On 4 April 2014, I completed the longest journey of my life, when I stepped into the portals of my alma mater – The Nazareth Academy, Gaya once again, having left it as a lad of 12 years after studying in the school for about two and a half years. I was now over 72 years old, but the approximately three years I had spent at the Nazareth Academy came rushing back at me.
The school has of course changed, as was bound to happen. After all, an active and pulsating entity like a school must change, especially when it has been progressing by leaps and bounds. But, I am moving far ahead and too quickly in my excitement. Let me go back to the beginning so that the reader can not only grasp the pleasure and exhilaration of my going back to school, but also is able to place it in its correct perspective.
My father was a banker, a job that entailed frequent moves or transfers. That is what brought me to the state of Bihar and specifically to Gaya from the place of my father`s earlier posting at Hisar (now in Haryana, but at that time still part of Punjab). A new place, a new school and an entirely new culture! I only realised much later that I was in a land, which in many ways was the precursor of the highest levels of education in our country, for Bihar boasted of Nalanda, Taxila and Pataliputra of yore.
The best school in Gaya was the Nazareth Academy, even though at that time it was re-starting after a long break and there were major changes in its faculty and administration. When I joined the school in 1951, we were only four students in Class IV, but the numbers soon went up when more people heard about the high standards of the school. My best friend and classmate was Azizur Rahman, a local boy, as his father, a doctor, was settled at Gaya and he had his practice in Gaya city. Azizur and I sat next to each other in our class and I soon found that he was more knowledgeable about the school than most of us, as he was already an old student when I joined. It was Azizur who was instrumental in contacting me after decades and eventually he was the one who joined me when we went back to school. That is of course another story, which I will recount some other day.
The teachers who kindled the flame of learning
When we were at school, it had only one building, but one that had loads of character. The school has now expanded a great deal and is really huge when compared to the time we were there. Our lone building had housed the chapel – the most important part of the structure; the class rooms of course and other rooms with exotic names like the Parlour and the Pavilion. The atmosphere as I remember was quiet. In fact, the word ‘hushed’ describes it better. This important edifice was presided over by Sister Charles Miriam of the order of Sisters’ of Charity of Nazareth. We the students respected her highly, but at the same time we were also in awe of her as she was a stickler for discipline and she had a reservoir of knowledge, a lot of which she transferred to us. However, it was only later that I realised that not only did she and the other teachers, including Sister Patricia Mary imparted knowledge to us but made us seekers of knowledge. The good sisters also laid a lot of emphasis on manners and the nuances of good behaviour. For these I will always remember and thank them, as she and the other teachers at the Nazareth Academy kindled the flame of learning in me. Sister Charles Miriam is now no more but her students like me remember her with great affection and we shall always feel grateful to her for making us what we are – “Successful Nazaretarians”!
Brief history of the school
At this stage, a bit of history of my school is in order. Nazareth Academy commenced functioning in 1951, but it traces its history to February 1939, when the school was initially set up as Saint Michael’s School by the Sisters of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary from Patna. In 1943, the school was handed over to the Loreto Sisters from Calcutta and was renamed as Loreto Convent. They in turn handed over the school to the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and Nazareth Academy came into being.
The site, with a campus of 3.4 acres, was originally a Masonic Lodge, and later a private residence. There were five classrooms when I joined the school. Thereafter, the school kept expanding to its present size; vastly increased infrastructure; and a student population of over 2000.
While I was in school, Sister Charles Miriam was the Principal and Sisters Ann Bernadette, Ann Roberta, and Ellen Maria were our teachers. They not only maintained the traditions set up by their predecessors, but took them forward to reach new heights.
The grand reunion with childhood friend and classmate
I left the school in 1953 when my father was transferred to Amritsar, where I attended another good school, passed my Matric Examination and attended a college for two years, as I was too young to sit for the entrance examination for the National Defence Academy (NDA).
As soon as I was eligible for the NDA, I sat for the entrance examination, passed all the tests and started my career in the Indian Army. During my 44 years in uniform, there was little time to think about the various schools that I had attended, but once in a while I did recall the few happy and productive years spent at Gaya, including at my school. My service in the army took me all over the country and abroad, but none of my postings was near Gaya, so there was no occasion to visit the school.
It was only when my childhood friend and classmate Azizur Rahman (doctor and specialist in ophthalmology) managed to trace me in 2009 and got in touch that the school reverted in my focus. Even then it took me nearly five years to meet Azizur and visit the school!
Accompanied by my wife, I flew to Patna for a grand reunion with Azizur, which was followed up with our visit to the school on 4 April 2014. We also coopted another erstwhile schoolmate – Matlub, who was a year junior and now resides at Gaya. We started our nostalgic visit to the school from the office of the Principal, Sister Sophia Jacob, in a new building, as the building we knew had since been demolished. Sister Jacob received us graciously and later accompanied us going round the playgrounds and classrooms. Sister Anne Marie, who looks after the old students too, joined us while we visited various parts of the school.
The Grotto of Mother Mary was a major attraction for us as it had existed during our time at school. We were also informed that it was being shifted this year to a more prominent place, as part of the work being undertaken for the forthcoming Diamond Jubilee of the school.
We interacted with the students currently in school both on the play grounds and in the classes. There was a sense of déjà vu seeing them sitting in classes in their colourful uniforms, as we had sat in our classes decades back.
A large number of photographs were taken and I presented a Madhubani painting to the Principal, which she graciously got affixed at a prominent place in the present parlour immediately.
Thus ended a memorable visit to my alma mater, one that will remind me of the precious years I spent as a carefree boy over six decades back. I do plan to go back to the school whenever I get an opportunity, for nostalgia beckons and the young and bright students, as well as the faculty have left a deep impression on my mind. It is they who are after all the future of our nation and maybe, just maybe, some will decide to serve the country by joining the army, as I had done decades back!!
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Lt Gen Vijay Oberoi
The author is a former Vice Chief of Army Staff.[/column]