing their parents to send them to school. when I went there they had gone for adi festival. “Only after independence day, they will return”, the teachers told me.
After the formal introduction the teachers went for their independence day celebration preparation. when I took classes I always wondered why they are not so free like children in my other online classes. They donot ask any doubts always say சரி(ok) teacher. But after sometime, mingling with them I found that children are children in any place. They grasp things easily when it is shown practically or in the form of video. They danced and sang songs. the grace with which they danced especially sangavi for the kumki song was beautiful. It looked like as if it was them and the music and even forgot where they were. They enjoyed while they danced..
I asked them to dance their traditional dance & sing their songs. “We will dance only with drums”, they said. Their dance masters are sakthi raja & akalaya teacher. Excellent!!! .They showed me their drawings and their stories and all teaching materials. All of them wanted to show me something and say something. But I did not have enough time to listen to all. I had to catch my one clock bus. So I promised them, I will come next time and stay there for one or two days and listen to all their stories.
My son enjoyed his time with the boys. They shared lots of stories and told him how one’s father had serious cut when he was cutting trees. An elephant came inside the village and killed someone. The villagers together then caught the elephant and tied it to a tree. They also told him how they can smell elephant from one 1km. All boyish things !!
We enjoyed the visit very much. If you have time do visit them. You can easily make a bond with them.
All I want to say about them is they are nature’s children. we should make them proud of their culture & knowledge .They have knowledge . All we have to do is enrich their knowledge and not to teach them.
This is the prayer I want to say daily after seeing those children there .
(the following was shared by a fellow couresra student. I felt correct sharing it as it exactly says the same I wanted to)
by: James J. Metcalf
I want to teach my students how–
To live this life on earth,
To face its struggles and its strife
And to improve their worth.
Not just the lesson in a book,
Or how the rivers flow,
But to choose the proper path,
Wherever they may go.
To understand eternal truth,
And know right from wrong,
And gather all the beauty of
A flower and a song,
For if I help the world to grow
In wisdom and grace,
Then I feel that I have won
And I have filled my place.
And so I ask your guidance, God
That I may do my part,
For character and confidence
And happiness of heart.
BYE
Renganayaki.
Few words from my son….
Hi ,
We don’t appreciate things given to us but when I offered some mango chocolates to these small guys, I could see the smile and happiness in their hearts, I was glad to see their childishness still intact far away from materialistic thinking’s and greed. I am happy to have that experience and wish that these small guys make it big in this world, but still with that same way of non-materialistic and selfless thinking.
-gautham