86 - Pranav's 2nd Grade examinations get over - visiting India - Preparing for Graduation ceremony - Sai Baba Bhajans - Ethiopian Journey - Blog Post no - 86

andrew-wulf-744104-unsplash

Pranav’s 2^nd grade examinations got over and the results were favourable. He passed the examinations with flying colours and got an overall percentage of 90%. He was over the moon!!!. We had to prepone our journey back to Bahirdar by a day as two examinations were held in a day by the school, so that we could go back to our universities one day in advance.

Ethiopian Airlines was accommodating and helped us in preponing our trip. There was excitement all around. We were not unhappy at Addis Ababa but home is home and we were keen to go back.

TFM (Telugu Faculty Member) who could not get us a small parcel from India even though he stayed only a kilometre away had given us a very generous list of things that he wanted from Addis Ababa.

As I read the list, I was truly astonished. TFM wanted almost everything from Addis, 10 kgs of fine rice, nearly ten kgs of vegetables. The sheer audacity of his wishes took my breath away.

We bought Thailand rice that looks like Sona Masoori. Basmati rice was available but somehow Basmati rice is not for daily use. It tasted funny when eaten as white rice. It is good for biryani and that too if taken once in a while. We also bought five kgs each of brinjal (egg-plant) and Okra (ladies finger).

The journey back to Bahirdar was quite rocky and full of turbulence. It was scary too. The plane was buffeted with strong winds and it kept dropping and climbing up again. Sahithi was very scared. We too were experiencing the same but put up a straight face but internally we were all shivering with fright.

In our first contract we had to deposit our passports in the university. Planning to go to India was a herculean task. First of all, there had to be a valid reason to travel and an Indian in Bahirdar had to sign the travel application as a surety.

Kuldeep (our PEDA mathematics faculty) wanted to go to India on a personal visit and saw to it that a telegram arrived from India citing that his grandmother was sick. I stood as a surety for Kuldeep. Kuldeep’s departure was a shock to many Indians in Bahirdar.

True to Indian mentality, rumours started to fly - That Kuldeep could not teach properly, that his feedback was not good and that he was gone for good and that as a surety I was in trouble.

Many Indians were actually very happy. ‘Anil got his comeuppance’ was the general feeling. They all purred like cats who had their full quota of cream and were contented.  They were sharpening their axes –eager to see the broom getting lowered on me (the penalty being levied).

Kuldeep returned from India. Most Indians were actually disappointed with the turn of events. Funny, the way people react to crisis and crisis management. 

good-free-photos-773344-unsplash

As the semester progressed there was palpable excitement in the university. The student community started looking brighter and the air was pregnant with anticipation. Initially I could not understand what was happening. Then it dawned upon me. The student community was preparing for the event of their lifetime – Graduation Ceremony!

For many in Ethiopia even in 2002, it was very rare to be well educated. Passing the school examination was seen as an achievement and here were students who were passing their advanced diplomas for the first time and in some cases some students were getting graduated! For many families, they were the first graduates!

charles-deloye-660433-unsplash (1)

Getting graduated in Ethiopia at that time was a really big deal. It was very rare and families travelled long distances to different universities just to see their children getting graduated. The family would not spare any effort or cost to celebrate their most joyous day – GRADUATION CEREMONY.

It was an event of a life time. I was told that Bahirdar would get decked like a new bride. There would be festivities everywhere. Flower bouquet sellers would do brisk business and all local photographers would be busy.

There would be brisk business for stationery and gift shops. The students and their parents and relatives would roam in Bahirdar – the students in their graduation dress. The celebrations would spill into the streets. There would be dancing and impromptu celebrations everywhere. It looks as if entire Bahirdar was celebrating the students’ success.

They would visit the tourist spots and take keep sake snaps. It was truly amazing what graduation meant for Ethiopians. I could not wait. I wanted to experience my first Ethiopian graduation ceremony!

In demand would be the teachers, especially the foreign teachers.  I was asked by my students, including the ones that I did not teach, whether I would be in Bahirdar at the graduation time. Taking snaps with teachers was customary and taking snaps with foreign teachers was a badge of honour – ‘I was taught by a foreigner – that too an Indian!!!!!’.

stephane-hermellin-550943-unsplash

This planning for the festivities somehow made me pensive and sad. We Indians have become blasé and don’t seem to enjoy the small things in life. Graduation ceremonies are mostly done away in Indian Institutions both at graduate and post graduate level. It is customary for universities to hold graduation ceremonies only for PhD scholars and that too once in two or three years. We need to celebrate  the event irrespective of it magnitude.

Padma decided that we should perform Sai Baba’s bhajan every Thursday. Our family, Dr. Srinivas Inguva (who had a very melodious voice) and Dr. Neelima were the regulars.   We (our family, Dr. Srinivas Inguva or Dr. Neelima) prepared some snacks and offered it to Sai Baba as Prasad. After the Bhajan, we would partake in the Prasad and then disperse. It was soothing and made the kids concentrate on connecting with the almighty.

One Indian was quite upset. He asked me “Anil garu, I am very glad that you are performing Sai Baba Bhajan. That is very nice. But I am not getting my share of the Prasad”.

I was totally taken aback “Your Prasad sir, I don’t understand?”. That Indian gave me the look that people give an imbecile, “Sir, my share sir, you are not sending my share”.

By this time, I had recovered from the initial shock. I said, very gently, “Sir, Prasad has to be taken as Prasad. It is only for people who come to my house and do the Bhajan. We can’t give Prasad for the people who stay at their homes and expect us to home deliver”. The Indian kept quiet, grudgingly.