My friend of college years, Yogendra Pathak “ Viyogi”, met me during his visit to Delhi in March 2013 after a gap of a quarter century. After parting our ways on completion of our university education in late sixties there was little chance for us to exchange our views as he had plunged deep into the research and academic pursuit of cyclotrone in Atomic Science leaving me far behind in Government’s bureaucratic humdrum. During his visit to CERN to explore the particles moving faster than light found time to remember and see me in Geneva 25 years ago and enjoy chura-dahi in my apartment.
I was extremely curious and excited when he called me from Kolkata to inform that he would visit Delhi on his Mission to inculcate awareness and deeper interest among school children at Bal Bhavan in science education. Now when I feel long left by my fast moving friends and acquaintances, the news was like a nectar in the mouth of a dying dove.
After exchanging word of personal intimacies and how we felt about being so far away in distance and ideas, it was he who talked in terms of connecting our villages by raising interests of school children towards modern sciences. Realizing that Mithila being too sticky about to the language and culture, it has to come in tune with the tremendous revolution in science and technology and knowledge around the world. He suggested that I learn Shusha font from Google and write in Maithily in blogs about my experiences during my work and travel abroad during the past four decades.
I have always been attached emotionally to my village “Chakauti”. Having been several times reminded of our legacies of wisdom in pursuance of excellence in education of pre independence era in faculties such as, Jyotish, Nyaya, Vyakaran and Ayurved and having five Mahamohopadyas at the same time in the family running an ashram like education system when pundits and princes from near and far away came to learn the wisdom sitting on the floors of huts and shadow of mango grooves at Pandit Tola. I am equally aware of the current darkness in homes and muddy streets, streets and pathways stinking with defecation, drinks and drug abuses, women being treated with cruelty to the extent of bride burning. Awareness towards family and social responsibilities, positive direction to children in the muddles of advertisements and raising hopes for better future among people and dispersing the fears of despair can only salvage us from the scourge of evils we have been facing for the past 66 years of freedom.
