Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Hum Kaale Hain Toh Kya Hua Dilwale Hain

At times you hang me on the wall and at others I am made to stand on a pair of thin and steely legs. Some times your master leans over me and sometimes you hit me. Some stare at me while others ignore me completely. Ironically, after lightening up the learning minds I am dumped into darkness. Yes friends I am the black board.
My day starts with a routine cleansing of me and my friends-the benches and dusters. Here the dirty sweeper puts more dust on me than he removes.After this, we eagerly wait for the learned and the learners. Some students reach before time, while some are regular in being late. Sometimes it happens that after many days I see a new face sitting amongst his friends and listening attentively to his teacher as if he never missed any class.
During the class it is entertaining to watch the students. The one sitting at the back is an Abhinab Bindra in making; aiming accurately for the girls. The girls on the other hand who sit in the front rows make me feel uncomfortable; staring constantly at my dark face and feeble naked legs. But I like the one sitting on the right most corner. She is a fairy of never-land and I am the char (lie) of coal (land). Once she came very close to me. I tried best but could not help shivering. Her hands so soft, lips so red made me fall in love with her.The guys who sit in the front rows also neglect me completely. They are more interested in the chalk marks over me. Hence like other blacks, I am a victim of racial discrimination.
These days I am facing tough competition from various other mediums of teaching. The installation of projectors was a severe blow to my very existence.The students fell in love with the bright and fair projectors unaware of the fact that the projector puts them in dark and itself enjoys the light, while I keep my self in dark and brighten up their lives.
My best friends are the duster and chalks. I never mind the chalks scratching against my surface, though the duster immediately comes to my help, to softly remove the friendly stains left over by the chalk.
The class will end in some time. How do I know this!! It’s easy... when students stop looking outside, girls stop getting hit and there is a sound 'chhor do’, it indicates that time is over. Over the years I have learned this word and these days I too join them in unison...'chhor do sir'.