My School, my Village
Author: K.S. Kang
I am
calling my school as my village as I had spent nearly more than two decades of
my life in the campus of residential school to which my father was transferred
to work as Physics teacher just a few months before my birth. This place was a
place of historical significance Chittorgarh in an equally historically
significant state of Rajasthan. I was only a few months old when I came to
Chittorgarh along with my parents and sister five years elder to me in a two
room accommodation near Railway Station. But I do not recollect any thing about
my life of one year spent at this place. Soon this school where my father got
the job of teaching Physics was shifted to its permanent site situated on the
western bank of River Berach, My earliest memories of my life are of the hostel
situated in the campus of this school named Hamir House as my father was its
House Master. Here I must tell that the school where my father was teaching was
fully residential school whose six hostels at that time were named after the
illustrious and brave rulers of Mewar like Pratap, Jaimal, Badal, Kumbha ,
Sangha and of course Hamir. This campus where I had spent nearly more than two
decades of my life was one of the most modern village with every modern amenity
like water, electricity, bakery, poultry, mess, dispensary, primary school for
children, conveyance facility initially in the form of army three ton vehicle and
then a fifty seater bus and even guest house of its own. It was indeed one of
the most modern village with parks, playground and neatly laid metalled roads
around the campus.
From
the main entrance of the building the road branched into two directions- South
and North. Road passed before the Academic block on the Western sie and a park
named Cadet Vatika on the East and then turned westward and after passing
before the Tennis Court situated on the northern side the road again turned
towards South and passing before Luv, Kush, Pratap Houses and a couple of
quarters it turned west and passing through Jaimal House and School Farm both
situated on its Southern side the road turned North and passing before Badal,
Hamir, Kumbha and Sangha Houses it reached the rear part of Cadets’ Mess
housing Floor Mill and Bakery. It continued Northward to pass before service
officer quarters of Adm. Officer, Vice Principal and Principal. Principal’s
quarter was tri junction. One road moved westward moving towards Bal Niketan on
one hand and Staff Quarters on the other hand. Road again branched off to South
and North directions. In the North it went to General Employees accommodations
and on the Northern side it moved along the railway line before staff quarters
and then it turned again eastward and passing before staff blocks it again
turned south to join the road at Principal’s residence. From this tri junction
mentioned above at Principal’s residence one road moved East and passing before
School Guest House on its Southern side and Dispensary on its North ended at
School auditorium and after making a semi-circle round of it joined the road
that took to the main entrance of the campus. There were three bi lanes too one
of which originated from Adm Officer’s residence and passing before the Mess on
its South joined the road that came from the main entrance of the building. One
road originated between Luv and Kush Houses and passing before Mess but this
time on its Northern side joined the road coming from Badal House between the Kumbha
and Sangha Houses and one road was n the back side of the Academic block
running before the quarters of Administrative Staff.
Just
after six months of joining my father became House Master of Hamir House. So I
nearly spent first decade of my life in this accommodation of three rooms. I
was a toddler here I learnt walking, talking and every other activity of life
here. The lay out of House Master’s accommodation consisted of three rooms, a
dining space, kitchen, compound, Wash
rooms and a vegetable garden at the rear. Hamir House faced East and as you
ascended the stairs and turned Southward came the main entrance of the House
opening into the drawing room. Adjoining it was another room and dining hall
and then another room. While the drawing room faced Southward the next two
rooms opened into the dining hall facing westward. The door of the dining hall
opened into an open courtyard. At its northern end was kitchen and towards
South was Toilet. And after the toilet was vegetable garden. After staying in this
house for a decade my father was shifted to a smaller accommodation situated at
the northern end of the campus. It was an accommodation on the first floor.
After ascending the staircase after turning westward came the main entrance of
the quarter. Though this accommodation was also of three rooms but it was
smaller in size though there was an added benefit of open roof. This
accommodation also had one drawing room, two bedrooms, a dining space, kitchen
and a bath and toilet but they were much smaller in size. This was my first
experience of leading life on the first floor. After staying in this
accommodation for about an year after my father’s persistent efforts we were
allotted bigger accommodation adjoining Principal’s residence. This
accommodation was also on the first floor and it too had same accommodation but
the rooms were larger in size. This accommodation faced northward and after
ascending the stairs the main entrance was in the South direction. After it
came a verandah and then two rooms. One opened in East in the verandah while
the other opened in South. After these two rooms there was dining space and
then the third room opening on the open roof that was the additional benefit of
this quarter. It was here that I went on outing to Udaiur, Ranakpur, and Mt. Abu Jammu and Kashmir in 1978. I have spent most
of my schooling years here from 7th
to 12th standard.
After
staying in this office for six years in 1980 my father was made House Master of
Pratap House which was the building that faced West. It had the same
accommodation as in Hamir House only the direction of layout was different.
After ascending the stairs and turning north came the drawing room followed by
dining space another room. Both the rooms opened into the dining space towards
the East. It was followed by open courtyard. At its one end there was Kitchen
and at the other end toilet. After the courtyard there was a kitchen garden. My
father remained House Master of Pratap House for two years up to 1982. After
that my father was promoted to become the Senior Master of the school. He was
the second person to get this coveted appointment in the school. Luckily we
were given the same accommodation that was adjoining to Principal’s residence.
So this was our second stint in this quarter, that was E-5 for a period of two
years after which my father retired on superannuation in 1984.
