An article by Mr. Vedanthan

My most unforgettable experience(s)!

Vanitha Sadhana in Mysore is located adjacent to Ashoka Puram. K.M. Puram previously called ‘weaver’s lines’ was probably a community of weavers during the erstwhile Maharaja’s days. My grandfather, a retired amildar from the British Civil Services moved to Mysore city from Madras presidency, mostly due to the fact that my father late P.D. Krishnasawmi was a student at Mysore Medical college.

Our family has been extremely close with Children’s Book Council (CBC), an integral part of Vanitha Sadhana. Both my grandfather and father were presidents of the CBC. My grand mother, a Tamilian by birth and a Hindi scholar by choice was very close to the founders Smt. Susheela Bai and Sri N. Nagesha Rao and even today a yearly memorial quiz competition in Hindi is held in her honor. The closeness of our families was probably taken for granted by me. I would go into tantrums to attend the 1^st grade classes and my dad had to arrange for me to be transported back and forth to the school, riding on the neck of our family servant Giriya. I would listen to Giriya more than I would to my parents; he would tell me stories, listen and obey to my most unreasonable demands.

Very vividly I remember two of the episodes during my very ‘short’ tenure at Vanitha Sadhana.  One has to do with the students athletic competition they conduct every year. Despite my disability to run fast due to Polio at age 2, I enrolled to compete in the 100 metres sack race (Goni cheela race). No wonder I was the last one to finish and also the downpour during the event was not of much help! Before the prize distribution, I pleaded with my grandfather who was the chief guest for the function to grant me a ‘complimentary’ prize for my dismal performance. He obviously cancelled me off rudely and still wanted me to attend the function without fail. To my utter surprise, at the end of prize distribution, they announced my ‘complimentary’ medal for participation. I was just amazed at the generosity and that was probably the only prize I have ever won in my life for my athletic abilities.

The second episode I would like to quote ended in a heartbreaking manner too forcing me to quit Vanitha Sadhana under awkward conditions! During my 1^st grade, we were all given plenty of toys and gadgets to play around in the school. I was under the impression that whatever I played with belonged to me permanently. I started carrying a huge bag to the school so I can fill it up with as many toys as possible to bring home to play. One day, I was playing with a used car tire along with other students during our “out door” activities in front of the school. Thinking that the tire was also a “gift” to me like the other toys, I left the ground quietly rolling the tire towards our home and was successful in storing it safely in our garage! None of these activities were brought to my parents’ or grandparents’ attention. It was our grand father who was basically in charge of our activities and education, rather than my father who was an extremely busy medical practitioner. After the 1^st year in VS, when I sat along with my friends in the 2nd year class, something ‘unbelievable’ occurred.  The 2^nd year teacher came to me close, physically lifted me out of the class and landed me back in the 1^st grade class again. She announced to me that I have ‘failed’ in the 1^st grade due to my ‘stealing’ habits and have to serve one more year before graduating into grade 2. I landed again at my grand father with a strong plea to get me out of Vanitha Sadhana due to this unfortunate incident. He succumbed to my pressure and got me discharged and readmitted me into the ‘Gubbacchi’ primary school about a block away in the 2nd grade. 

This short and eventful experiences at Vanitha Sadhana have been unique and unforgettable events in my life to share with today’s youngsters with an appeal not to repeat my ‘mistakes’. I preside over the meetings at VS when they honor our grandmother (Late Smt. Ranagnayakamma Hindi memorial) and share my stories to appeal to our younger generation to observe civic rules first and foremost to become better citizens.

P.K. Vedanthan , Colorado USA