Long ago when i was in school...

 

        I went to Caldwell higher secondary school in Tuticorin.. It's a boy's school established  by Rev. Caldwell in 1893. The buildings were pretty old but the school was filled with freshness.

Most of the benches and desk have frames of cast iron with a foldable desk, which has a grove for ink pots. The school has a chapel and a big assembly area. Its has really big playground, which is bigger than a football field, and also has separate  basketball & volley ball grounds. In this modern age most of the schools are smaller than our school's playground... Shrinking world and we play all games only in smartphones...

       Everyday morning there used to be an assembly where prayer's are conducted. Special guest used to come now and then and give motivational speeches. When special guest come to our school assembly, homework defaulters were very happy as first hour of classes will be cancelled.

      From my house the school is 6Km away and I used to go by bicycle.. On my way to school the wind is favorable and while returning back the wind is in the opposite direction. Adding to the opposing wind we have to take a long route about a Km extra due to one way in WGC road. I never got tired cycling 12km a day, but nowadays approximately with same distance to office in an air conditioned SUV it's too tiring and boring.. I had cycle mates who reside near by my house and study in the same school. It was really fun going to school in groups.

     We used to live in a Government staff quarter and as you have guessed  there were lot of boys of my age group. We used to play cricket, top(பம்பரம்), marbles(கோலிகாய்), கிட்டிகம்பு and many more local games all day long. Its customary to meet at 6pm in any one of our favorite hangout spot, sometimes in small compound wall, sometimes under the neem tree and most of the times on the branches of the neem tree. There was always laughter, laughter and nothing else. There used to be small fights which never lasts long. I do hangout with those friend now also, but in whatsapp and fb messenger.. We shall be thankful to social media to keep us connected.

     In those days telephone was very rare and mobile phone didn't exist. We used to go miles to meet a friend and it is a great feeling to meet school friend in summer vacation. During peak summer temp may scorch to 42deg and we never failed to play cricket matches in that hot and humid afternoon. When the temp peaks up, load shedding and power-cuts starts, we pray for power-cuts to be in the night so we can go out and play Hide and seek(Ice-paal) in the moonlight. Now-a-days we have inverters in every home which light's up the houses during power-cuts and we don't dare to venture in dark corners.

    Myself and my brother used to visit my grandparents in Nazareth, a small town about 35km from my place. Its only 35KM but it would about 2 hrs. to reach there by bus. Its a calm and cool place. Century old church with church spire and clock on the top( actually four clocks to view from all four direction), pond and lot of cultivation land. The only maritime is to take the bicycle and go around or to play cricket in dusty soil....yet very enjoyable.

     During festivals its double enjoyment. Discussion among friends and planning starts as early as a month regarding the celebration of festivals. We used to go to cloth merchants with family, to buy clothes and then go to the tailor for stitching. Tailor always says he is busy and it takes strong efforts to convince him and get the stitched clothes on time. All festival sweets were made at home. Those days it's was a trend, that all friends wear same color of dress for the festivals, pronouncing the friendship. Crackers go on loudly during the day and it never ends in the midnight also. Loudspeaker kept at every street corner play music as loud as possible. At present readymade dresses has taken over the scene... Sweets are bought from shops.... There is a ban for firecrackers after 10pm and total ban for loud music.

    Those were lovely, ever green and memorable days. Its unique in its own ways.  Though the world has changed a lot and our lifestyle has changed still my heart longs for those days.

Long ago when i was in school.......
   
 Feel free to share this article....follow/like us in Facebook @blogthejourney  page and keep updated of the latest article posted in the blog

                                                                                                  Blog Article By : Allwyn Chellakumar