The Coimbatore Era - Part II

When I wrote part-one, I thought Chiju Speaks would have a series of them going on for sometime. But, it has taken so long for me to come up with this one. Let me take you all through a few more glimpses of my childhood in Coimbatore.

Lisieux

Lisieux Matriculation Higher Secondary School, a well known boys convent school, is where I started my education and it was a long journey till I completed my Higher Secondary education. Wholesale fun, childish fights to prove one's might, funny pranks, naughty jokes, non-competitive sports (well... i was no competition), little academics and full time enjoyment could do little justice to explain my life in Lisieux. Fr. Francis, who gave me admission even though I was not eligible to go to school for one more year, is my all time favorite. He left school when I was in first grade, but came back as a value education teacher in my higher secondary.

The best thing about Lisieux is that I've been able to meet every kind of person and gained lots of experience. I have friends from Lisieux, who are there with me even now (the bunch who were able to put up with me and my ways) and on the contrary, I know guys who would flinch and swear at the mention of my name.

The choir of Lisieux, the only reason why I was not thrown out of school, takes me back to the best of my memories. Being a boys school, there were no nightingales (pretty looking/sweet sounding), so we actually had to perform well to get the guys to clap for us. Well, that has happened, but most of the time, it used to be a crowd tickler fiasco. I've been there in the choir right from the time I entered sixth grade and have performed till two months before my 12th boards (neglecting the look my chemistry sir gave me when he saw me at the practice sessions). Daily prayer, Chirstmas carols, National Anthem (whenever), the many vande matrams for Independence day and Republic day, Krishna Ne Begane from colonial cousins, meditation songs, diwali special songs, Tamil Thai Vaazhthu for pongal and the list goes on and on. National Anthem needs a special mention here because we used to mess it up most of the time trying to keep it at 52 seconds. Once, the keyboard player came up with a Tom and Jerry tune for the start of the National Anthem and we, in our white full sleeved shirts with a bow and pitch black trousers, ended up looking like buffoons lost in the crowd of a circus.

The Lisieux ground takes me back to my old cricketing days. I used to carry my bat and stumps in my cycle and play for even the shortest duration possible, until the watchman calls to close the ground or my mom/sis come in search of me. Then, there is the basketball court where I have spent many evenings. I was not a great (rather good) player but I used to love playing. I used to play basketball and lose my cycle key (it would have fallen off from my pockets while playing). I'd conduct a thorough search and find the key or send word through one of my mates so that people from home could get me the spare key or a hammer (to break the lock).

Extra curricular week during mid October was the highlight of Lisieux. A whole list of events including Elocution, 20 questions, Essay writing, Mock press, Debate, Sketching/Drawing, Music, Dance, Fancy Dress and more would be conducted for all age groups. I have won medals in singing right from my third grade till my twelfth grade. Though singing and essay writing are the only things I could actually do properly, I'd have participated in almost every competition including sketching, just for the sake of bunking classes. Once I participated in a group dance event, in which only one of us in the group could actually dance well. As we completed the performance, the host announced in the mike, "Thanks for the group solo performance". There have been years where I used to walk home with 3-5 medals and a whole bunch of certificates and years where I just carried appreciation for my singing. But, that was not the point at all, it was so much fun to not actually care about any criticism u get especially from a bunch of guys who used to do nothing but sit and laugh at people, ignorant of who are the real losers!

The chapel in school was one of my favorite spots. I used to try and pray there everyday before going to classes. During the exam days, the chapel corridors used to become silent study spots for many. I still remember how once we were caught and inquired as to who pelted stones at the chapel doors just because we used to sit there for our lunch.

That's lots said and lots more to say.

To be continued..