Moral Science !!!

Moral Science -- this was a subject in our school. For us students, it meant 1 hour of rest, relaxation, story-telling time each week. Our teacher for this subject too had a very cool approach. She never exactly taught us anything from any textbook, of course, there were no textbooks nor any specific syllabus for teaching moral science. She used to bring in cuttings of newspapers and read it out to us aloud and and ask our opinons about it. She also used to encourage us to share our experiences where we have been honest and it had helped us. Even now, I dont remember a single experience which was shared or even a single moment where I have actually listened to her lectures on society morals and obligations. But still, there was one such event which had a lasting impression on my mind.

Moral science was not a subject on which one could hold any exams or give any grades. If there was any such exam, all one needed was to be all goody-goody, and one could get the highest scores. So our teacher had decided on a different scale of grading, well, not exactly grading, but judging our level of participation and interest in moral science. She used to conduct our visits to Orphanages in the city. Just before those visits, we used to have monetary donation collected from our class and with that amount, she used to buy some commodity to be donated to the orphanage. Those commodities would vary from spoons to blankets to handkerchiefs each year. We would also arrange a show for them like set dances on popular songs, prepare small funny skits. Our teacher used to supervise us and guide us about the skits in particular ensuring they did not contain any parental sentiments as we were going there to provide entertainment, not point out their misfortune.

Then a day would be set, mostly Saturday morning, where we would set out in our school bus to visit the Orphanage. In my first year visit, I was in 6th std. Being a kid and a hostelite, I was more excited about the dances, skits and the excitement of going out like a picnic with my friends. But I can never forget the first image I had of the Orphanage. It was this dreary building which literally smelt of gloominess. All I can remember was huge halls, dark corridors, children playing in the playground or peeping out of curiosity at us from behind walls and curtains and then, the visit to the infants section. Small babies, right from 1 week old to 3 month old babies, lying in cribs, some crying, some sleeping, some looking at us with bright eyes....eyes which have just started recognizing objects and eyes which are searching for their parents. Even at that young age, I felt something stir inside me. I felt anger at those people who could have done such a thing. How can anyone have a baby and then just leave it at the doorstep of an Orphanage?? They could have their own reasons like they may not be in a position to take care of it, then why have it in the first place? They had no right to bring a human being into this world if they were not capable of taking care of it and if they did give birth to it, it was their responsibility to stick by it. I dont think the babies lying in those cribs would have asked for better milk or better food, they would have been satisfied in the warm caring arms of their parents. All these thoughts started going around in my mind and with each visit, the questions only increased with no answers. Well, even though I did not get any answers, I certainly became more grateful for whatever God has given me, grateful for having such lovely parents, family, a home to call of my own.

Even now, after 15 years, I still have no answers....but only a solution. Gradually, I realized that maybe the root cause was illiteracy of the people, especially of the economically lower class of the people. Education would bring about awareness, a small job maybe, better income resulting in a better standard of living. My grandfather used to say..." The best deed one can do for society is by spreading knowledge". I know, adopting a child is very difficult step and hats off to those who actually adopt a child. But the least we can do is adopt a child financially. Provide the education fees of a child and give him the power of knowledge. Even if we cannot bring them into our homes and love them as a family member, at least we can make them capable of facing the world when they grow up. Let us try to provide education wherever and in whatever small way we can. Teach the kids of ur maids on weekends. If you have a computer at home, introduce them to the world of computers. If not knowledge, at least you can give them dreams and hope of trying to make a better future for themselves.

I know, it is easy to preach but very difficult to practice. And I have actually been through such an experience. After joining Infosys, we came to know from Infosys Foundation about a small village school close to Hinjewadi IT park. It was a civic school and although they had some computers donated to them by IT companies, they could not afford a teacher to teach computers. All they requested was for our time....time to teach the students about computers. So that when they grow up, they have better job prospects than what their parents had. I went there a few times and I can safely say, it was the only unselfish thing I must have ever done in my whole life. The warm feeling that I felt on seeing the glow on the childrens faces when they handled Word, Excel, Paint, cannot be described. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, I could not contribute much to it. And due to lack of volunteers, the initiative had to be closed down.

Well, must say those Moral Science lectures did have their impact, and I truly hope so that this subject is made a must in all schools. We can each in our way try....

"Heal the world, lets make it a better place,

For you and for me and the entire living race....."