My Happy Days in National Service Scheme
During my high school days I was a member of boys scout. Actually my father was the brain behind my entry into scout. He advised me to participate in social projects and to be in front of social welfare activities. On that days NCC (National Cadet Corps) and scout were the social work bodies in the school. NSS (National Service Scheme) units were not there in schools. Out of NCC and scout I selected scout because an NCC cadet should have good stamina and health. They have to attend parades in sun for a long time. Also the rules of NCC were very strict. My health condition and fear of getting punishment from NCC authorities I choose scout as my way. On the other hand my brother in another school joined NCC. He got porotta (an eatable made of fine wheat powder) and beef curry after Sunday parades.
I participated in District Scout Rally and won adventure award also, by performing some acts in the camp. After three years experience in various activities of scout I passed out of the school. Naturally I became out from scout also. After completing tenth standard I joined for Pre-degree in a college far away from my native place. Being difficult to go daily I was admitted to college hostel.
Again my beloved father informed me about National Service Scheme and its various activities. From his talks I got motivation and inspiration and decided to join NSS.I shared this idea with my four hostel mates who also hailed from my village. But unfortunately none of them were interested in such activities. I think it was due to the difference in discipline that I and they born and brought up. My father was a teacher and was constantly interacting with students to solve not only their academic problems but also their life problems due to his own bitter experiences in his childhood days. Also he was very eager to clean the dirty areas and public roads used by us. I remember in my child hood days I have to clean latrines and toilets of our house by father’s order.
I didn't get disappointed in my friend’s decision. I joined as a member of NSS .One of my relatives was the Program Officer in charge of the NSS unit. He was also happy seeing me interested in such activities. On many holidays I have to go for some works at unknown places while my friends went to their own homes. But I felt happy to do something for my society. So I didn't think of loss of holidays.
The works of our NSS unit progressed. Campus cleaning, public places cleaning, bus shelter constructing, camps conducting, tree planting, field trips were some of the programs that we conducted. I participated in all those programs which I can do something or donate my manpower.
Thus the X'mas vacation came. There was 10 days holidays. But as an NSS volunteer I had to attend the ten days camp in these holidays. All of my friends left hostel to spend the holidays with their family members. They even mocked at me for losing the jolly ten days vacation by joining in NSS. But I didn't mind them at all.
Our camp was about twenty two kilometers away from our college. The location was a remote country yard. We have to construct a road to the place from the main road. People of that area were very happy to assist us in our works.
On the second day itself we began our work. The hands that hold only pen and books held spade and basket. The heads that never loaded with weight on that loaded with basket filled of soil. The body that wet in rain only , wet with sweat. The feet that walked only through good pavements walked over stone and thorn. To me and most of the camp members it was a new experience.
The road work progressed slowly. When we become tired the native people came with boosting drinks like tender coconuts or glucose water. They also supplied some eatables as snacks along with this. They shared their attitudes with us in such situations. At noon all of us took lunch in a group. No difference whether junior or senior, teacher or student, native or foreign. All sat shoulder to shoulder and ate the same food. At evening all of us zipped same black tea. At night all ate the same food.
There was camp fire on all days after the supper. Variety entertainments were the attraction of camp fire. Those who hadn't sung even a song in life fulfilled their long hope here by reciting some lines. Some mimicked some one in action and sound. Some one danced .Some one performed mono act. Thus the days in camp were flying like a swift. I felt pity of my friends who may be merely sitting in front of books without knowing a community life like this.
Ten days passed very quickly. All of us have to part with each other as well as with the kind and innocent people of that village. The two kilometer road was there as the result of our collective hard work. The road joined not only two places but also the hearts of college students and the common people. By this camp the common people also could realise the social commitments of teenagers.
After completing Pre-degree I joined for Degree course in another college. The sweet experiences of NSS activities in the previous college made me to join NSS of this college without any rethinking and hesitation.
The new college was bigger than my first one with lot of different courses and students. Consequently the NSS units were also very active with a number of activities. More over our program officer was the best program officer of Calicut University in that year. A number of ideas emerged out of his brain and he poured them to the minds of NSS volunteers. They happily accepted his ideas and brought them to practice.
When I joined NSS of this college the literacy mission was going on in Kerala. Our program officer conducted a lot of literacy works around our college. Also our college adopted a slum namely Bangladesh Colony in Calicut.(It was at the third year of adoption I joined in NSS of this college).So yearly ten day camps were taking place in this slum for the last two years. Automatically that years camp also was scheduled there.
The camp activities were in various groups. Some went for literacy works among the colony members. Some went for slum development works like latrine construction , house construction etc. Some went for counseling the inhabitants of colony who were addicted to drug. The colony was infamous for drug abuse. At evening all the groups together went out for street plays that highlight the importance of literacy.
While majority of the volunteers go for works like these some remained in camp place for preparing food to them. Thus one day I was deputed as food preparation volunteer from my group .I was expert in making Chappathis. (I used to help my mother at home , she being a teacher). All the members of food committee were amazed in my chappathi making speed . On that day I nominated as Man of the Day by my group. But I couldn’t win the Man of the Day in total contest.
Like my previous ten day camp here also the ten days flew like a concord. I think by that year our college also bid farewell to that slum since almost all works in our mind were already over. All the volunteers of the NSS of our college get honoured when Kerala declared to be the first state attaining 100 % literacy in India. The declaration conference was held Calicut which was our area of work.
During the period of service a leadership camp also was conducted in our college. Many volunteers from different colleges of the university participated in the camp. This caused to develop the leadership as well as the friendship beyond the walls of our college. Also I got the first and golden chance to donate blood, from this college. A blood donors forum was working under NSS unit of this college. Through it many volunteers donated their blood to save many lives. ”Blood donation, life donation” was the motto that inspired us. After that I donated blood again twice.
Thus the life as NSS volunteer moulded me into a different person. Still I wish to co-operate with all such social activities. Definitely I received this motivation primarily from my beloved father followed by my NSS experiences. So my dear friends , I advise each and every one of you to participate in such social activities from your school days itself. If you got aged make your sons and daughters to participate in them and there by to prove our social commitment.
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