The Jungle School

When I was a kid, I never played with dolls or toys. However I loved
to dance in front of the mirror, though I don't have mirror-cracking looks :-)

This is the story when I was almost 6 years old and completely
inspired by a TV show.
Like every other kid I lived in a world of fantasy half the time, and the other
half I lived in a real fantasy world with a thin line between where my imagination ended and where the real world began.

As I remember, after coming back from school occasionally/forcefully/conventionally I studied because of the general cliché of studies. - "I have spent so many hrs in my school. So!!!! Why do I need to study AGAIN????" Was my curiosity? Although my parents were never convinced.

My story begins here.....

I can still remember the excitement I felt when I came back from my friend’s house and started watching a TV show. I faintly remember the name of the show however it was almost alike "pancha-tantra". My eyes ran over the kids dressed in orange attires, sitting on the bare ground near the tree. I also noticed an elderly person with a fatty book, teaching the kids, whom I hardly comprehend at that age. I felt like a stranger to the language he used which I would now conclude as one of the most ancient language - SANSKRIT.

Now sooner did the GURU completed his lessons, than his students let themselves into a hut which had some fruits, leaves and twigs fallen from the tree. They also came across the visible view of the scenic jungle, which also overwhelmed with the shadows of the dancing trees. They sat down to eat the fruits. After sometime they started playing with monkeys and deerskin was extremely fascinated with that “on going” festivity of the jungle including the real toys like the deers and the monkeys. While I was still monopolized in the profusion of my dramatic thoughts, suddenly my mom arrived and asked me to have some food. Being a curiosity quotient one I asked my mom “ What is happening in the jungle?” My mom explained in one sentence that they all were students, the jungle was a school and the GURU was a schoolteacher.

I got an entirely different outlook of a “School” and contrary to all expectations since I witnessed that the school looked more like a jungle and not the one I was going to.The Next morning I got up and could you imagine what I asked my mom.......??????

“CAN I GO TO JUNGLE SCHOOL??? “

My mom was surprised however since she was aware of my obstinate behavior, she said, No!! You are getting late. Just wake up and get ready. Your bus will be here pick you soon.”

Since my imaginations of the jungle school still proceed slowly stronger in my mind and as I wanted to go to the jungle school not the real world school, I was not ready to follow the orders given by my mom.

I just kept insisting that NO! NO! NO! I wouldn’t go to my school and instead I wanted to go to the “ JUNGLE SCHOOL.”

My mom with continuous pursuit tried to convince me with all the intelligent excuses of which some were -

1. You can't watch TV in the JUNGLE SCHOOL.
2. There would be no mirror for you to dance.
3. Your friends wouldn’t be there.
4. The GURU would incarcerate forever.etc etc

Nevertheless, I was and am so adamant, as you all know :-) that all the excuses failed. Finally, my Aunt arrived and said “ Your school fees is paid for this year so from next year onwards you can join your jungle school. And your city school is going to shift in front of that jungle school :-)”

Now I was completely convinced and happy. My aunt won the war!!!!

That wasn’t the end of it...will update the next incident soon :-)