Teacher the lighthouse of society
Vijay Garg
Teachers are the real builders of the lives of the students, who shape their destinies and help them achieve their goals. Rather, it makes us capable that we keep burning like light even after the darkness of the whole world.
Teacher is like a beacon of light in the society. One who leads his disciples from darkness to light by showing the right path? The light that spreads through the knowledge of teachers is visible from afar. Because of this our nation is getting illuminated with all the beacons. That is why teachers are respected in the country.
Teacher’s Day is a great occasion to strengthen the relationship between teacher and student. Teacher’s Day is celebrated with great joy and enthusiasm by the teachers and students in schools, colleges, universities and educational institutions. On this day many congratulations are received from the students to the teachers. Teacher’s Day in India is celebrated in the honor of teachers. Teachers work hard throughout the year and want their students to perform well in school and other activities.
Various programs are organized in schools across the country on Teacher’s Day. Teacher’s Day is celebrated at different times in more than one hundred countries of the world. Teacher’s Day is celebrated in India on September 5, the birthday of former President Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
The birthday of Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan is celebrated as Teacher’s Day since 1962. He had expressed his desire to his students to celebrate his birthday as Teacher’s Day. Radhakrishnan, the former President of the country, was born on September 5, 1888, in a Bataman family in Tirumani village of Tamil Nadu. He was fond of reading books since childhood and was greatly influenced by Swami Vivekananda. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was a great teacher who has given 40 years of his life to the teaching profession. He was famous for the contribution and role of teachers in the lives of students.
That’s why he was the first person who thought about teachers and requested to celebrate 5 September every year as Teacher’s Day. He died on 17 April 1975 in Chennai. Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan began his career as a philosophy teacher in 1909, entering the teaching profession at the Presidency College, Chennai.
He taught philosophy in many famous universities like Banaras, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mysore and even abroad in Universities like Oxford in London. Due to his dedication to the teaching profession, he was appointed Chairman of the University Scholarship Commission in 1949. It is well known that teachers play a big and important role in shaping our lives. He helps us in many ways to achieve success. Like increase our knowledge, skill level, confidence etc and put our lives in right shape.
On this day, everyone should congratulate their teachers wholeheartedly as an obedient student for giving the right direction to the lives of countless students by doing their selfless service of teaching throughout their life.
Kabir Das has explained the teacher’s work in these lines.
Kabir Das ji says that the teacher is like a potter and the student is like a pot of water which is made by him and during its construction he hits the pot from outside. Along with this, he also keeps one hand inside to give support.
In the olden times, teachers were respected by touching their feet. But in today’s time both teacher and student have changed. Earlier teaching was not a profession but an act of enthusiasm and a hobby.
But now it has become only a means of making a living. It is true that our parents are our first teachers. He teaches us a lot. This cannot be denied. But our real education begins when we go to school. Where we start getting knowledge from our teachers. Teacher plays a very important role in a person’s life. A teacher plays many roles apart from being a guide, mentor, friend and many more. It is up to the student how he defines his teacher. Sant Tulsi Das has explained it very well in the following lines.
Like the feeling left, the Lord saw the idol in three ways:-
Sant Tulsi Das has told that God, Guru will appear to a person as he thinks. For example, Arjuna considered Lord Krishna as his friend. The same Meera Bai was a lover to Lord Krishna. Similarly, it applies to the teacher as well. Teacher’s Day is celebrated in many countries of the world.
From China to America, Australia, Albania, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Brazil and Pakistan. Although the date of celebrating this day is different in every country. Teacher’s Day is celebrated on 10 September in China, 6 May in America, the last Friday of October in Australia, 15 October in Brazil and 5 October in Pakistan.
Apart from this, February 28 is celebrated as Teacher’s Day in Oman, Syria, Mitra, Libya, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco and many Islamic countries. In today’s era, respect for teachers has started decreasing in the society. The poor antics of many teachers have made them fall from the eyes of the society. Every day one gets to read in newspapers about the wrong actions of teachers. Due to the misbehavior by the teachers with the students in the schools and colleges, the sacred work like teaching is becoming infamous.
In the present era, the disciples are also no less. In the minds of today’s students, the feeling of respect for the Guru is rarely seen. Due to the indiscipline of the people, the atmosphere of education in schools and colleges is getting mixed. Along with celebrating Teacher’s Day, we also have to take a pledge to restore the purity of teaching work.
By understanding each other’s feelings, the teacher and disciple have to ignite the light of knowledge by working together. Only then will it be worthwhile to celebrate our Teacher’s Day.
(The author is a Retired Principal and an Educationist based at Malout in Punjab)
KV Network
