Early days..

My native place is about 400 km from Bangalore. I had my early schooling near my place. It was about three kilometers distance. I had to walk through paddy fields and small streams across before reaching the school. I joined for Class 1. My elder sister, who was at class 4 used to accompany me. So I had to walk almost six kilometer everyday during my primary education days. I was six year old and my parents thought I should not have any problem walking. I had to go alone when my sister could not accompany for any reason. My father, a farmer, was very strict about my education. Bunking the class was severe crime according to my father. He used to punish very hard if I bunk the class without reason.

My primary education of early four years went on smoothly. It was not an issue for my father to send me to the primary school, even though it was almost three kilometers away from the home. When I passed the class 4 and eligible to join class 5, my father started worrying. I had to walk at least 10 kilometers to reach the nearby Middle School if I decide to pursue further study. There was transport facility nearby.  Two private buses were passing near our village to take me to the nearest village where Middle School was functioning. Even then also I had to walk another two kilometers to reach the bus stand. That would have reduced my daily walking distance to four kilometers daily instead of six kilometers.

It was at that time my maternal uncle whom we were calling as Mava,visited our home. He stayed with us for the night also. That was the practice during those days (1960). He knew my problem of  and offered to take me to his home which is just three kilometers away from Middle School. Father agreed to send me only if Mava accepts some rice in return. My family, an agriculturist outfit, used to produce paddy. Mava agreed and I happily joined Middle School for class 5. I had to learn English from class 5. Teachers were strict. First English alphabets were introduced. We had to learn both upper and lower cases. Small words were introduced gradually. Few rhymes to memorize. I fail to understand why I should memorize a poem which indicate the fall of London Bridge.

Such questions always disturbed me all through my education. When I used to see movies during my college days I used to relate its contents to my surroundings.  Once, I was at college, happened to see a film Samskara. It was based on a novel by U R Ananthamurthy. It got national award. But I failed to understand the theme. It depicts a brahmin who defies the customs his community, rises the religious question after his death. Narayanappa was his name. Novel says he defied the Brahmin customs. So, when he died, no brahmin comes forward to conduct his last rites. I, belonging to a caste which does not have such customs, failed to understand why that Praneshacharya trying to find out from religious texts for a solution. In my village, once a dalit died and no one from his family to conduct his last rites. My cousins in the village took the responsibility and made arrangements for the respectable last rites. There was no discussion either from village elders. All they said was, any one, whether he is dalit or anybody should be accorded an hounarable farewell. My elders were not that learned like Praneshacharya. But found the solution easily.   

I found fictions are very misleading during my college days...