Independence day at Brindavan Matriculation School, Triplicane

Monday, August 15, 2011 , 4 Comments

Like any other Independence day, wanted to start my day watching our Prime Minister hoist our national flag at the Red Fort...

Its always a beautiful moment to hear our national anthem played/sung amidst the fluttering of our tri colour national flag and our hearts sing, "Thaayin mani kodi paareer, adhai thaazhndhu panindhu pugazhndida vaareer"...

Brindavan matriculation school, opposite to my house, amidst honks and shouts of vendors, dominated our street today by "neerarum kadaludutha nila madanthai ezhil ozhugum"... I along with my Mom, peeped out through our window and saw students, teachers and children assembled on the road, the national flag waiting to be hoisted outside the school on the road, people passing by stood, walked watching the commotion...


There were four little girls who were the lead singers and the audio of the songs accompanied them started to sing, thamizh thaai vazhthu, pledge and their school prayer.  This was followed by brief speeches by school children and national anthem as a grand finale and the much awaited part for the kids, Chocolates... How can I forget the orange coloured fanta chocolate given to us after flag hoisting, I used to love it and it tasted better than the same chocolate bought in a store...

Watch the videos and you will be reminded of Kumbakonam School fire tragedy... We have this school, opposite to our house, in a confined space, sandwiched between two apartments, absolutely no ventilation except for the classes which might face the road...

If given a chance those kids would have happily sung...

"Tell me how I'm supposed to breathe with no air
Can't live, can't breathe with no air
It's no air, no air
No air, air 
No air, air 
No air, air
No air, air
But somehow I'm still alive inside"

I never give Brindavan Matriculation ?Higher Secondary School, as a landmark when I book cab, as there  was a time when the cab driver stood next before the school calling me and telling me he couldn't find any school there. He stared at the school stupified and it was funny to watch him with his mouth open and muttered, "edhuva school?" meaning "is this a school?" 

The students are deprived of ventilation, deprived of a playground, deprived of a moderate facility and the school doors are closed once the morning prayers are over...Incase of an accident no emergency exit... I pray to god almighty that he keeps a check on that old building with probably few decades old electrical wiring and be the guardian angel to those tiny tots... 

But it was good to see the children standing on the road to celebrate our Independence day.. Thank God the whole school didn't turn up, there wouldn't have been space... The students when they render their speeches on Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Lokamanya Bala Gangadhar Tilak, had to step in to a room where the microphone was probably placed...

Took a couple of videos, definitely not a picture precise video shot but to celebrate the spirit of Independence in the air and to bring notice to the pitch dark cavern called itself a school... I hope you agree with me when I say those kids need space, light and air as every living being do...


Viji

Some say he’s half man half fish, others say he’s more of a seventy/thirty split. Either way he’s a fishy bastard. Google

4 Candles:

Unknown said...

Thats the beauty of India...the national anthem speaks about limitless land that we have and we have a school running in possibly something out of a dungeon...To top it, or rather to add credence to how that school still runs, the mgmt is a head of some association too...Influence and moolah make all the difference.

Viji said...

@blacksnow it's a very sad and pathetic state and I really am worried on how this is going to impact the child in future... i've seen the aayah hitting the children at the school entrance, but once the parent come plays the kind aayah role :(

Unknown said...

Aren't we supposed to say "Mera Bharat Mahaan"? ;)

Viji said...

yes kiran that too ;)

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