School Experience

In our school, every teacher had a nickname. We did not know who gave that nickname and also why that name was given.

I can remember one funny incident. I was in a school upto my 5th grade. I transferred to a new school for my 6th grade. At that age, I was very innocent. My cousin, who was 2 years senior to me, was already in that school. The day before going to the new school for the first time, I asked my cousin who is going to be my class teacher. He said my class teacher is “mullangi” (radish) (mooli).

So I go to the new school next morning. I was looking through each classroom to find out which one is mine. One teacher came out of a classroom and we had the following conversation:

Teacher: Pudusa? (Are you new?)

Me: Amam (Yes)

Teacher: Endha grade (Which grade?)

Me: 6th grade

Teacher: Endha section (Which section?)

Me: Theriyaadhu (I don’t know)

Teacher: Yaar vaadhyaar? (Who is your teacher?)

Me: Theriyaadhu. Aanal avar peyar mullangi (I don’t know. But his name is mullangi)

Teacher: Naandhaan andha mullangi. Ulla vaa (I am that mullangi. Come inside the class)

After a week or so, he gave me a big lecture on calling teachers by their funny nicknames.