ॐ असतो मा सद् गमया।
तमसो मा ज्यओितिर् गमया।
मॄत्योर् मा अमॄित गमया।
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः ॥
Growing up, school day started with a assembly; each student and teachers joined together for prayers followed by different things each day. Mondays & Fridays were Virmatiben, Our progressive principal’s, domain. She had taught my dad as well as most of my peer’s fathers. Our beloved, benevolent principal had pulse of the kids and love for them in her heart. Students and teachers lead assembly on other days. Here is what I recall :
Mondays – Happening @ our school to around the world & its impact on us.
Tuesdays – A piece of literature or a talk about a literary figure
Wednesdays – Poetry, a skit or on the spur talk
Thursdays – Science talk
Fridays– Student Concerns. Outside the Principal’s office, we had a locked mailbox for students to drop off a question or a list of questions in it. On Fridays, Virmatiben answered some of the questions along with teachers. Cool, ya?
Saturdays– Straight to the group exercise lead by several students.
Yes, we went to a half-day school on Saturdays.
Each day, we started the assembly with this hymn from the Vedas:
ॐ असतो मा सद् गमया। Ohm Asato Ma Saad Gamaya
तमसो मा ज्यओितिर् गमया। Tamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya
मॄत्योर् मा अमॄित गमया। Mrityor Ma Amrit Gamaya
ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः ॥ Ohm Shantihi Shantihi Shantihi
Are you wondering what does it mean? Let me tell you that you will find similar prayer in your hymn book – whichever religion you are following. It has a special meaning to me as my Grandpa used to recite this each morning and taught us the meaning of it by living his life following the tenets of it. It says:
Lead us from Ignorance to Truth
Lead us from Darkness to Light
Lead us from destruction & death to Life & construction
Ohm
May peace be prevailed
May peace be prevailed
May peace be prevailed.
How did your school day started as a kid? How is it organized now? Would you like to share it here or with the supportive Slice of Life community hosted by Two Writing Teachers?
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Ohm = The sacred sound, the beginning the end and everything in between.
Asato = Not Truth
Saad = good, pure, Truth
Tamaso = Darkness
Jyotir = Light
Mrityor = from death
Amrit = Embrosa, Life giving substance
Shanti = Peace ===> Shantihi = May peace be prevailed
#SOL18
#DWHabit