SAINT SEBASTIAN SCHOOL (EPISODE -09) !!!

Satya:- Hindi language is so funny! It is too gender specific. For example, say, if you are a boy, then you have to say, ‘main jaata hoon’, and if you are a girl, then you have to say, ‘main jaati hoon’. See the difference! In English and Bengali, we don’t have gender specific verbs.

Prakash:- Hmm…you are right. While talking in Hindi, we have to be careful. If we say a sentence with feminine verbs, then people will laugh at us.

Jahar:-  Hey, do you people know that this time the Cricket World Cup will be played with colorful uniforms.

Satya:- Oh! Yeah, yeah…this time it is the Benson & Hedges World Cup. Australian Cricket Board has taken this initiative. For the first time, Day & Night matches will be played in a World Cup.

Arindam:- The uniforms have become colorful but the ball will become whitish. Cricket matches will be played with those special ‘Kookaboora’ balls.

Nonigopal:- Australia is in the East from us. As per geographical calculation, Australia is around 4 hours 30 minutes ahead of us. That means; we have to remain awake till 2 or 2.30 AM to see the climax of a Day & Night match.

Prakash:- Don’t worry; 90% of the matches will be played on Day format only.

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Sudeshna:- Have you people watched the match yesterday between India & Australia. Oh! My heart was pumping.

Bhanu:- Only India can lose that type of a match. Venkatpathy Raju doesn’t even know how to hold a bat, forget about batting. Manoj Prabhakar is a good all-rounder, but lacks consistency.

Tiya:- India lost by 1 run. That’s why; we are analyzing it so minutely. But, you cannot ignore the fact that Allan Border of Australia is a far better captain than our Mohammad Azharuddin. And what to say about Indian team; the batting order always collapses under pressure and after the dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar.

Revathi:- Yeah, I completely agree with you.

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Students of Class V:- Good morning, Sir.

Mr. Bradman:- Morning, morning…just sit down. Ok, in this class, how many students are participating in the Bournvita Quiz contest…please raise your hands. Only four students! I expected more. Anyway, tomorrow, afternoon, four of you have to come down to the Drawing Hall after the break hours. By the way, what are their names, Mrs. Prasad?

Mrs. Prasad:- They are Santu, Sudeshna, Tiya and Jahar.

Mr.Bradman:- Wish you four Best of Luck for tomorrow.

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O’Brian:-Welcome to Bournvita Quiz contest. We have selected four major schools from South Kolkata for this quiz competition. South Point, St.Lawrence, Patha Bhavan and St.Sebastian School. The winner from this competition will compete with the qualifier schools from North Kolkata, Howrah and Hoogly. In that Semi –Final, the winner will straight away enter the Final of Bournvita Quiz contest to compete with the top qualifiers of Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. So, here we start the contest. For every correct answer, you will get 20 points and for every wrong answer, you will have minus 10 points.  Each team has to answer 5 questions each. If you pass the question, then your competitors will get the opportunity to answer the question and if they answer it correctly, they will get 10 bonus points. So, the first question for South Point. Where is the Cape of Good Hope?

South Point Students:- South Africa.

O’Brian:- Correct! South Point has 20 points. First question for St.Lawrence. What is the currency of Spain?

St.Lawrence Students:- Peseta.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Lawrence has 20 points now. 1^st question for Patha Bhavan. Which American river is called Old Muddy, by people who live near the banks?

Patha Bhavan Students:- The Mississippi.

O’Brian:- Correct! Patha Bhavan has 20 points now. 1^st question for St.Sebastian School. Who first referred to the English as a nation of Shopkeepers?

St.Sebastian School Students:- Napoleon Bonaparte.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Sebastian School has 20 points now. 2^nd question for South Point School. Which French Engineer designed the Eiffel Tower in Paris?

South Point Students:- Eiffel.

O’Brian:- Sorry, I can’t give you any point. You have to tell the full name of Eiffel. Though, I will not deduct any point from South Point team. But, can any other team say the full name of Eiffel.

St.Sebastian School Students:- Alexandre Gustave Eiffel.

O’Brian:- Exactly! St.Sebastian School will get 10 bonus points and they are now having 30 points. 2^nd question for St.Lawrence. The Orange River is which country’s longest river?

St.Lawrence Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- any other team can answer!

Patha Bhavan Students:- South Africa.

O’Brian:- Fantastic! Patha Bhavan gets 10 bonus points and they are also on 30 points. 2^nd question for Patha Bhavan. Which is the shortest of the four Gospels of the New Testament?

Patha Bhavan Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- any other team to answer! No! Ok, the answer is ‘The Gospel according to Mark’. 2^nd question for St. Sebastian School. Name the first son of Adam and Eve, who killed his brother Abel?

St.Sebastian School Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team to respond.

South Point School Students:- Cain

O’Brian:- Wow! I am impressed. It is the right answer. South Point gets 10 bonus points and they are now on 30 points. 3^rd question for South Point. Which Mughal Emperor was regarded as the Patron of Polo?

South Point Students:- Akbar the Great.

O’Brian:- Correct! South Point is now having 50 points. 3^rd question for St.Lawrence. Who were the first people to use keys to open doors?

St.Lawrence Students:- The ancient Egyptians.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Lawrence is now on 40 points. 3^rd question for Patha Bhavan. In Greek mythology, which woman was sent to Earth by Zeus with a box of misfortunes and hope?

Patha Bhavan Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team!

St.Sebastian School students:- Pandora.

O’Brian:- Bravo! Right answer! Have you people not heard about Pandora’s Box? Strange! St.Sebastian School has 40 points now. 3^rd question for St.Sebastian School. Which Asian country had the biblical name of Aram?

St.Sebastian School Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team to respond!

South Point School Students:- Egypt.

O’Brian:- Sorry, this is a wrong answer. I have to deduct 10 points from you. South Point is now on 40 points. The correct answer is Syria. 4^th question for South Point School. What is the reverse side of a coin or medal known as?

South Point School Students:- Verso.

O’Brian:- Great! It’s a correct answer. South Point is now on 60 points. 4^th question for St.Lawrence School. In which film did Shabana Azmi co-star with Shirley McLaine?

St.Lawrence School Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team! Please try!

Patha Bhavan:- Madame Sousatka.

O’Brian:- Wow! Hats off to you people. That’s the correct answer. Patha Bhavan is now on 40 points. 4^th question for Patha Bhavan. What is a group of hyenas living together called?

Patha Bhavan Students:-  Clan.

O’Brian:- Correct answer. Patha Bhavan is now on 60 points. 4^th question for St.Sebastian School. Once upon a time, the bird’s pure white feather graced women’s hats. Which bird is it?

St.Sebastian School Students:- Little Egret.

O’Brian:- Absolutely correct! St.Sebastian School is now on 60 points. So, after the 4^th round, South Point, Patha Bhavan and St.Sebastian School are on 60 points and St.Lawrence is on 40 points. Now, we are going to start the last round. Don’t be tensed! If there is a tie, then we will go for a buzzer round. 5^th question for South Point. Name the wife of Abraham Lincoln.

South Point Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team to try?

St.Lawrence Students:- Mary Todd.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Lawrence is now on 50 points. 5^th question for St.Lawrence. Cape Farewell or Kap Farvel, is the southernmost tip of which island?

St.Lawrence Students:- Greenland.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Lawrence is now on 70 points. 5^th question for Patha Bhavan. Which English fast bowler was nicknamed Typhoon?

Patha Bhavan Students:- Pass.

O’Brian:- Any other team to respond!

St.Sebastian School Students:- Frank Tyson.

O’Brian:- Correct! St.Sebastian School is now on 70 points. 5^th question for St.Sebastian School. Which was the first country to have a national flag of its own?

St.Sebastian School Students:- Pass

O’Brian:- Let me see which team responds!

Patha Bhavan Students:- Denmark.

O’Brian:- Yeah, it is right. So, after the last round, we have a tie among St.Lawrence, Patha Bhavan & St.Sebastian School with 70 points. South Point has just slipped by 10 points to finish at 60 points. That wrong answer became costly for them. So, here we go with the buzzer round. Only 1 question to ask. Whoever presses the buzzer first, will get to answer the question. For wrong answer, there is negative mark, but, if the first responder gives wrong answer, then only the other teams get a chance to answer. Here is the question. Which 48 year old female vocalist posed nude for the cover of her album ‘Almost Naked’? Yes, the Patha Bhavan team has pressed the buzzer first followed by St.Lawrence. Yes, Patha Bhavan, answer the question.

Patha Bhavan Students:- Madonna.

O’Brian:- Ha ha ha…no, no, it is a wrong answer. Next, St.Lawrence, answer it.

St.Lawrence Students:- Merilyn Monroe.

O’Brian:- Was she a vocalist! My God! Wrong answer! Yes, St.Sebastian School students, let me hear your wrong answer.

St.Sebastian School Students:- Kiki Dee.

O’Brian:- Hmmm….so, ladies and gentleman, after the end of this buzzer round, we are sorry to say that we have finally got a winner….and the winner is St.Sebastian School. Yes, guys, Kiki Dee is the right answer.

Spectators of St.Sebastian School:- Hurrah! We have won at the home ground.

Nonigopal:- We are lucky to be the spectators of this Bournvita quiz contest in our School Drawing Hall. It was really a tensed quiz competition.

Ganga:- But, Santu is our dark horse…he he he…who knew the name of that vocalist who posed nude except Santu….ha ha ha…bravo bravo…

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Mr. Bradman:- Students! I want to make an announcement in this Assembly prayer session. Our school has won the All India Bournvita Quiz contest this year which was held in Mumbai. Santu, Sudeshna, Tiya and Jahar have made us proud. Please give a big round of applause for them.

Students of St.Sebastian School (Morning Batch):- Hurrah! Congratulations!

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Nonigopal:- Where are you taking me now?

Chandrani:- Why do you always ask too many questions? Come with me. We will go to a nearby lake (Motijheel) which is popularly known as Krishnakhal in our village. In winter times, you can see different types of beautiful birds there.

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Nonigopal:- Hmm…you are right, Chandrani. These birds are so beautiful. Actually, they are the lucky ones. They don’t have to study books. They just keep on flying in the sky and travel from one place to another.

Chandrani:- Uuh! During rainy season, they have no proper shelter. They always struggle hard to search for foods. Don’t think that these birds are lucky because they can fly in the sky. During winter times, they always migrate from colder places to hotter places for their survival. They are not here for a tour.

Nonigopal:- Ha ha ha…so, indirectly, you want to say that humans are the luckiest animals.

Chandrani:- Of course! As a human, you can at least feel the real definition of life, but other animals don’t even know what life is. They just wake up, eat food and again go to sleep at night. What a boring lifestyle!

Nonigopal:- Well…humans have the brains to analyze everything very minutely. That’s why; we dare to do anything as per our wishes, but, God should have given us wings also.

Chandrani:- Uff…if you want to fly, then focus on becoming a pilot one day and keep on flying. Now, it is becoming dark. We have to walk back 4 kilometers to reach our village. Come on, let’s go. Tomorrow, your winter vacation will end. You will go back to the city. Again, I will start feeling bored.

Nonigopal:- Thank God! For the first time, you are confessing that you feel bored without me. Now, in this romantic dusk, I am at the receiving end.

SAINT SEBASTIAN SCHOOL (EPISODE -08) !!!

Dolui:- Are you a new student? We have never seen you before? You were in which school?

Ganga:- ha ha ha…you made me laugh. I was in this school only. I failed in Class I, Class III and Class V. My name is Ganganarayan Gangopadhay. Have you heard the name of the place, Ganguly Bagan?

Dolui:- Yeah, yeah…you stay there?

Ganga:- Ha ha ha….my great grandfather was the zamindar of that Ganguly Bagan. The name of the place came from our ancestral surname only. All of you should call me Ganga daa. I am senior to you all. Joseph is one year junior to me because he failed in Class II and Class V only.

Joseph:- Hello everyone, I am Joseph. From now on, you people should listen to me and Ganga, otherwise, you may have to face the consequences.

Raqeeb:- Actually, Joseph daa, we were missing some Dada type persons in our class. From now on, we have got 2 Dada type persons in our class. Hurrah!

Ganga:- Eh…motu…there is no need to celebrate in this regard. Just sit quietly. Tonight there is a final match between Argentina and Germany in the World Cup Football. I am the Argentina supporter and Joseph is supporting Germany. Ei, Bhanu, whosoever is supporting Argentina; write down their names in a piece of paper and collect 5 bucks from each of them.

Joseph:- Ei Jahar, whosoever is supporting Germany; write down their names in a piece of paper and collect 5 bucks from each of them.

Meenakshi:- My goodness! What are you people trying to do?

Ganga:- Nothing at all. No matter which team wins in the World Cup Final, we will celebrate a small snacks and cold drinks party in our classroom with that fund.

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Prakash:- It was a bad luck for the defending champions. The Germans were too lucky to lift the World Cup and that too in a penalty shootout.

Satya:- Come on! Don’t talk about Argentina now. Your Hero, Diego Maradona is a drug-addicted person.

Ganga:- Ei, Satya…those are all traps. Maradona is as pure as Gold. If you make any bad remarks about Maradona, I will break your nose. Klinsman and Lother Mathews don’t deserve that World Cup. They were too lucky this time.

Joseph:- Arrey, Ganga bhai, just don’t be so disappointed. That’s a football match final. One has to lose and one has to win. Come on! Take the snacks and the Cold drinks.

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Arindam:- Not only Ganga daa, but I am also disappointed. I was very much confident that Argentina will lift this World Cup, but, alas, Germany came from nowhere to grab it.

Bidisha:- You know something. I have collected so many poster cards of World Cup footballers by buying ‘World Cup’ bubble gums. With each bubble gum of ‘World Cup’, you will get a poster card of a footballer. I have the photos of Marco Van Basten, Schillachi, Buruchaga, Gary Linekar, Ruud Gulliet, Roger Milla, Lother Mathews, Klinsman and of course Maradona.

Arindam:- Oh! That’s great. Ruud Gulliet…hmm…yeah yeah…that guy with a fantastic long hair. How can I forget his famous goal with a back-volley? Accha, Bidisha, which is your favorite team?

Bidisha:- Of course, Brazil.  I don’t support Argentina, but my 2^nd favorite team is Holland.

Arindam:- Yeah, I also like that Holland team, because they know the art of counterattacking better than any other teams.

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Tamang:- Yeah, I can see those two skulls kept inside the room through these small hole outside the door. But, I really doubt about the scary nature of those skulls at night. Maybe, Nalini Madam was trying to scare us.

Nonigopal:- Ei, come on, I have opened the lock of the terrace door. This duplicate key really works. Hats off to Joseph daa for giving me this duplicate key. Wow! This terrace is as big as a playground.

Tamang:- Babah…if you look down from this terrace, you will feel as if your head is spinning. Hey look there. From that side of the terrace, we can get hold of some trunks of a mango tree which is situated on the adjacent plot of this school.

Nonigopal:- There are so many mangoes, though they are not so ripe enough.

Tamang:- Who cares! Let us pluck some of them.

Nonigopal:- Wash those mangoes before eating it. There is a cemented tank on this terrace with a tap below it. Wash the mangoes in that tap water.

Tamang:- Ok.

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Joseph:- What happened? What happened? Why both of you are panting for breath? Why are you tensed?

Tamang:- We were washing some mangoes under the tap water. The color of the tap water was mild red.

Joseph:- What! Come with me. I want to see it with my own eyes. Come on; wash the mangoes again under the tap water. Where are you seeing the color of tap water as mild red! It is clean water. Dhaath…you people just cook up all those bullshit stories.

Nonigopal:- Tamang is not telling lies, Joseph daa. I have also seen that the tap water was mild red in color.

Joseph:- Don’t eat these mangoes. Just throw it down at the adjacent plot of this school. Don’t tell anything to anyone about this incident. I don’t believe in ghosts but one of our school students committed suicide from this terrace. Maybe….who knows…oh! I don’t have guts to say anything now. Don’t come to this terrace again. Let’s go.

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Satya:- Ei, Ganga daa, you are seeing something inside your bag and rubbing your pant. What is there?

Ganga:- Ei, be attentive to this History class. Don’t look at me. Ei sob baroder jinish…chotoder dekhtey nei.

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Chinmoy:- Something must be there in Ganga daa’s bag. What was he watching during the class?

Ravi:- Ok, Ganga daa has gone down now in the canteen. Let us search his bag and find out what is there?

Satya:- My goodness! What is it? This is a book of 16 pages containing pornographic pictures.

Joseph:- Yes, you are right! This is popularly known as ‘Sholo Paata.’ It costs only 20 bucks. You will get it at any footpaths of Chandni market.

Arindam:- Hey look, Ganga daa is also having a pack of special type of playing cards inside the side pocket of his bag.

Joseph:- That is not a playing card, boss. That is a pack of Deluxe Nirodh. It is a condom packet.

Dolui:- What is a condom?

Joseph:- Hussh…don’t ask it loudly, girls are also sitting inside the class.

Ganga:- Hey, I will kill all of you. How dare you all open my bags? What is so special in my bag? Oh! Shit! Give me that packet.

Kanchan:- What is there inside it, Ganga daa?

Ganga:- I also don’t know. My cousin brother, who is 5 years elder than me, gave me. I am also curious. I will see it for the first time. I have heard a lot about condoms but never seen it. Come on; let us open this packet inside our Boys’ toilet room.

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Dolui:- Ha ha ha…it looks like a balloon only with some gums in it…he he he…What is its use actually?

Ganga:- We boys have some special liquids in our body. When it gets injected by us inside a girl’s body, they become pregnant. To block the liquid, we should use this balloon. I also don’t know everything in full details. Whatever my cousin brother told me, I am telling you only. We need to learn a lot about biology out of curiosity, he he he…

Joseph:-  But, why our dick gets raised whenever we see a nude girl? I mean what magic is there?

Ganga:- Ha ha ha…the magician is sitting on top of the Universe, Joseph. God created Adams and Eve but he also created the apple tree to create that magical attraction between two sexes. They say that Adams committed a sin. But is it really a sin or a superb magical performance?

Dolui:- Uff…Ganga daa…you should become a great philosopher one day.

Joseph:- Tomorrow, I will bring beedis and cigarettes to school.  We will try it out in this toilet room. No one comes here. The location of this classroom is in such an isolated position, that you can experiment everything here.

Arindam:- Our School Authority knows that the students of Class V will keep on experimenting new things. That’s why; they have put us in this classroom.

Ganga:- Have you people got the breaking news? Patricia, the daughter of our Peterson Sir, was found in a compromising position with a boy at the boys’ toilet after the last period of afternoon session. Girls are more advanced than us. So, we boys need to upgrade ourselves.

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Meenakshi:- Why are you not using hygienic napkins at this stage? It happens to every girl. We are experiencing our menstrual cycles from Class IV itself.

Tiya:- No, actually, I am experiencing it for the first time. I am so happy to have that feeling.

Revathi:- Now, don’t talk so loudly. Boys are always interested to listen about all these things. Go to the restroom and take some help from Mrs. Browne. Don’t take these things too lightly in the initial stages.

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Mr. Talukdar:- Students! Just listen to me very carefully. As you all know that yesterday only, the famous Babri Mosque was demolished in Ayodha. Now, from today morning onwards, we are getting reports of so many riots throughout India. Even in our city, the Metiaburuz, Park Circus and Khidderpore area are on fire. We are declaring holiday today and the school will remain closed for another 3 to 4 days, till we get full assurances from the Central as well as State Government, that all the riots-prone areas are in control. While returning home, don’t misbehave or start running here and there because many places of Kolkata are under curfew. Section 144 has been imposed there. So, the soldiers have full right to fire at any suspicious guy on the road. Now, start moving and go back home as early as you can. There are chances of more Hindu-Muslim riots.

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Sudeshna:- Thank God! Finally, the riot has ended. Do you know, at least 7000 people died in the Hindu-Muslim riots all over India.

Tamang:- For 4 days, people were really scared of coming out of their houses. Yesterday only, I was watching the movie, ‘Amar Akbar Anthony’ and was thinking that in a country where such films are made, are experiencing Hindu-Muslim riots now.

Nonigopal:- Actually, that Babri Mosque demolition is a sweet revenge on Babur who destroyed the Ram temple on that same place of Ayodha.

Revathi:- Whatever it may be; whether it is  a sweet revenge or bitter revenge, that is not the issue. The issue is; for some silly hooliganism, have you really counted how many innocent lives have been taken in the name of riots.

Nonigopal:- Anyway, the riots are over. The revenge has been taken. Everyone will forget everything as time heals all wounds. Now, there is peace and prosperity everywhere and it should prevail in future also.

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Mr. Bradman:- Good morning students! Do you all know why we have all assembled here at the Assembly Hall? Yesterday, we have lost a great modern man of India. He is the man who talked about globalization and implemented it by bringing computers in India. Yesterday, in Perempudur (Tamil Nadu), he has been killed by the LTTE forces with the help of a human suicide bomb. The girl came with a big garland and that garland destroyed everything with a deadly bomb blast. Let us maintain a silence for 5 minutes in tribute to our respected soul of Shri Rajib Gandhi.

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Satya:- One thing, I really don’t understand! LTTE is a terrorist force in Sri Lanka and that too I have heard that the Tamil refugees of Sri Lanka have formed that terrorist group. Then, what is the motive behind killing Rajib Gandhi?

Kanchan:- Maybe, Rajib Gandhi did a blunder by promising to help the Sri Lankan government to wipe out the LTTE forces from that Jaffna island.

Revathi:- Yeah, Rajib Gandhi took a foolish decision. LTTE issue is a headache of Sri Lankan government. Why should India poke its big nose there?

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Bidisha:- Yeh…ILU…ILU kya hain…yeh…ILU…ILU…

Arindam:- Arrey, you are also singing the same song! In our school bus, all the junior boys and girls were also singing the same song.

Bidisha:- This is the super hit song of a newly released film, ‘Saudagar’, which features Raj Kumar and Dilip Kumar.

Arindam:- Oho…yeah, yeah…there is a song, ‘Issh jungle mein hum doh sher, chal ghar, chal ghar…ho gayi derh.’

Bidisha:- Exactly! You are bang on target.

Arindam:- By the way; what is the meaning of this word, ILU?

Bidisha:- Oho! You idiot! You don’t the meaning of it. ILU means I Love You.

Arindam:- Oh! My God! I have never ever imagined in my life that you love me.

Bidisha:- hee hee hee…now, you are pulling my legs. I just told you the full form of ILU. I never told you that I Love you…uuh…I will love an idiot like you…uuh…just get lost from here.

Arindam:- Ha ha ha…I also don’t want love from a super-idiot like you. You also get lost from here. Our school bus conductor is calling me now. See you tomorrow, bye.

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Nonigopal:- I was not aware that our village is just at a 5 Km distance interior from the Bay of Bengal. What is the name of this place?

Chandrani:- Frazerganj.  Actually, what you are seeing is not the waters of Bay of Bengal, but of river Hooghly only. You have to go another 10 Km by boat to reach the waters of Bay of Bengal. If you start walking towards south on this beach, you will reach Bakkhali beach.

Nonigopal:- Eh! There is a bad smell in this beach.

Chandrani:- It is the smell of ‘Shutki Maach’ (Suka or dried fish). The fisherman from Bangladesh enters West Bengal through this route. They catch all the fishes and start drying them on the Frazerganj beach. Bangaals (People of East Bengal) are fond of eating curries of Shutki Maach. They say that it is very tasty, though, being a Ghoti, I have never tasted those dishes. This Frazerganj beach is also acquired by our Indian Navy. Can you see those speed boats? They are of Indian Navy only.

Nonigopal:- Wow! There are lots of jhinuks (shells) on this beach. There are some conch-shells too. Chandrani, have you ever got any pearl from a sea beach?

Chandrani:- Who told you that pearls are found in sea beaches? I am not so lucky also. But, yes, there is a Shankarpur beach in Midnapore district, where you can find lots of beautiful shells. Oh! No! You have already collected too many shells. What will you do with those shells? Give those to me; I will create a nice garland for you.

Nonigopal:- Is there any island there? I can see one.

Chandrani:- Yeah, that is the Jammudweep island. During summer, half of its area remains submerged under water but in winter season, it becomes a fabulous island to live in. There is a Maa Manasa temple on that island where people go to shave off their hairs as a part of their rituals. In that Maa Manasa temple also, there is a snake which comes out at every Saturday night to drink milk.

Nonigopal:- You are a very conservative girl, Chandrani. I don’t have too much faith on anything, that’s why; I hardly feel tensed in crunch situations. I just fight back with a bulldozer inside my heart.

Chandrani:- Come on! Let’s go back to our village. It is getting dark now and anyway, tomorrow, you have to go back to your city as your summer vacation ends tomorrow.

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Mrs. Prasad:- From now on, there will be four exams in a year. There will be 2 Unit Tests, one Half-Yearly Exam and of course the Annual Exam. Before the Half Yearly Exam there will be the 1^st Unit Test and the 2^nd one will be after the Half Yearly Exam. Unit Tests will be of 50 marks for each subject. Don’t think that if you do well in Annual Exam only, you will pass the class. You have to do well in all the exams consistently and based on the average marks on all four exams, you will get the final ranking.

Ganga:- Oh! No! Now, they are increasing so much pressure on studies. Now, we have to study whole year.

Mrs. Prasad:- Yes, that is good for you such poor students. If you are kept under pressure every time, you will automatically learn something, though not everything. At least you will pass in the class.

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Mrs. Khanna:- Good morning everyone, from today onwards, I will teach your 3^rd vernacular language which is Hindi. I am Mrs. Kamalika Khanna. All of you open your Hindi text book. We will learn the Hindi alphabets today.