Navodayan Trolls.....

credits Navodayan Trolls

ഓർമ്മക്കുറിപ്പുകളിലൂടെ ....  

by Shanu Prasad(JNVM Alumni)

പണ്ട്,

അവധിക്കാലം കഴിഞ്ഞ് വീട്ടിൽ നിന്ന് വരുമ്പോൾ കാരാതോട് ബസ് ഇറങ്ങുമ്പോൾ തൊട്ട് തുടങ്ങുന്നതാണ് ആ പട പടാ മിടിപ്പ് .
റസീന ഹോട്ടലിൽ നിന്ന് ചായ കുടിക്കാൻ കയറുമ്പോഴൊന്നും ശ്രദ്ധ ചായ കുടിയിൽ ആയിരുന്നില്ല, സ്കൂളിന്റെ ബോർഡുള്ള ആ മഞ്ഞ ഗേറ്റ് മാത്രമായിരിക്കും മനസ്സിൽ.
ചായ കുടിച്ചു എന്ന് വരുത്തി, അച്ഛന്റെ കൂടെ ഓട്ടോയിൽ കയറാൻ പോകുമ്പോൾ,
മിടിപ്പ് ഒന്നുകൂടി കൂടും..
ഊഴം കാത്ത് ഓട്ടോയിൽ കയറി, വണ്ടി സ്റ്റാർട്ടാക്കുമ്പോൾ
ഒന്നും ഓർക്കാൻ കഴിയൂല....
ഓട്ടോക്കാരൻ വേഗത കൂട്ടുമ്പോൾ, അറിയാതെ മനസ്സിൽ പറഞ്ഞു പോകും - ഒന്നു പതുക്കെ ഓടിച്ചിരുന്നെങ്കിൽ എന്ന്.
കോട്ടുമലയിലേക്കുള്ള റോഡിന്റെ അവിടെയെത്തുമ്പോഴേക്കും നവോദയയുടെ അടുത്തുള്ള ടവർ കാണാനാകും,
ഒരു വളവ് കഴിഞ്ഞ് കയറ്റം തീരുമ്പോഴേക്കും ഊരകം മല കാണാം.
അപ്പോഴേക്കും ചങ്കിലെ പെടപ്പ് ഒന്നൂടെ കൂടും...
വെങ്കുളത്തെത്തുമ്പോൾ കാണാം. ചിലരെല്ലാം ഒരു കൊല്ലത്തേക്കുള്ള സാധനങ്ങൾ വാങ്ങി കൂട്ടുന്നത്.
എന്തിനാണാവോ ഇത്രയൊക്കെ സാധനങ്ങൾ ...ആവോ..
ഓട്ടോയുടെ വേഗത ഇത്തിരി കുറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു:
ഗേറ്റ് എത്തി.
ജവഹർ നവോദയ വിദ്യാലയ, മലപ്പുറം..
ഇനി ഒരു നാലഞ്ച് മാസം ഇവിടെ തന്നെ ...
വർഷങ്ങൾക്കിപ്പുറം ഇന്നലെ വീണ്ടും പോയപ്പോൾ മാറ്റങ്ങൾ ഒരുപാടാണ്.
കാരാതോടിലെ ആ പഴയ റസീന ഹോട്ടൽ അതുപോലെ തന്നെ ഉണ്ട്.
റോഡുകൾ നല്ല മൊഞ്ചായിട്ടുണ്ട്.
സ്കൂളിന്റെ മതിൽ ചാടി പഴംപൊരി തിന്നാൻ പോയിരുന്ന കോട്ടുമല ഇപ്പോഴും പഴയ പ്രതാപം ഓർമ്മിച്ചു കൊണ്ട് അവിടെ തന്നെ ഉണ്ട്.
അങ്ങോട്ടേക്ക് ഉള്ള റോഡുകൾ അടിപൊളിയാക്കിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.
കയറ്റം കയറി വരുമ്പോൾ ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന ഒഴിഞ്ഞ പറമ്പിൽ ഇപ്പോൾ ഏതോ ഒരു ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് മീഡിയം സ്കൂൾ ആണ്.
അതിനു പിറകിലായി പാറകളിൽ കൂടി വെള്ളം ഒലിച്ചിറങ്ങിയിരുന്ന ഊരകം മലയെ മുഴുവൻ പാറമടകളുടെ രൂപത്തിൽ തുരന്നെടുക്കുകയാണ് ഇപ്പോൾ.
ഒന്നുരണ്ട് ബാർബർ ഷോപ്പുകളും, വിരലിലെണ്ണാവുന്ന സ്റ്റേഷനറി കടകളും ഹോട്ടലുകളും ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന വെങ്കുളത്ത് ഇപ്പോൾ എല്ലായിടത്തും കടകളാണ്. തുണിക്കടകൾ വരെ ഉണ്ട്. മൊബൈൽ ഫോണിനൊട് പിടിച്ച് നിൽക്കാൻ പറ്റാതെ അടിയറവ് പറഞ്ഞതിനാലാവാം,
അത്യാവശ്യങ്ങളിൽ അടുത്ത വീട്ടിലെ ലാന്റ് ഫോണിലേക്ക് വിളിക്കാൻ നമ്മൾ പോയിരുന്ന ആ പഴയ ടെലിഫോൺ ബൂത്ത് മാത്രം അവിടെ കണ്ടില്ല.
സ്കൂളിന്റെ മതിലിൽ ആ പഴയ ബോർഡു തന്നെ..
സെക്യൂരിറ്റി ബാലേട്ടനല്ല
പുതിയ ആളാണ്.
പണ്ടുണ്ടായിരുന്ന ആ ചെടികൾ എല്ലാം വളർന്ന് പന്തലിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു.
നെഹ്രുവിന്റെ ആ പ്രതിമ തലയുയർത്തി നിൽക്കുന്നു.
ആകെ ഒരു പച്ചപ്പ് നിറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്നു.
ഒരു മൊട്ടക്കുന്നായിരുന്നു എന്നതിന്റെ ലക്ഷണങ്ങൾ എങ്ങും തന്നെയില്ല.
ആകെ മാറിയിരിക്കുന്നു.
ഗ്രൗണ്ടിലേക്കിറങ്ങുന്നതിന്റെ അവിടെ ഒരു പുതിയ ആൽമരം വളർത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്. മുന്നിലൊരു ബുദ്ധന്റ പ്രതിമയും.
പഴയ ടീച്ചേഴ്സിൽ ഇനി ബിനു സാറും, പ്രേംകുമാർ സാറും മാത്രമെ ഇനി ട്രാൻസ്ഫർ ആകാൻ ബാക്കിയുള്ളൂ.
ശിവാലിക്ക് ഹൗസിന്റെ മുൻപിലെ മഞ്ഞ മുള വലുതായിരിക്കുന്നു.
രാത്രിയിൽ റോൾ കോൾ എടുക്കുന്ന സ്ഥലത്തെ ആ പഴയ ടാങ്ക് പൊട്ടിപ്പൊളിഞ്ഞ ഓർമ്മകളും പേറി അവിടെ തന്നെയുണ്ട്.
കുട്ടികൾ അങ്ങിങ്ങായി കളിച്ച് നടക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.
മെസ്സിൽ പഴയ രവിയേട്ടനും സിറിയക്കേട്ടനും ഒക്കെ ആയതു കൊണ്ടാവാം, സോയാബീൻ കറിക്ക് പണ്ടത്തെ അതേ രുചി തന്നെ.
ഉള്ളിൽ ഇപ്പോഴും ആ പഴയ ആറാം ക്ലാസ്സുകാരൻ ഓടിക്കളിക്കുന്നുണ്ട്.
അത് അങ്ങനെ നവോദയ മുഴുവൻ കറങ്ങി നടക്കുവാണ്.
എനിക്ക് നവോദയ വെറുമൊരു നൊസ്റ്റാൾജിയ അല്ല.
അതൊരു വികാരമാണ്.
ഇവിടെ ഞാൻ പഠിച്ചിരുന്നു എന്ന് പറയുന്നതിനേക്കാൾ , എനിക്കിഷ്ടം
ഇവിടെ ഞാൻ ജീവിച്ചിരുന്നു എന്ന് പറയാനാണ്.,.
ഞാൻ കാത്തിരിക്കുന്നു; മറ്റൊരു തിരിച്ചു വരവിനായി .

Life of  a Navodayan.

A Story by Mridula (JNV Malappuram Alumni,2007)

PART 2

 
It took me a couple of years to get back here to complete this. I thought I'd leave it half the way, but then, as this school and the people out there are an integral part of my life, I couldn't leave it like that forever.
So we're at the mess (I mean mess hall) right now. Before that, let me tell you, the speed at which we go to the breakfast is inversely proportional to our class level. Higher the class level, lower the speed. For instance, students from class 6 and 7 would take this as a 100mtr sprint where as class 10-12 would consider this as a marathon walking. It's absolutely fine for a hungry human being to run towards food, it won't affect your dignity especially when the whole world around you is equally hungry.
Once you reach the mess hall, you fall in line. Another example of discipline of hungry stomach. Fall in line, get the plates/glasses, wash them (please note, they're already washed but we're kinda obsessed about cleanliness) and fall in line again. There is a MENU board right next to the queue which is maintained by the respective 'House' who is in duty for that week. While, you're 'in the queue', let me give you a little background on this weekly duty. As we know, there are 4 houses and all the student functions are around these 4 houses. Each of these houses will get their turn of 1 week to handle the assembly programs as well as the duty at the mess hall.
Assembly responsibilities include, getting the news from 'the previous day' and reading it at the assembly, 'finding students' (yes it's a TASK - else ask the house captains) to present 'thought for the day', 'poem', 'speech' 'quiz' etc for each day, etc. We belong to a 'less social networking world' where your fan followers aren't counted from your FB/Twitter account, it all happens at the MP hall - the better you're at such extra curricular activities, more the fans you may have. Let me warn you, don't take the twisted meaning of extra curricular activties like we do in colleges, because we, Navodayans do not mean it that way!
Mess hall duties include - serving food, making sure the plates are clean (I mean extra clean), making sure people aren't wasting food, cleaning the tables after everyone leaves the mess hall. Now don't raise your eyebrow - we do everything I just listed down, yes! We're self-maintained people and we take care of everything ourselves. Serving food to everyone including your own friends without partiality would teach you the basics of corruption-less politics (deep thinking huh..sorry!)
Ok so, keeping the menu board updated is another duty of the respective house and this board is right next to the queue. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to show some creativity. As the board is written with normal black-board chalks, it easy to rub off a word or two to make it more 'creative'. Do you need an example, ah no, thats Ok, I know you've figured it already! Actually, none of us need a MENU board because we all know the dishes meant for each day and there would be hardly any surprises. Dosa, Idly, Upma (Salt Mango Tree - as we used to call it) and bread - are the 'rotating dishes for our breakfast. Rice, rasam, sambar, chicken/egg/fish are the items ruling the lunch world. Ah No, not everything on the same day - one item a day, because we don't believe in extravaganza! Similar terms with dinner - rice, curd curry and 1/2 side dishes.
Evening snacks (we call it refreshments) is the most exciting item on the menu - this comes with a little surprise at times. We have numerous items starting from biscuits to kesari. (I know what you're thinking - no not everything on the same day - that's extravaganza!). No comments on the taste of the food, because we tend to find the free food tasteless. So I believe whatever we were offered in our mess hall was the best!
Sorry, I have been speaking a lot about mess hall and the food, and you know it happens because it's food!
After breakfast, we'll have 3 more periods before a small 'break' for 10-15 mins and another 3 periods before the lunch. Coming back to the academic block, its a 2 storied building where the cream of the districts "go in to learn and come out to serve". We all live up to that reputation and we make sure the life in Navodaya is worth the fame.
For all the subjects we learn there, we just don't have teachers, we have the best teachers. Each of them are experts in their own subjects that you don't need a Wikipedia to answer a question - they know it all! Someone once compared teachers to candles, who burn themselves to spread light in others' lives. And this is at its best in a Navodaya campus. During board exams, our teachers forget their family and stay up late in the night, just to make sure they are around if we need any help. You just can't fail in JNV; they won't let you fail. If you see a high percentage in our certificates, credits goto these brilliant teachers and for all the low percentages, we'd take the blame!
After lunch, we would go back to our hostels (dormitories) and comeback to the academic block by 2.30 for 'study time'. As the entire campus is your 'home', you'd do your home works in the classroom itself. These are the times for some brilliant power napping techniques - you'd see humans adapting to fish's style of sleeping, sleeping with a smile etc. After 1.30 hrs of power nap, whoops study time, we would goto the mess for the refreshment. Please note, same theories on our speed to the mess hall are applicable here as well.
Actually this would be the most awaited time of the day - GAMES! We play till the last bit of our energy, we play as if its the last day in the campus and we love each second of the 'Games Time'. However, there is an interesting point - if you were smart enough to avoid the morning PT by falling sick (only during the morning PT time), you can't play. Come on, that's not fair if you get to play in the evening, only to fall sick again in the next morning. So please go and stay on the side of the ground and watch others play.
You'd definitely feel bad when you've to do all the damn excersices in the morning when all you need in the world is sleep. But during the games time, you can definitely have some sadistic pleasure in seeing those sick-smart-asses sitting without playing anything! PT sir would blow a whistle at sharp 5.30 and this is another thing that we hate. You ask any Navodayan, they'd hate the whistle sound - especially if it's at 5 in the morning!!
Once the games time is over, we would dawdle back to our hostels to get ready and come back again for another study time. Evening study time starts at 6.30 and ends after 1.30hrs for dinner. Believe me, this is the most serene time for a student to indulge in studies. Oh if you were/are a day scholar, you mayn't understand as most probably you'd be in a jam-packed school bus back to your home at this time.
Dinner marks the end of the 'official' day. After reaching our rooms, wardens of the respective 'houses' would come for 'roll call' (you'd know this term by now) and that's the last 'item' in our day and we're done.
I could write for days or even months if I'm to write everything in detail. But let me be selfish and keep few stories for ourselves to cherish.
It's sad that at least few people think of this school as a 'jail'. But let me tell you, if this school, which is based on 'gurukul' concept can be considered as jail, even Lord Krishna has been in jail for many years. You'll have no idea how much we all love this school - those 7 years have definitely helped all of us to mould our lives in a better way. All of us, the navodayans, are always thankful to everyone and everything in this campus for whatever or wherever we may have reached. This school, taught me to be independent and it taught me to be myself..

Navodayan Trolls.....
 credits Navodayan Trolls
Each trolls in this blog represents day to day activities & situations happened in the life of a navodayan.

Life of  a Navodayan.

A Story by Mridula (JNV Malappuram Alumni,2007)

PART 1

You mayn't find this interesting if you are not a Navodayan. If you've ever lived in at least within 1 KM distance from where a Navodayan lived/lives, you would've definitely heard of this institution because that often we talk about our JNV. If you don't know what I'm talking about, then per Wiki, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, known as JNV are Indian schools for talented children and form a part of the system of gifted education . So, you know what, we are "gifted students" or say "Cream of the district".

On the day a student takes admission here, his/her life takes a turn - an instant turn towards the brighter side of his life. When I joined this school in 1999 from where my life took the same turn as mentioned before, I was so sad for leaving my parents. Same would be the feeling for everyone at the beginning. But from that day, he/she will get adapted himself/herself so well to this campus that leaving it after +2 would be an excruciating pain.

The admission to JNV is through a simple entrance test organised by Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti every year in the month of February; which contains reasoning, math and Hindi and its worth noting that only 75-80 students are given admission from the whole district (see, I told you - gifted students?).

When we started our JNV life in 1999, the students were in six "houses" Gandhiji, Nehru, Tagore and Shivaji for boys and Lekshmi and Kasthurba for girls. This system was changed later to the names of various Mountain ranges in India. The new system had four "houses" named, Shivalik, Aravalli, Niligiri and Udaigiri. Dormitories of students are named as SANU which is the combination of first letter of the 4 houses. So the dormitories are SANU1, SANU2 etc.

So, these are the lifeless buildings or structures in which our lives were framed. But the better or the best part is our life out there - Life of a Navodayan.

You may think that the life of a Navodayan is neither as adventurous as the life of a Pi nor as sweet as the life of a day scholar who stays with his/her family, but this is more than them..its adventurous when you're inside the campus and sweeter ever after leaving the campus. When I narrate this, you'll see that I speak as if I'm still there in the campus. Yes, we all indeed live here for ever.

A day of an "ordinary" Navodayan starts at 5 AM in the morning. The process of waking up all those "cream of the district" is done by the security person on duty. He would ring the bell (which otherwise can be used as a Dosa Tawa) for few times. (I don't exactly know how many times, because none of us bothered to count). That is supposed to be the time for us to get up and get ready for the "ever-interesting" physical training session.

The most painful part of almost everyone in the campus would be this session - early morning PT. 5:45 AM is the time when you have to report at the ground failing which there will be "special" rounds of exercises which we always "enjoyed" without any other choice. The PT session starts when the respective house captains report the head counts of their house members to our PT "Sir". Soon after this reporting which is known in JNV campus as "Roll Call", we will start running. But before that, anyone who is "sick" can move out of the ground and sit somewhere. That is one of the rare moments where you curse yourself for not being sick.

Two to three rounds of running will be followed by "rigorous" exercises where the rigorousness is directly proportional to the distance of our PT sir from us. If there are X number of scientifically proven ways of sleeping, you would see at least X+1 ways in a JNV ground during this PT session- sleeping while walking, running, jogging, jumping..nothing can stop any of us from taking a "power nap" in between.

The PT session ends at 6:30 AM after which we would have to go to our dormitories to get ready for the assembly at 7:30 from where our academic session of the day gets started. The assembly starts at 7:30 AM in our famous Multi Purpose hall (MP hall). The assembly starts with "news" of the day. The point here is, the news we read in the assembly is always from the previous day, which means our "News-time-zone" lags behind by 24 hrs about which no one is bothered. News will be followed by "Thought for the day", "Recitation", "Speech" and "Quiz". Language for these activities are not the same everyday. Mon-Tue is English, Wed-Thu is Malayalam and Fri-Sat is for Hindi.

After the assembly, we go to our respective class rooms and kick off the classes. Trust me by this time we all would be hungry enough to swallow each other. But you know we are "cream of the district and nothing comes so easily. We have to wait till end of the 2nd period to have our break fast. Every session in our Mess hall is eventful, but trust me we don't mess up just because its our "Mess" hall.

A School for Gifted Students.........

About JNV Malappuram click here