Tryst With A Teacher

ojaantrik · Jun 24, 2017

Teachers who stick to a syllabus bore me to death. I have always enjoyed being taught by teachers who didn't mind crossing boundaries and trespassing into other subjects. Arithmetic mingling with geography, history with chemistry, or, for that matter, English literature taking a u-turn into physics. Teachers who lead you that way are eccentric for sure, but I am quite convinced that they are the ones who make learning a gloriously enjoyable experience.

I am reminded in particular of my English teacher in school. He made us read Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities and while he was teaching that book, he introduced us to events leading to the French Revolution in magnificent detail. It was not clear whether he was teaching European history or English literature. And we thoroughly enjoyed all this, especially so since he didn't stop with the French Revolution. Soon enough we were learning about the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and his retreat from Moscow. Needless to say, we used to look forward to his classes, for each class exposed us to ever new surprises. And the surprises didn't remain confined to history alone. They bordered sometimes on sci-fi as well!

"Do you know what an atom is?" he asked us one day in the middle of his lecture.

Some of us knew, some didn't. So, he went on to explain the basic structure of an atom, explaining what neutrons, electrons and protons were. He told us about the sub-atomic particles revolving around a nucleus at unimaginable speed even as the physical body that was made up of the atoms, like the black board for example, clung to the wall betraying not a single sign of any movement.

The students stared at him in puzzled silence.

"You see, an atom is a bit like the solar system. The sun in the middle and the planets circling it ever so restlessly. But you and I continue with our lives without bothering about such matters. Yet, we are continuously seated on a gigantic ferris wheel! Isn't that surprising?"

We nodded our heads vigorously. True indeed, how stupid of us. But then he went on.

"Is it possible though that the solar system is merely an atom, one amongst endlessly many that are sticking together to make up some colossal structure?"

We scratched our heads.

"Well, look at the black board. It is merely a collection of endlessly many atoms and each atom has a queer resemblance with our solar system. Let's put together trillions of these solar systems and may be they will begin to look like a solid body. Perhaps like a stone on a ring worn by yet another super-gigantic creature. An infinitely large brobdingnagian individual, who loves his ring, but doesn't know that there are nano beings living somewhere in his ring. He has his life to lead with no idea at all about the love and hate that keeps us busy as well."

We listened to him open mouthed and stared back at each other. Some smiled stupidly.

He suddenly raised his voice several decibels and came up with an even more dramatic possibility. "Suppose by accident, some of these subatomic particles crash against one another. They are circling at such immense speed that the atom might explode. Right?" He smiled.

We nodded vigorously once again.

"An atomic explosion or sorts! What will happen to the black board if such an explosion were to occur? It will disintegrate into splinters. No?"

Yes, that did look like a possibility, however absurd.

"And what will you do with the blackboard if such an incident were to take place? You will have it thrown away. You will have no use for it, right?"

Yes, of course, a splintered blackboard should be quite useless in a classroom, we agreed.

"But now, suppose such an accident occurs in our solar system." He said this and waited for our reaction.

We didn't react. We were quite dumbfounded.

"Well, an atom in the giants ring stone would have exploded, thereby destroying the stone altogether. The giant will be puzzled for sure. Why did the ring disintegrate? he could wonder for a while. Then, since he has other important work to do, he will not worry too long about the broken ring. He will simply take the ring and throw it away. Just as you said you will throw the blackboard away. Right?" He came up with a stage whisper as we continued to remain spellbound.

This sci-fi story has stayed back with me for a long, long time. I think it was 1958 when I heard this imaginary tale.

I have often told you about this teacher. His name was Utpal Dutt, one of the best stage cum cine actors India produced. Only few know how good a teacher he was too, before changing his profession.

I have no doubt in my mind that it was he who inspired me to take up teaching as a profession.

Kamalji · Jun 24, 2017

Dear Oj
Wow what a post buddy.
Having utpal dutt as a teacher is an extraordinarily blessing.
We had a maths sir,a short bald Mr.ramchandran who would tell us stories of Hollywood movies like Becket ,to sir with love,con Ryan's express I talk of the late sixties.that instilled the love for English movies in me
I guess a few of us have had lovely teachers who changed the way we think.
Superb post Oj
Regards
Kamal

satchitananda · Jun 24, 2017

What a fascinating story, OJ-da. It touched me at many different levels. Firstly as a language teacher at an institute, myself, I could not but envy the teacher for the luxury that a school teacher enjoyed in another era and in another place. I mean, the luxury of being able to talk to students of various interesting topics without the endless worry of having to wrap up the syllabus in the shortest time imaginable. Let me give you an instance. Just yesterday, while I was teaching in class, the door of the room flew open. I went and peered out. Apparently Mr. or Ms. Wind - as the case may be - had been playing a game of 'push'. I said 'someone came knocking'. They all looked mystified. Sadly enough, none of them had ever come across the poem 'Someone came knocking at my wee small door'. So I recited it to them and they looked fascinated. Half of me was enjoying reciting an English poem (with direct relevance) in a German class, but the other half of me was worried about time, amount of portion to be covered before the day was done .....

What sheer brilliance! Look at that rich imagination. The solar system, friction between the 'atoms' of the solar system leading to an explanation in some great magician's ring, he throwing it away ...... who would think of such things!!! I wish I had been able to explain to my mother how all my things disintegrate so fast. She used to be so vexed at how I lost things, how I broke things ...... It also explains to me why some of my bones are disintegrating the way they are. I found the answer today in your snippet.

I loved Utpal Dutt as an actor. You have made me love him as a teacher as well. You were indeed blessed and I am extremely grateful to you for sharing your stories about him with us as well as to the One Above for giving you such a sharp memory, so you CAN share them with us.

Srama · Jun 24, 2017

Dear Oj da,

What a fantastic tale. I honestly have to say that I did not have any such teacher who inspired me and ironically and unlike you, that is the reason I became a teacher as well.

ojaantrik said: ↑

We listened to him open mouthed and stared back at each other. Some smiled stupidly.
Click to expand...

This feeling, this sense of wonder and awe when a teacher invokes in a child, his/her job is done.

You have been awfully lucky to have found such a teacher and who knew, Utpal Dutt! But then, think of his acting there is no doubt in my mind that he was an amazing human being.

Now I too am struck with the idea of our solar system being just an atom. How fascinating that is! With out going more into details, I have to tell you that I understood the concept of solar system at the ripe age of 33 and was awestruck. Back then when I heard my 3 year old explain solar system as a 3 D model, I remembering my mouth opening wide with wonder. Don't ask me as to how I did not know about it before - we all have stories. I have been awestruck about many things after I turned 30. I am now grateful to be in a position to rub off my wonder and awe to the students I interact with, hopefully. I see my place in the universe.

The way you have retold this story after all these years and getting the same reaction from us not only speaks of your writing abilities, but the impact this teacher made on you. Teachers and students!

shyamala1234 · Jun 24, 2017

ojaantrik said: ↑

Teachers who stick to a syllabus bore me to death. I have always enjoyed being taught by teachers who didn't mind crossing boundaries and trespassing into other subjects. Arithmetic mingling with geography, history with chemistry, or, for that matter, English literature taking a u-turn into physics. Teachers who lead you that way are eccentric for sure, but I am quite convinced that they are the ones who make learning a gloriously enjoyable experience.

I am reminded in particular of my English teacher in school. He made us read Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities and while he was teaching that book, he introduced us to events leading to the French Revolution in magnificent detail. It was not clear whether he was teaching European history or English literature. And we thoroughly enjoyed all this, especially so since he didn't stop with the French Revolution. Soon enough we were learning about the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte and his retreat from Moscow. Needless to say, we used to look forward to his classes, for each class exposed us to ever new surprises. And the surprises didn't remain confined to history alone. They bordered sometimes on sci-fi as well!

"Do you know what an atom is?" he asked us one day in the middle of his lecture.

Some of us knew, some didn't. So, he went on to explain the basic structure of an atom, explaining what neutrons, electrons and protons were. He told us about the sub-atomic particles revolving around a nucleus at unimaginable speed even as the physical body that was made up of the atoms, like the black board for example, clung to the wall betraying not a single sign of any movement.

The students stared at him in puzzled silence.

"You see, an atom is a bit like the solar system. The sun in the middle and the planets circling it ever so restlessly. But you and I continue with our lives without bothering about such matters. Yet, we are continuously seated on a gigantic ferris wheel! Isn't that surprising?"

We nodded our heads vigorously. True indeed, how stupid of us. But then he went on.

"Is it possible though that the solar system is merely an atom, one amongst endlessly many that are sticking together to make up some colossal structure?"

We scratched our heads.

"Well, look at the black board. It is merely a collection of endlessly many atoms and each atom has a queer resemblance with our solar system. Let's put together trillions of these solar systems and may be they will begin to look like a solid body. Perhaps like a stone on a ring worn by yet another super-gigantic creature. An infinitely large brobdingnagian individual, who loves his ring, but doesn't know that there are nano beings living somewhere in his ring. He has his life to lead with no idea at all about the love and hate that keeps us busy as well."

We listened to him open mouthed and stared back at each other. Some smiled stupidly.

He suddenly raised his voice several decibels and came up with an even more dramatic possibility. "Suppose by accident, some of these subatomic particles crash against one another. They are circling at such immense speed that the atom might explode. Right?" He smiled.

We nodded vigorously once again.

"An atomic explosion or sorts! What will happen to the black board if such an explosion were to occur? It will disintegrate into splinters. No?"

Yes, that did look like a possibility, however absurd.

"And what will you do with the blackboard if such an incident were to take place? You will have it thrown away. You will have no use for it, right?"

Yes, of course, a splintered blackboard should be quite useless in a classroom, we agreed.

"But now, suppose such an accident occurs in our solar system." He said this and waited for our reaction.

We didn't react. We were quite dumbfounded.

"Well, an atom in the giants ring stone would have exploded, thereby destroying the stone altogether. The giant will be puzzled for sure. Why did the ring disintegrate? he could wonder for a while. Then, since he has other important work to do, he will not worry too long about the broken ring. He will simply take the ring and throw it away. Just as you said you will throw the blackboard away. Right?" He came up with a stage whisper as we continued to remain spellbound.

This sci-fi story has stayed back with me for a long, long time. I think it was 1958 when I heard this imaginary tale.

I have often told you about this teacher. His name was Utpal Dutt, one of the best stage cum cine actors India produced. Only few know how good a teacher he was too, before changing his profession.

I have no doubt in my mind that it was he who inspired me to take up teaching as a profession.
Click to expand...

Dear Oj sir,
Lucky to have a teacher like Utpal Dutt. Makes the class interesting with varied imagination.....excellent. we never had such a teacher.
As an actor superb he is! Saw some of his films....golmaal especially.
Enjoyed reading and I also was in the class room.
Syamala

Rihana · Jun 24, 2017

Good one. It was like being in the classroom described. As I read the snippet, the mind, in parallel, went for a mental walk through all the classrooms of my school and college years, and each teacher's relationship with the chalk, blackboard, and the class. And unwittingly evaluating each for how engaging he/she was. To read the teacher's name as Utpal Dutt -- was a pleasant surprise. That parallel walking mind then zoomed over to Utpal Dutt scenes and tried to imagine how different it might have been to behold him in front of the class instead of on a screen. Then, as often happens with something that piques the mind, I went over to Wiki for a detailed read on Utpal Dutt, and also made a mental note to myself that I should complete Neil deGrasse Tyson's new book Astrophysics for People in a Hurry . Some of us learn about the solar system at ages much riper than others do. : )

satchitananda · Jun 24, 2017

It's not a bad idea to be a late developer. Let me join this group. It keeps one's wonder alive for longer.

Viswamitra · Jun 24, 2017

Dear Sri Ojaantrik:

What an interesting read this snippet is! I know you said number of times that Utpal Dutt was your teacher but each time you come up with a new story about him that is interesting to read! It is such a coincidence, we both went to the sub-atomic level to present a snippet but with different reasons! But yours is more interesting than mine.

While you talked about the Atom exploding, I talked about the orbiting sub-atomic particle merging with the Nucleus. Big Bang has already happened whether due to a scientific reason or because of the Lord saying, "Let there be light" as indicated in Genesis chapter of the holy Bible. Now, it is time for everything to unite. Like what Utpal Dutt mentioned, perhaps, the united solar systems will look like a body with billions of atoms. After all we don't experience each atom with sub-atomic particles orbiting around each Nucleus nor we see physically the planets orbiting the Sun. We have learned them through science. Hopefully, there will be time when we actually experience the whole.

Viswa

Iravati · Jun 24, 2017

ojaantrik said: ↑

Let's put together trillions of these solar systems and may be they will begin to look like a solid body. Perhaps like a stone on a ring worn by yet another super-gigantic creature. An infinitely large brobdingnagian individual, who loves his ring, but doesn't know that there are nano beings living somewhere in his ring. He has his life to lead with no idea at all about the love and hate that keeps us busy as well."
Click to expand...

I didn't know that Utpal Dutt was a teacher before he ventured into films. If that super-gigantic creature narrative has awed and impressed you so much to recount it even years later, you might be pleased to know that you are not alone. Looks like there was another awe-struck auteur in that classroom who captured that galactic surrealism in MIB here. Utpal Dutt seems to have had a fecund class full of bright students. I loved that space-folding scene when I watched MIB the first time, loved it immensely to recall it instantly when I read your post.

The surreal conjecture of worlds within worlds in the form of a narrative or a visual is so stunning that it has prompted you to write a blog on such imagination, and for me to enjoy in the nostalgic reprisal. Thanks for sharing your experiences with Utpal Dutt. On a similar note, my favourite to explain self-referential dreams or the fabric of reality is this butterfly dream of the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi.

Once upon a time, I, Chuang Chou, dreamt I was a butterfly, fluttering hither and thither, a veritable butterfly, enjoying itself to the full of its bent, and not knowing it was Chuang Chou. Suddenly I awoke, and came to myself, the veritable Chuang Chou. Now I do not know whether it was then I dreamt I was a butterfly, or whether I am now a butterfly dreaming I am a man.

PushpavalliSrinivasan · Jun 24, 2017

Dear Mr Ojaantrik,
You were very lucky to get the popular actor Utpal Dutt as your teacher. Though once before also you have mentioned about Utpal Dutt this is the first time we come to know that you were a student under him.
The way he taught his students as you have explained just shows that he had an inborn quality for acting as well as teaching as he kept you all awe struck with his illustrations.Blessed were those students who studied in his class.
Thanks for sharing this anecdote of Utpal Dutt which lot of people may not be aware,
PS