Manasi ma’am

The no of times she made me admire her, a little more-

1. The no. of times she feels like the ray of sunshine piercing the darkness of a room:
   On the day of orientation when I had no idea that she is a professor was the first day my admiration for her burgeoned. By halting her work, she had come to show me the hall where the programme was going on. From that day to today, she had made me indebted multiple times with her generosity. Whatever may be the situation, students rush to her for suggestions. Being the guardian angel of the department, she always gives students courage, assurance & solutions by taking away their fears, anxiety & problems.
2. The no. of times she feels like a warm rug in winter:
   From attending online seminars of seniors to participating in the seminar of our batch, I fell in love with the way she defends her students by voicing out for them & by taking their mistakes on her shoulder.
3. The no. of times she feels like a wall clock:
   I have seen teachers flaunting their achievements and I agree that those things indeed inspire the students. But her way of inspiring is different. I have never listened to her talking about her own success. Instead, she talks about how her students are succeeding in their lives. Students may follow or not, but she never retires from her duty of providing books, notes & online resources.
4. The no. of times she feels like an evening prayer got answered:
   During last teachers’ day, I had written that we wish to be taught by her from four feet distance instead of the online class. But destiny had planned something better. To learn the core of genetics by sitting a few inches away from her was the best of knowledge I grabbed in postgrad. Being an introvert, I always find it difficult to lighten my doubts-loaded-head amidst the class. But in her lectures, she made it easy for me with her kindness, patience & intelligence.
5. The no. of times she feels like the sky one can look up to:
   She is a teacher who says not to stress about exams. She is a teacher who also checks the assignments too meticulously. Because she is the teacher who knows the thin line between strictness & discipline. She applauds for the effort of students openly. On the other hand, she also analyses the reason behind the students’ back door entry. She is a teacher who knows how to be student-friendly without crossing the line of official decorum.
6. The no. of times she feels a lot like maa Parvati & a lot more like maa Lakshmi:
   Her bangles & bindi tell the tale of how proudly she carries the grace of a married woman. But I admire the way she thinks that a woman’s individuality shouldn’t be pressed under the weight of patriarchy. When she explained that there shouldn’t be mention of Mrs. after Dr., I got to realise how loving to hang as an apostrophe after the name of your beloved person & living with own identity can be complementary, not contradictory as society misinterprets.
7. The no. of times she feels like a synonym of responsibility:
   Her cuteness flourishes a lot more when she does braid in her short hair and each time she wears a new dress, her beauty enhances like a fresh bud. But the day we complimented her for that, she told us how she had toiled for the entire day due to official work & how someone’s face glows with the satisfaction of doing her work properly.
8. The no. of times she feels like a podcast having content for all moods:
   Be it a lecture on genetics or gyan on life, her voice can cast a soothing spell on the soul. Stuffed with so much sweetness, her words seem plumper with knowledge. And they stay in the mind of students for a long. But when students are in a mood to chill, she never denies to cancel the class.
9. The no. of times she feels like a toddler in her fifties:
   In a meeting, if you offer her tea, then she indicates you to treat other teachers first. In her chamber, she makes sure not to enjoy the cup of refreshment alone, but convinces her students to sip some. But this lady who is filled up to the brim with maturity, sometimes lets the kid in her come out. The day when she told us her love affairs with rain & tea, when she expressed her joy on getting an extra tea just like a kid turns overhappy with an additional toffee than expected, she made us realise how a tiny teacup of ten bucks can extract her million dollar smile.
10. The no. of times she feels like the colour of ruby, blood & fire:
    Her face is home to her beautiful smile. But sometimes frown also visits as a guest. Unadulterated emotions reflect on her face & voice so clearly that one can draw the picture of her mood instantly. She advises us to give liberty & to control emotions according to situations. Her persona is a bowl of kheer in which you can also come across cardamom sometimes.
11. The no. of times she feels like an equal sign validating & normalising emotional outburst as a human nature:
    Others watch the tears in eyes & break in voice. Mothers notice movement of eyes & motion of throat. She is a mother. She masters this art & her art reflects even in front of the children who call her ma’am. I get astonished at how magically she understands the storm before rain & the silence before thunder.
12. The no. of times she feels like a moment yet to cherish & memory with no expiry date:
    There are many times when she had made me remember my favourite miss & favourite guruma of school days for whom I used to make the best greeting card, to whom I used to present the best pen.

I am not that school-going Abhisikta anymore. But I am still that Abhisikta who has a lot of things to say, but often fails to express them. So this is a draft to save all those realisations Manasi maam had gifted me all these days.
©ruchiabhisikta

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