The statues made by ancient Greek sculptor Phidias stood on the roof of the Parthenon on the highest hills in Athens. Only their front portions could be seen. When the time came to pay the man for his hard toil, the accountant complained, “ Phidias, you have charged us unfairly for sculpting them in the round,” which meant that he had billed them for doing the posterior of the statues that no one could see. “You are wrong,” Phidias told the accountant, “The Gods can see them.”
I was reminded of this story when I visited the Canada Bengali Cultural School of Mississauga. Although the name suggested that here were children from all age groups studying the Bengali language to clear exams, further observation revealed that they were also being trained in dance, drama and music. And that’s not all. They emerge as total human beings with a deep concern and respectful regard for all nations, languages and religions. Every teacher in this school is like Phidias, tutoring and mentoring them not for the world to praise them for scores on their mark sheets but grooming them for the Gods to see.
The Canada Bengali Cultural School of Mississauga is a success story driven by ingenuity and industry. Connected to their countries by an umbilical cord that is stretched but never snapped, the teachers and students forming the ambience of the school take you on a journey of discovery where negative emotions and religious rhetoric have been unable to subvert universal brotherhood.
I worked out the arithmetic. The year: 1979. Two individuals: Sarama and Siba Mukherjee. Their dream: To begin and continue a Bengali language school that will not only allow learning of the language but will assist children in growing up into complete, caring individuals. The result: For detractors and supporters to savour.
Sarama Mukherjee was a teacher at Prabartak Nari Mandir in Chandannagar, near Calcutta, before she came to Canada. Currently she is the Principal of the school with zeal unparalleled even today and a refusal to proclaim herself as Caesar. In this dream-turned-into-reality school, challenges have been met collectively. The management has been based on the industrial democracy principle, in other words, participative management. And something quite fundamental is strikingly present - dedication. One realizes before long that a hangar-sized facility isn’t required to radiate total joy in one’s work, optimism for the future and attempt to create decent human beings with homespun virtues.
In 1981 the school became affiliated to the Peel Board’s Heritage language program and the number of students and teachers began to grow. Throughout it’s history the school has enjoyed the support of the Peel Board of Education. The credit course program for the Bengali language was established soon after. The first Ontario Academic Credit (OAC) course was offered in 1992 and many students completed their OAC successfully thereafter. A good measure of the level of education achieved by the OAC students is indicated by the fact that they can enroll at a higher level at the University of Toronto’s Bengali Language programme. A close teacher-student ratio helps maintain a high standard.
Said ex-student Nina Mahbub, now a Senior Account Officer, Corporate Banking at Scotiabank, who began Bengali school as a teenager, “More than teachers they were second mothers. They were role models in every sense of the words.” The staff comprises parents of students past and present. And although it wouldn’t be Nina’s first choice for her Sundays, in retrospect, she’s glad to have attended as it opened her life to her heritage. “Classes were fun and I graduated from the first credit classes,” she recalled. Her face lit up and the serious executive behind her dark brown business suit melted as she recalled having the greatest parties in school. She has volunteered and is keen on doing so again as and when circumstances allow.
Reminiscing she continued, “ I began to appreciate Bengali and this has extended into my life. I am open to all cultures, languages and religions.” Her exposure extended into understanding not only Bengali traditions but also Hindu traditions and she is confident that the two religions could live harmoniously. “It has added depth and richness to my life,” she said.
The syllabi include Iswarchandra Vidyasagar’s, ‘Barna Parichay,’ History of Bengali Literature and Tagore’s works. Celebrating Eid ul Zoha, Saraswati Puja as well as Rabindranath Tagore’s and Kazi Nazrul Islam’s birthdays promotes multiculturalism.
The school has actively participated in fundraising programs for Credit Valley Hospital, Cyclone disaster in Barrie, Ethiopian famine, Bangladesh flood, Gujarat earthquake to name only a few.
Another unique feature of the school is to encourage adults whose mother tongue is not Bengali to participate in learning the language to help them communicate better in mixed surroundings.
Sulogna Sen, a Chemical Engineer from the University of Waterloo and now involved in project engineering at Zeton Inc., a manufacturer of pilot and modular plants, is also a proud ex-student. She had enrolled at five and knew early on that it was important to learn the language to communicate effectively with people in her community. It also gave her a better understanding of roots and traditions both her own and others’. She said, “There was a sense of family that developed amongst everyone in the school. I decided to pursue the credit classes offered through the school.”
Her memories both inside and out of the classrooms are fond ones. She feels that being in the school increased her confidence. “I am appreciative of the strong dedication of the teachers and all the attention they gave to each and every student.”
Sulogna has taught dance at the school and witnessed a keen desire to learn among her pupils. Monitoring their progress was a rewarding experience for her. She added, “Participation in celebration of different religious functions has given me a broader understanding of the world and the people around me,” and goes on to praise the teachers, “Teachers have taken on their roles on a voluntary basis. Since the level of knowledge of the students can vary, this special attention allows everyone to learn at a pace that they are comfortable.” Her suggestion is to involve present students to take a greater role in the direction of the school and form a student committee to assist the planning of activities and hold student run events to bring upon a new wave of ideas. Sulogna is of the firm opinion that by being educated in our own heritage, we are better able to share and represent our cultures with those around us and add to the multicultural society of Canada. “I want my culture and traditions to be passed on to future generations,” she said.
Future plans are to introduce regional language classes and offering credits for Dance, Drama and Music.
The school has successfully managed to convert some uninvolved beginners to passionate believers. Isolationist slumber and ennui have given way to the gung-ho spirit over the long years. No gulping books. No utopian visions. No blinkered perceptions. But tolerance over bigotry, buoyant optimism and serene confidence in its students has displayed a well-placed loyalty in the institution for those who belong and visit. The Canada Bengali Cultural School of Mississauga is a great vehicle to translate our past into the future and draw us into becoming a thoughtful community instead of being lured into becoming an unthinking herd. It can be frightening to lose your identity and no sane Bengali is going to make the wrong choice now that the fruit is ripe. Twenty-five years ago, perhaps yes, but not in 2003. It is our nearest and dearest way of understanding ourselves in a land so far from our roots and finding our way onward. The obituary of such an institution must never be written.
For admissions and contributions, please contact:
Sarama Mukherjee
saramamukherjee@hotmail.com
Tel: 1- 905- 542- 0054
Research for this article was done by Partha Mukherjee.
* Article courtesy southasianoutlook.com
This article was published in the November issue of southasianoutlook.com
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