It was in tenth standard at school when in the last period I got a call from the office boy announcing my name, requiring me to meet the principal immediately. When the staff said that I would do so after school, the office boy overrided it saying it was "urgent". I was shocked at first and quite scared as to "why would the principal need me so urgently ?" I was thinking if "I had done anything wrong or if I had committed any crime/mistake" and likewise. Sure shocked and pissed I was, because such a thing was not common or atleast "such an urgent call" !!.
I went to the adminstration block and was in front of the principal's room waiting for the attender to let me in. While standing there I was rehersing on how to greet her in my mind and before I could finish rehersing the principal called me in - shouting my name. I went in, scared and pale, she enquired about me and told me to meet the Biology teacher and that she has spoken about something with her (the bio teacher) which the teacher would explain to me. She had also refered to take another person (ronald) with me. I could only thank the principal(Mrs. Malaiammal) and bid her bye and hoped for a relief at the biology lab.
I zoomed back to class. Bearing the surprise of my classmates I murmured to the staff to let Ronald as well, out with me. We both ran to the biology lab thinking on what to expect from kalpana madam (the Bio teacher) on the way. There we were at the entrance of the big Hall (our Biology lab) located in the farthest part of the lab arm of the stunningly designed school building.
The Skeleton that was in the corner welcomed us with a smile, which appeared to smile more than it ever did. The microscopes with one and two eyes, plant and animal samples in the shelf all appeared to gaze at us. Before we were getting gulped by the gazes, Kalpana madam wished us back with her sweet voice as a response to ronald's afternoon greetings. She got acquinted with us as she had not taken classes for us till then, but to our seniors (11th and 12th std students). She instantly recognised me as Nandhini's(her student and my only elder sis.) brother, I admitted with a smile, may be her knowledge on my sister was deep enough to trace me.
After getting convinced by both, she surprised us about the surprise trip the next day, organised by Lion's Club, for which every school in the city represented four members and that we were lucky to be among them. I was more than happy and in rejoice. She had asked us to report the next day in front of CAG pride (a star hotel - sad that it wasn't inside..!!) and that the Lion's club members shall pick us up from there.
With the advices of my parents and pat from my pestering sister, I left the home to enjoy, to pleasure, to freek, while all my other friends were busy going to school doing their usuals. I waited in the place I was supposed to well before I was required to report. The mini mordern van bearing Lion's club banner which appeared already full was visible faintly before it jerked and stopped right in front of us. A moderately aged person came down and after verifying our identity and greetings he asked us to get in and find places that comforted us. We were left with no choices, me and ronald had to be parted as one of the empty seats was in the back and the other empty one was in the front.
After hours of travel in that van that played music, tamil music, we were stopped by two gaurds who had rifles in their hands, they asked us to maintain silence and that the van driver shunt his vehicle in the corner to let way to vehicles coming along the completly dead and freekingly silent road that had only solar lights installed. I had a feeling as if on a forest trek / adventure. Sooner or latter the escort with us managed to get clearence from the department. Some security officier, in uniform which was impressive, came in, to give instructions as, not to make any noise or throw plastics and other non biodegradible substances and make to make no acts that could attract the wild elephants and other dangerous animals. This freeked us all till the van trottled to a place from where distant buildings, which we latter learnt as the Salim Ali Institute, faintly started to become visible.
We all were more than releaved that the journey got over and all the bird watchers/scientists/biologists in us started to prop up. More than the impressive buildings that were very mordern the surroundings which was fully green and gave a sensation of being in the mid of forest caught our thoughts. In the middle of a valley formed by three small hills was this beautiful institute, beautiful enough to capture every heart that sees it.
We visited small museum and other study labs at the institute before getting commanded to sit in a hall at where we were told that scientists and profesors would give lectures and describe about the birds for which the entire trip was commenced. Ultra mordern slides that worked at a click of a remote had already started to make us get convinced that this place was rather a haven of mordern teaching aids.
The mesmerising stories of birds and explaination of various features, like beak shape, foot , wings etc. was making everybody to consider bird watching their only aim of life. After Lunch, which was one of the very different food I had tasted ever, biriyani, made of vegtables and fruits (shock), the classes continued that ended with a note of thanks.
As the sun started to get down, We bid bye for both the awesome institute and the Spectacular pleasant sun that had lit the sky with colors.
Dr. Salim Ali Bird Watching Club was a memorable trip.
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