First Day In The School Poem by Bashyam Narayanan

First day in the school

I joined school with a bang
It was a time when there was no kindergarten
And pre-school classes
Child got admitted straight to standard one

Girl child got admitted in the school without fanfare
While boys got admitted in the school with a grand show

I was put in school as soon as I turned five
It was a grand function
In our tradition male child starts his education
After a celebration

I was given a partial head shave only to the extent
That the front portion of skull became hairless
Was given a holy bath
Forehead decorated with our religious symbol
Three vertical lines, an orange line in the middle
And two white lines enclosing the orange one
And a white base for the above design
With extension down on the nose

I was dressed in a new full trouser and a matching shirt
Specially bought for the function
I was garlanded and
Was seated on a top coverless car
So that I was visible in full

The car was specially designed for such procession
It cannot be driven at a speed more than that of our walking speed
The car would normally be accompanied by a starter handle
As it would stop on its own any time

Gentlemen of our family and friend circles
Walking in front of the car
And ladies in their best of attires
Were coming behind

Traditional auspicious wind instrument accompanied by
The shoulder hung percussion gadget
Were being played
This orchestra went quite ahead in front
Telling the people that a procession was just following

It took sometime
For all of us to reach the school
East Ranga Higher Elementary School
Just adjacent to a tall tower of the temple complex

I was lifted out from the car
I did not know what went through my mind
As soon as I was out of the car
I started running over the ascending steps
Leading to the school entrance

Before I could make out
I had a slip probably stumbling over the top most step
Falling flat on my chest
Ending up with a bleeding injury in my lower lip
In the process the new wooden-framed thin slate
I was holding was thrown out of my hand
Also fell and broken into pieces

Someone pressed my bleeding lip with a pinch of sugar
A new slate was purchased
And I was taken to a class room
Where my teacher was waiting for me
And was about to induct me into writing practice

After that all went on well

And my teacher later remarked that
He was a brilliant student
Despite being hurt and in some inconvenience
This fellow grasped and followed my instructions well

I studied in that school for five years
From grade one to grade five