By Bobo Khuraijam
Teachers are the greatest of all human being. In the epic of Mahabharat, as we are told, Karna remains to be one of the most celebrated names. He had learnt the art of warfare and mastered deadly weapons under the able tutelage of Parashuram. Born out of wedlock, Kunti abandoned him fearing opprobrium. He was born and brought up by a charioteer.Karna could not avail himself the privilege of learning the art of warfare like the Kauravas and the Pandavas. A lower caste cannot learn warfare. Eventually he went to Parashuramunder the guise of a Brahmin. Parashuram agreed to teach him. One day Parashuramlolled down on Karna’s lap for a rest. A bee came and stung on Karna’s thigh. Karna endured the pain least he disturbs his teacher’s sleep. Parashuram was astounded to see Karna’s thigh shocked with blood when he woke up.Karna explained to him that it was all out of his respect for his teacher that he endured the pain.Parashuram fumed with anger, cursed Karna for deceiving him, saying that it was impossible for a Brahmin to withstand that kind of pain.But Karna remained a loving disciple of Parashuram. This was what Parashuram told Karna after gaining composure. “Whatever I said, cannot be undone. However, as you want fame, you shall have it in abundant measures. You shall be known as the greatest archer on the earth and your generosity will be revered. You shall have eternal fame.”
THAT BOWS: What you love to call, the digital-age or epoch of Nano-science. The grandeur of the epic lingers on to these days. Heavenly tradition of the Guru-sishya is very much in vogue. Whether it is an inspiration or romance with the tradition, we are at lost. But the vividness of the tradition is visible in high definition,in the highest ever megapixels. At our first mention of the tradition, one of the visuals nearest to the imagination could be the conventional gestures of the performing artiste. Any student of performing art in obeisance would bow to their teachers before any performance, or at the time of greeting. Earlier it was also a practice in modern educational institutions. Early generation of students who have studied in Sir Johnstone or Ramlal Paul School, which were the most reputed, would share how the tradition was maintained. In fact, most of the known names of Manipur, who have made a mark in their field of work, have studied in these institutions. Now it is no longer in practice. A many of those who had been exposed to the metropolitan urban culture and the learning of modern education would have a different take. Those who espouse ‘radical ideology’ would brush it off as feudal practice. Those who champion ‘liberal outlook’ would sneer at it as subservient. Free-Floating deracinated thinkers, who so-called themselves as post-modernist would dubbed it as ‘arbitrariness of the signifier’. Phew! We do not want to tom-tom our woeful ignorance on what others would say about the tradition. We leave it to individual and their choice,for we do not wish to be cheerleading about its wisdom and apha-phata. We would love to share with you the liveliest example of Guru-sishya tradition.
DESTINATION CANCHIPUR: a place which is considered the highest pedestal of learning. A temple of erudite minds who mould ideas in million, for which the Gurus are highest paid. There are Gurus who come without any home work. No notes, nothing. As expected, he would ramble about everything under the sun except for the portion of the curricular assigned to him. Cut-out articles from the newspapers and magazines are his priced wisdom. “I was the only one to get JRF in my batch”, is his daily chant.At the neighbor is the grouchy Guru who threw gift away into the dustbin. She did not like it, found it too cheap of a gift to be accepted on the teacher’s day. It was a flower from her student. A little yards away is a humanist whose deliberation on any given topic is filled with, “when I was in London…”. The out-standing relationship ofGuru-sishya is predominant with those ‘Research’ tribes. After learning so much, one has to re-search, to get fame for a day on the newspaper. Every research scholar from any corner of the world would have their story of love and hate with their guide. How they are turn back by the guide to re-work on what she had already worked umpteenth times. Granted, that is research. And so be it. But, what about research scholars learning domestic chores from their Guru? Is it about research on universality of home sciences? Sweeping and wiping the floor, washing clothes. What about the fashionable Guru asking for a gold necklace from her student? Or what about asking for a new sofa for the new mansion that the Guru have built? We believed the sacred flame of such Gurus would enlighten the dark world of ours. Their names would be enshrined with golden colours into the annals of history. We cannot say more than that. Memorial statues of them would be too crowded. Poet Angaanghal would perhaps feel insecure. We also believed that today’s avatar of Karna would endure all kind of pains for the love of their guides. One has to summit to stoical silence. No matter the roof may cave in. The immediate announcement of ex-gratia for the lap top and the mobile phone shows the spontaneity and prudence of academic excellence. Please maintain the holy tradition of contractual uprightness of not checking or re-checking the Old or the New. As long as you are into the divine light of search and research, you shall shine into the glory of wisdom. We shall also re-think on the beginning statement.
FOOTNOTE: No securities in this world have the right to stop anyone dancing at the concert, especially of Tapta. Over-jealous securities spoiled that evening by stopping people to dance, even in their own seats. LeipungNingthou calls it, “punsigi taan kaiba meena taan thaaba thingba”.