Life at the moment was monotonous for Savi. Walking to school daily and facing Mrs. Rachna were such things which she actually wanted to run away from. Evening hours were actually the most fulfilling and enjoyable, when she used to play with her friends and forget all about school. Singing, dancing, playing all girlish and some boys games as well were the favourite of Savi, student of D.S.M.School of class IV in Delhi. Her face goes pale as soon as the topic of school and studies starts even while playing.

It wasn’t always like that, she was one of the brightest students of her class. She was equally good in sports and extra curricular activities. Painting was her favourite and so was Mrs. Rachna, her drawing teacher. Until that fateful day of her IInd terminal exams painting marks distribution.




Savi was impatiently waiting to get her drawing sheet with highest scores in her hands. Sitting on IIIrd desk of second row from the window of corridor, in her well ironed uniform, ribbons showing a careful flower knot on her hair. Her eyes were roaming from window to the door just to see the crape saree pallu flowing of Mrs. Rachna.

She likes Mrs. Rachna very much, the drapes of her well fitted saree, her low heeled elegant sandals, her feather cut hair, her lipstick,makeup, everything about her use to mesmerize Savi. Mrs. Rachna also liked Savi as she was good in painting.




The flare of blue color suddenly caught Savi’s attention and that was Mrs. Rachna in turquoise blue saree, with matching little jewellery, sandals, purse and a big bundle of sheets in her hands. These were the exams sheets Savi was waiting for.

After a warm greetings, to which all students of class IV-A answered cheerfully, Mrs. Rachna started distributing sheets to the students. On every sheets’ upright corner were Mrs. Rachna’s signature with marks. After giving away sheets Mrs. Rachna as always writes the name of the highest scorer on the blackboard and the name was in bold letters RITU GUPTA, marks 9/10.

For Savi, the whole world shattered around her sounding like glass breaking to her ears, her tiny bright eyes suddenly filled with tears. She was staring at her sheet like a statue, on which 7/10 was making faces to her. This was her life’s (all of 8 years) most tragic moment to cope with.

Savi regained her consciousness on the touch of blue crape, Mrs. Rachna was standing next to her, leaned actually to her opposite on Ritu’s desk. She took the sheet from her and showed it to the class as she used to do with Savi’s sheet for last 2 years. Savi didn’t like the touch of that crape for the first time, which previously used to give her warmth. She let the pallu of the saree fall from her knee with her pencil and started folding her sheet. She slipped the sheet in her bag and started waiting for the class to end. From that day inwards she stopped looking Mrs. Rachna in her eyes.

Previously Savi used to be attentive in the class, she used to be the first one to raise hand when Mrs. Rachna asked for any volunteer for some small tasks like getting register from staff room, putting sheets in the cupboard etc. But now Savi simply ignored the call for volunteer.




Mrs. Rachna noticed the change in Savi’s behavior and one day Mrs. Rachna called Savi by her name aloud, which actually caught everyone’s attention, the murmuring sound suddenly stopped and pin drop silence prevailed in the classroom. Savi stood up and walked towards teacher’s desk. Ignoring every reaction and attention of the class Mrs. Rachna asked Savi to write the topic of the next painting on the blackboard.

From being called by name to walking to teacher’s desk to picking up chalk and to write the topic on the board, all events actually cleared the fog of resentment from Savi’s heart one by one and she suddenly felt feather like lightness in herself when Mrs. Rachna patted her cheek and said “Thank you Savi you’ve got very good handwriting”.





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