Teacher beating students

 ପିଲାଙ୍କୁ ପାଠ ନଆସିବାରୁ ନିର୍ଘାତ ମାରିଲେ । ଶିକ୍ଷକଙ୍କ ମାଡ଼ରେ ୧୪ ଜଣ ଆହତ ହୋଇଛନ୍ତି । ଆହତ ପିଲାଙ୍କ ମଧ୍ୟରେ ୫ଜଣ ଗୁରୁତର ଥିବାରୁ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଡାକ୍ତରଖାନାରେ ଭର୍ତ୍ତି କରାଯାଇଛି । ଏମିତି ଘଟଣା ଘଟଛି ବାସୁଦେବପୁର ବ୍ଲକ ସୁନାମୁହିଁ ସରକାରୀ ଉଚ୍ଚ ପ୍ରାଥମିକ ବିଦ୍ୟାଳୟରେ ।

The above news from Odisha, my home state back home rang a bell. Roughly translated from Odia - "14 students were injured in an Upper Primary (Elementary) school in Odisha, badly beaten by their teacher as they couldn't answer his questions. 5 of them were serious enough to get admitted to a hospital".

During my growing up days in Odisha it was quite common for our teachers to beat their students, some of them mercilessly. My memory goes back to the year 1978 when I was in class V in Ramakrishna Mission Upper Primary School, similar to the one mentioned above where this ghastly incident took place.

It was the fateful day when the results of the Science subject of our Half Yearly examination came out. I was fortunate to get the highest mark in our class in that subject, but not fortunate enough to escape thrashing by our Science teacher. In spite of scoring the highest marks I still got few whips of canes on my palm from the fastidious teacher. It hurt like hell and both my palms turned red, but I didn't suffer any bruises. The pain lasted for couple of days. My mistake, I made a few mistakes on the paper. 

I might have escaped with few thrashes on my palm, but others didn't. Our teacher lashed them on their hands and backs with his thin cane which had a sizzling effect when it hits the skin. He carried on with his caning with closed lips, yelling intermittently MURKHA PILA PITHI DEKHA (You illiterate kid, show me your back), alternating his caning between the backs and sides of the hapless students. The kids as young as 9-10 years old had no other option but silently bear the brunt of the thrashing with eyes closed, some crying BAPALO MAALO MARIGALI (dad, mom, I'm dead).

A couple of them wetted their pants. Now came the turn of this big, burly guy and a champion athlete from our class, but little slow in studies. We were in awe of him and his physique, because he used to frequently bully us. Now we saw how vulnerable he was when he walked towards the teacher, shaking out of fear akin to a coconut branch during a strong gale.

When his turn came stream of urine started flowing on his left thigh as he fainted in anticipation of things to come. The school Peon came running with water which was sprinkled on his face till he came to his senses. Still he got some ear twitching, but thanks to his fainting he saved himself from any further cane lashes. We were scared to death watching the fracas. This incident was humiliating enough for the big boy to stop bullying us further as the aura and myth surrounding him was shattered. He was teased as MUTURA (peeing boy).

Ironically it happened in Rama Krushna Mission School, based on the name of Sri Ramakrushna Paramhansa, better known as the Guru of his famous disciple Swami Bibekananda. Sri Ramakrushna preached love, non-violence and compassion for all living beings. But cattles would have been treated better compared to the way our Science teacher dealt with his primary school students that day. He strongly believed that thrashing makes the kids more obedient and keeps them better focused on studies. How silly !

I am sure many from my generation and above would have been through this ordeal. Sadly there was no cell phone, Internet, social or 24x7 media then to record them and make viral videos. This kind of treatment which makes news now was like walk in a park those days. When I narrated my ordeal to my parents they just brushed it off as just another day in school. Those were the days, those were the times. Now similar actions by teachers can get them into serious trouble.