In remembrance of her!

Dance classes were so fun back in school; I used to enjoy a lot since I always loved dancing. When I was in school, we used to have 2 dance classes, 3 days of western dance classes, and 3 days of classical dance classes. I used to enjoy Western more than classical (Kuchipudi). I still remember that I always used to make excuses so that I could skip the classical dance class. One fine day, my classical dance teacher noticed that I wasn't showing interest, and she did scold me. After that, I never skipped her class; I used to attend all her classes without fail, not out of interest but out of fear. After a couple of months, I got to know that she was in our neighbourhood. I wasn't really happy because I knew that if she got to meet my mother someday, she would definitely complain about me.

The day has come when my teacher gets to meet my mom. I saw them from our balcony; they were talking to each other. I was able to see that my teacher was talking to my mom very seriously. I got so freaked out, thinking that I would get scolded very badly. And there comes my mom; she called me, she looked at me and said "I spoke your teacher just now, and she wants you to learn Kuchipudi since she liked the way you dance" I was in shock for few seconds. I wasn't expecting that from her, she shook me and asked again "do you want to learn kuchipudi Sheetal?” I still wasn't looking forward to learn kuchipudi since I didn't wanted to. I said yes to my mom and joined classical dance classes. I could see that she was so happy when I entered the room, she introduced me to her students. She was teaching basic steps which were so easy, I learned very quickly for which she was so happy.

A few days passed, and I also started showing interest, but somewhere I was so confused by her nice behaviour towards me. One fine day, I asked my mom about the fee structure for the dance class. I was quite shocked by her reply, "Fees? She isn't charging you anything, Sheetal; she doesn't have daughters, so she treats you like her own daughter; she asked me if she can adopt you; she thinks that you are a good dancer as well." I was in shock. I never knew this, and I never knew that she liked me so much. But even now, I was like, isn’t she showing some unnecessary extra love? That day, when I entered the class room, it felt different. I started to show a little more interest. I was the only one who completed all the basic steps very quickly, and she was very proud of that. After a few days, she told me that we're almost done with the basic steps; we will start Jhathulu, and after that, we'll do gaja pooja. Ever since I showed interest in Kuchipudi, I just wanted to wear ghungroos.

I wanted to complete those last few steps so that I could quickly start learning Jathulu. But by the time I showed interest, I had my final exams. My parents wanted me to focus on my final exams, so I stopped going to the classes. As soon as I completed my exams, my dance teacher shifted her house to another location, which was very far from my home, so I had to quit the dance. A few years passed, and I again got to know through my mom that my dance teacher had shifted again to our colony. I was so happy thinking that I could get to learn dance again, but when I met her, she wasn't well, but she told me that once I feel like I'm fine, I'll definitely teach you. A year passed; I was still waiting, but she couldn't teach me. And one fine day she left again; she bought a new house, and she sifted there. When she shifted to her new house, she called and invited me many times but didn't go.

A lot of years passed, and I was still hoping that one day she would teach me again. But something happened that shook me. One of my friends called me and said that she had passed away due to some health issues. I was completely broke; everything started flashing. I have always ignored her love; I have never shown her enough love, which she was expecting from me. I even never thought of knowing her name. I couldn't see her, and I couldn't be with her in her last days. After her death, I did get a chance to learn dance again. But I did not, and maybe I will never be able to learn again. If not her, then no one. She was the best guru who taught me a lot, even when she was alive and even after death. She was, and she will always be, an example for me of unconditional love.

After that incident, I never ignored any person who showed me love. A mistake that definitely changed me as a person.