A flashback(by Smt. Kapilabai Ramasesha Rao)

My joining Vanitha sadana as a nursery teacher  many moons ago was more accidental than a calculated move.  I was then about 20 years old and my first son Vasantha was 2 years old .  We were living next door to the  house of legendary couple Shri N. Nagesha Rao and Smt. Susheelabai at Jayanagar,  Mysore.  In those days the couple’s  house was a  nerve center of activities. A bunch of young kids and  toddlers from neighbouring houses   used to assemble in that house in the morning.  It was sort of a playhouse .  Mr. Vinayaka Rao, if I remember correctly, was supervising the children’s activities for about an hour.  Some ladies affliated to Susheelabai were also doing rounds, that’s how the school was run.  The house was also  used for teaching Hindi language class and ‘Bharata’ (Mahabharata told  in musical form) .  My son Vasantha and Smt. Tulasibai’s (Susheela Bai’s daughter)son Narayan (Nani) being of the same age soon became pals. Both of them could always be found either in my house or Susheelabai’s house.  This made me visit Susheelabai’s house frequently .  I often spent time looking at the small children playing in Susheelabai’s house.  Perhaps Susheelabai must have noticed me. 

  I loved children and enjoyed looking them play.  At some point of time activities shifted to the building at Krishnamurthy Puram where it stands today. I don’t recall the year when it was shifted. Over a period my visits, to Vanitha Sadana as an onlooker, became frequent and my face familiar to Susheela Bai. One day Susheelabai asked me to join for  ‘Bharata’ / Hindi classes run by them.  I liked songs having been trained in classical music.  So I had no hesitation in joining for ‘Bharata’ class. Later I joined for  Hindi language class as well. .  I passed both the examination with distinction.  This face brought me closer to VS.  Though I was not a teacher I was often addressed by small children as ‘Madam’ .  May be I was destined to become a teacher as soon Smt. Susheela Bai  asked me to look after the children  for a couple of hours on daily basis. I could not have said ‘No’ as I had developed sort of a liking to  children and the school. I became a part time teacher on temporary basis. There was adequate support from my husband Sri B.N. Ramasesha Rao who himself was a teacher.  This was how  I was baptized as a Nursary school teacher.

As a teacher   I used to supervise children’s activities  and the games which revolved around – playing in sand, playing around trees, playing with plastic balls, hide and seek games. etc. I also used to sing small verses. I taught them Kannada rhymes. Later in my service as a teacher I was able to write my own rhymes for the children. To recall one:

‘ Jhana Jhana Jhana

Jebu thumba Hana,

Mele yesalu, Kalege beelalu

Tan Tana Tana.’

All along my son Vasantha was attending the Nursery class  with me.

One fine morning I had some special guests at my home.  The guests included Mr. Nageshrao, Miss Grace Pitchmuthu, and Mr. Ghanekar (drawing teacher) .  My husband was also with them.  I was  bit surprised and anxious to see such a high delegation at my house. They had come with  a purpose. They told me to attend one year nursery training so that I could be a qualified teacher. They said since I was already attending the school it was only a question of formalizing the process. I was also told, in the list of nominees my name was on top. For a moment I was stunned.  But how could I say no  to the proposal made by such big wigs.  I accepted the suggestion.. Soon I started attending the  Nursery training  conducted at Maharani’s high school. It was from morning 8 to 10.  I passed the nursery training and was appointed as a regular teacher for a salary of Rs.25/-per month at Vanitha Sadana. Bacause I loved children , I liked the school also. 

I remember having escorted the  children to ‘Aakashavani’  for children’s programme.  The children were required to sing songs with actions. Often I was praised for my presentation.  Because of my knowledge of playing Harmonium  I used to give background music during the programme. I must thank my father who was instrumental in training me in classical music and playing Harmon ium.