If you've ever walked into PSBB on a normal working day, you'll hear these words in a tune that is louder than the school bell. As soon as a teacher walks in, all the students get up from the chairs in unison, fold their hands, bow their heads slightly, and chant this. To which, the teacher replies, "Sukhi bhava."
When she/he walks out after a 'period', the same is repeated.
Sit in one classroom, and you'll hear the chant from the other classroom, which is when restlessness shifts in - because everybody knows the other teacher has left the other classroom. Why on earth is only our teacher not leaving?
Taking a walk around the school premises was permitted, but if you saw a teacher passing you, this is how you wish her. And if you didn't, tch tch. Bad manners, child.
Shree gurubhyo namaha has become special. Not then, but now. It was nothing but a daily ritual that was done like a chore every day, at least 15 times. I'm pretty sure it was the same for the teachers as well. I moved out of PSBB after completing my tenth standard, and moved to a school in Mumbai. Each time a teacher walked in, they're be greeted with a "Good morning ma'am!" and that's when my heart would sink. Something felt empty and incomplete when I sat back in my chair.
I'd silently say 'Shree gurubhyo namaha' in my head, and imagine saying it with my PSBB classmates. Some days it'd make me smile, and other days, cry.
I moved on to college, but grew out of missing this chant. Grew out of missing, but not the fondness attached to it.
I hated a few, and loved some. But they all taught me a lot. When someone says teacher, this is the first thing that comes to my head. Drag it, drag it some more, and make a tune of of it - SHREEEEEE GURUBHYOOOOOO NAMAHA!
When I recently attended a friend's wedding in Chennai, I happened to bump into a few of my school teachers. Before I could even think, I folded my hands, bent my head down and said it. It happened so unconsciously, I was taken by surprise.
With a slight tweak to the saying - You can take me out of PSBB, but you cannot take PSBB out of me.
When she/he walks out after a 'period', the same is repeated.
Sit in one classroom, and you'll hear the chant from the other classroom, which is when restlessness shifts in - because everybody knows the other teacher has left the other classroom. Why on earth is only our teacher not leaving?
Taking a walk around the school premises was permitted, but if you saw a teacher passing you, this is how you wish her. And if you didn't, tch tch. Bad manners, child.
Shree gurubhyo namaha has become special. Not then, but now. It was nothing but a daily ritual that was done like a chore every day, at least 15 times. I'm pretty sure it was the same for the teachers as well. I moved out of PSBB after completing my tenth standard, and moved to a school in Mumbai. Each time a teacher walked in, they're be greeted with a "Good morning ma'am!" and that's when my heart would sink. Something felt empty and incomplete when I sat back in my chair.
I'd silently say 'Shree gurubhyo namaha' in my head, and imagine saying it with my PSBB classmates. Some days it'd make me smile, and other days, cry.
I moved on to college, but grew out of missing this chant. Grew out of missing, but not the fondness attached to it.
I hated a few, and loved some. But they all taught me a lot. When someone says teacher, this is the first thing that comes to my head. Drag it, drag it some more, and make a tune of of it - SHREEEEEE GURUBHYOOOOOO NAMAHA!
When I recently attended a friend's wedding in Chennai, I happened to bump into a few of my school teachers. Before I could even think, I folded my hands, bent my head down and said it. It happened so unconsciously, I was taken by surprise.
With a slight tweak to the saying - You can take me out of PSBB, but you cannot take PSBB out of me.
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