Memoirs-That One Day

 Memoirs - That One Day

 // Dinesh "Jaihind"

It's about the year 1981. I was studying in class VIII.

My father used to work as a laborer in a cotton mill in Hooghly district of West Bengal.

 

 At that time West Bengal was known for its cotton and jute industries not only in the country but also abroad.

 

Father, we all used to keep all our brothers, sisters and mother together. We brothers and sisters used to study in our respective classes according to age. My younger brother was only one tribe below me. And in the school where I was, my brother also studied in the same school.

As it is known, all the schools organize their own annual sports and cultural programs every year 

and those schools give them an opportunity to shine and nurture the hidden talents within through these.

So that year my school had also made full preparations to organize annual sports and cultural programs. I don't remember that much, but on emphasizing some memories, I think that maybe the 26th of January must have been kept!  So....

For the conduct of different programs, different teachers were assigned the workload.  While the children were excited to do something, the teachers were also very co-operative.

someone was registering his name for sports.

 So no for cultural events. Girls were enrolling more names for cultural programs only. But some brave girls did not hold back from enrolling in sports skills program also.

At that time I was still childish, I did not have that much knowledge. Still my mind was racing. I had started doing literature. But I was afraid to writing. Because I should not be weak in studies. Perhaps the mind was flying in the sky of imagination.

 While there was a master of sports on the one hand, I was also a topper in studies. My feeling is such that I do not leave to hold back from doing anything.

 

That year, except for cultural programs, I got my name enrolled in the sports skill program for Spoon Race, Sack Race, Chair Race, Shoe Race, Dough Race, Long Jump, High Jump, 100, 200 and 400 Meter Run, left nothing.

January 26, 1981.....

Cotton Mill's Playground.

Early in the morning, students, teachers, class teachers, sports teachers, co-principal and principal all were present in the field.

Great arrangement. Clean green playing field, white lime boundary around the field, the audience outside the boundary, the pavilion shed in one side and the drama stage arranged for the program to be presented on the other side.

 After some initial formalities, the game had started. Sports teachers were running here and there with the list of participating students. The participating children were running after them at the sound of a whistle. First the boys' competition was conducted, then the girls. All the competitions were slowly passing. The spectators were frozen in the spectators' gallery enjoying the game. The guardians of the students were enjoying the game with a mixture of sadness and happiness. Some of the students won, some lost, some came first and some came second.

The same thing happened with the girls as well. The game went on, time passed. From morning to evening all sporting events are over!

Somewhere I won and lost somewhere. My experience was also some sour some sweet.  I could not play long jump and high jump. The 200 and 400 meter races were not under my control. But...in the run of 100 meters, I reached the goal and got rid of it.  In the dough race, as soon as I bent my nose to apply flour, due to a friend came from behind and fell on me. 

There was no prior experience of Spoon Race, so I also went while I used to practice in the same ground every evening. The Shoe Race Experts Won the Shoe Race. Here too I was sluggish.

But, I won the chair race by taking, got second place, I was successful in getting third place in Sack Race. Last year's experience did some work. I cought running around every corner of the sack with the toe proved to be effective and success was achieved. You can try it too. It's tested solution.

Oh! there was another game- "clogged eye" ---

That means hitting the target without looking. Here I had failed miserably!

Now I remember....  There were an nother fun and interesting game. His name was - "Go as you like."

Let surprise the audience by doing whatever you like! Think of it like this, "A student came in his uniform with blood (red color) in his mouth and fell and fainted while throwing blood from his mouth in front of the students, teachers and spectators!"

The teachers, the audience even the principal got scared!

He was awarded second place. And in the same game I got third place.  I acted as a disciple studying in Gurukul. We were three, two disciples and one Gurudev.  All three of us got this award jointly.

But I handed over this award to Gurudev.

The second part of this annual event was about to begin at night. Some of those who stayed and some came after going home, those who had to go have gone. Everyone waited for the night.  It was night and I was a spectator for the whole night.

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