UNDERSTANDING

Samarth, the first Indian to get a million dollars
cash prize for his fine art. This was his welcome
ceremony. The gallery was full of audience. It was
pin drop silence as if everyone was completely
hypnotised by his speech. He began his speech, ‘

I am sincerely thankful to all of you, those who
have made me what I am today. I am not any
extraordinary man. I am exactly the same, what if
you have seen me five six years before. If I have
achieved this honour today, this is only because of
my teacher and my parents whose endeavour and
constant guidance pulled me to this point. I,
genuinely, am thankful to my teacher.’ He sighed a
little then started again, ‘ Although it is my
personal matter, yet I think if I reveal some of my
true experience, may be it will help the younger
generation a lot, of course if they take it in to their
account.’

I was in eighth standard. My dad and mom both
were service holders. We were a small family, two
sisters and me. I was more interested in arts and
games rather than studies. Since I was the only
son of my parents, they were very much worried
about my studies. Particularly, my slow progress
in studies created a lot of discomfort in the family.

Every now and then they were quarrelling and
blaming each other of my upbringing. So many
times they called me separately and advised me
with so many examples but nothing worked out.
When my mom was asking me to do some
homework or to explain any chapter, I just retorted
her bluntly, ‘ I know my work, I am a big boy ,
please leave me alone.’ ‘I can’t even think the way
I was behaving with my parents and my elders
too.’

‘ I remember one day, I was outing with my
friends, one of my friend offered me a cigarette to
taste. I was so obsessed with friends that without
any second thought I took one and smoked. After
sparing a long time with them I came back to my
home. Mom was waiting for me near the dine
table. She could guess well that I smoked. She
didn’t ask me anything simply she gave me a pity
look. That day, for the first time I felt uneasy, I felt
guilty for what even I didn’t know. Something was
hurting me inside because when I went with my
friends I demanded some money, I didn’t ask her
even whether she had any problem or not. Mom
came slowly towards me held my hand and very
softly said, ‘ Sonu, am I not doing enough for you?
Is there anything wrong with me or dad? Why are
you not open to us? You know what! I have no
objection for art or sports, but for that matter also
you have to go through a minimum education. And
by the way, what do you want to be in future? An
artist, a simple player, what exactly you want? I
don’t know what you want but I want that my son
should be a renown officer or in a big position so
that you can earn enough money. Whose mother
doesn’t want that her son should be in a high
position? Do you understand me?’ I spoke nothing.
She waited for some time then softly patted me
and went away to her bed room. Ultimately my
parents fixed a tuition teacher for me. The first
encounter with my tuition teacher was remarkable.
She was an elderly lady. Most probably she was in
her fifties. She was looking very cool and reserved.

I couldn’t appreciate this sudden arrangement of
my parents but no choice was left. Samarth taking
a brief breath said again, ‘ Ladies and gentlemen,
believe me or not ,that teacher had changed me
upside down. I don’t know what magic words she
spelled but eventually it was successful. Really,
now I feel her ethical teaching was a blessing in
disguise. I am just quoting some of our
interactions.’

My teacher, Mrs. Sood entered my study room
lead by my mom. She introduce herself, ‘ Hello,
Sonu! How are you? I am Mrs. Sood. Would you
like to talk to me, please?’
‘I kept silent. I just glared at her.’ ‘Of course it
was a typical behaviour. Perhaps she was
acquainted with this type of behaviour before.’
‘Can I be seated, Sonu?’ she asked. Again I said
nothing. She pulled a chair and sat for a while,
then started, ‘ Sonu, you know what, when I was a
small girl, I had so many dreams like sometimes I
wished to become a doctor, sometimes I was
thinking to be an engineer and sometimes to be a
management head. But eventually I became what
my fate led to me, a teacher. But I am really very
happy what I am today. At least I came in contact
with so many beautiful children like you.’
‘Again, I said nothing.’ She paused a little and
started, ‘You know Sonu! You are a wonderful boy.
I am not joking, I am serious. When your dad
contacted me, he told me everything about you. I
was really surprised that a boy who has so many
good talents, why will not come out? You
understood me?’ she asked me. I was sitting on a
chair putting my head down. I was scratching the
floor with my toes. I didn’t respond anything. I
was surprised to see her patience.' Looking at the
audience Samarth addressed again, ‘ You know
what, for fifteen days continuously, she was
coming to me, doing nothing but showing some
paintings, some good story books and some sport
books too, she was keen to know about my
favourite food and other favourite things. Not only
that every day she was telling me one short story
which had some ethic sense, she never bothered
whether I was listening or not. She was absolutely
confident that at least some words would be heard
by me. But I was unaffected. On sixteenth day
when she came she didn’t talk anything regarding
studies. Very casually she asked, ‘ Sonu, do you
have a chess board?’ I was taken aback at her
question and looked at her repeating her word
‘chess board? Till then I was randomly answering
her questions with only ‘yes’ or ‘no’, but that day
when she asked me about chess, immediately I
answered ‘Yeah’. ‘ Do you know how to play?’ she
asked. This time I forgot how I was behaving with
her, I smiled and instantly said, ‘ Yes, I know.’
‘Bring it, let us play,’ she said. ‘I couldn’t get you,’
I replied. ‘Oh! Come on, bring the chess and let us
play.’ ‘This time I obeyed her nicely. We played
and I enjoyed it completely since I won. I was very
happy. Slowly she became very familiar to me.

‘ Ladies and gentlemen, I beg your pardon for such
a long speech which is too personal but I had
decided before coming to this meeting that
definitely I would express my views that would
help you and the young youths. Please hold your
breath for few minutes more. Then he continued, ‘
The next day when she came, she pulled a chair in
my study room and sat there. ‘Sonu,’ she
addressed me softly and continued, ‘ I will tell you
something, listen to me carefully perhaps this will
be my last story and last example. Is that O.K for
you?’ I lowered my voice said ‘yes, miss.’ She
started, ‘Once there was a long jump competition
in my school where I was working previously. A
seventh class child was very sportive. He used to
participate in almost all sports without any thought
of winning or loosing. But unfortunately because of
an accident he lost one of his leg. So, when he
enrolled his name in long jump everybody was
asking him to withdraw his name. But he was
firmed in his decision, eventually he jumped with
his artificial leg and won the first prize. He got
sever pain in his leg but he did it. It was
incredible. Can you believe it?’ “No, miss, it’s just
wow.’ ‘ Do you know why I sited this example?’ ‘
You know what? There are thousands of boys like
you. Everyone is unique in his own way. The only
thing you require is proper guidance in proper
direction and proper time. The main thing is
determination and concentration.

‘Am I right,
Sonu?’
‘Yes miss, absolutely,’ I replied .‘Can I ask you
one question, Miss?’ ‘Yes ,of course you can.’
‘Now I do understand why my parents have
arranged you for me. But yet I have some doubt,
miss, if I am choosing to go for fine art, is there
anything wrong?’ I asked her. ‘No, not at all, there
is nothing wrong to be an artist but I believe it is
better to finish your 12+ first in better result then
you can think anything else.

However you must
consult regarding this with your parents. They are
your best guardians, trust me.’
She said, ‘ Next day onwards you will concentrate
on your studies. It’s not wrong at all if you want to
go for art or sports but before that you have to
have a minimum qualification. You got it?’ This
way she taught me till I cleared my 10+. After
tenth class she didn’t teach me. I requested her
so many times to teach me the next class but she
refused that. I remember the last day of her
teaching, she smiled at me, patted fondly at my
back and very strongly said, ‘ I trust you, Samarth,
you can do it.’In the meanwhile, I was already
keen to studies and at the same time I attended
the art college at night. I never thought that I
would be honoured in my Art. At last my dream
came true. Ladies and gentlemen, this is my
earnest request to all of you, please do not hurt the
thought of a child. Never ignore his decisions or
feelings because it hurts his ego and once it hurts
his ego he becomes arrogant and unmanageable.
When I completed my education, I realised how
cleverly my teacher, Mrs. Sood applied her
technique of handling me. I am really, really
thankful to her. She told me the same thing what
my parents were telling but the only difference
between my parents and Mrs. Sood was, she
applied things in a different way. She always
respected my views never neglected me thinking
me as a child. The best part was whenever she
was telling me a story immediately she was asking
my views on that If ever I was giving my
statement, she was questioning me with ‘why’
‘what’ and ‘how’. She was very softly saying, ‘
Look Sonu, children of your age are in a crucial
age group of life. You are too immature to
understand the reality. I do respect your decision
but the time has not come for you to finalise your
future now. Please, please try to understand your
parents and try to understand the depth of my
language.’

Samarth gave a sigh of relief as if something he
was waiting for such a long days to reveal, has
come to an end, at the end he once again
addressed to the audience, ‘ Thanks, thanks a lot
for listening to me. My request to all of you, please
remember that ‘Understanding’ is always
reciprocal.

Thanks again.