As the Secretary Subir switched off the dull panting of the diesel engine, the thumping inside my heart suddenly assumed a resonating loudness ---- for we had arrived at the Badsha Briddhashram on our rendezvous with Time ---- to talk with our beloved exteacher, Miss Gouri Dasgupta.
We were very warmly welcomed by an exhilarated Miss and her friends in the Old Age Home, and the next forty minutes or so flew past happily delving into reminiscences of her good old days of yore, moulding children into their career---- like a goldsmith!! I noticed the great attachment with which she preserved a laminated citation that was given to all exteachers in one of our reunions in the past. She could not attended then, but had asked for her copy through Mr.C.C.Ghosh. For once I felt that the words comprising the citation had really come alive, have achieved true fulfilment ---- for I had composed those words myself trying to reach out with fond gratitude to the heart of our dear teachers!!
The bright Sunday morning seemed all the more bright as she happily exchanged news. Strangely enough, she was fully aware of all recent happenings at school in spite of being away from there for so many years. She showed us around her "classroom" where she catered to a few children of the locality who belonged to the BPL category. She was all praise for them and even extended us a warm welcome to attend Children's Day function with them.
We snapped a couple of shots with her. As she saw us off at the gate waving to us, we felt once again the deep motherly love and affection with which our teachers love us. I felt proud to belong to such a family called Xaverians who flourish and thrive under the watchful care of such great goldsmiths ---- who mould minds like gold in a furnace.
Thank you dear Gouri Miss!!!
