In a plot twist worthy of a Bollywood feature, a government school in Telangana's Adilabad district has been freed from the clutches of a supposed ghost, all thanks to the bravery and rationality of one teacher. Nuthal Ravindar, a teacher at the Mandal Parishad Upper Primary School, could give Aamir Khan's 'Taare Zameen Par' character a run for his money with his heroic antics.
The saga began when Ravindar, while teaching Class 7, witnessed a tree fall outside the classroom following which his students started shaking in fear. Cue the eerie background music. Upon further inquiry, the nine students confessed their unwavering belief in a ghost that haunted Class 5. The kids were adamant, citing the weird noises they had heard coming from the empty classroom as evidence of the otherworldly presence, despite Ravindar's best attempts to dissuade them. Ravindar, a rationalist and general secretary of Jana Vignana Vedika, was determined to dispel this superstition and fear, so he came up with a scheme that would make Bollywood's next big hit. He proposed to stay overnight in the Class 5 room, which was said to be haunted. On July 5, Amavasya, a no-moon night considered inauspicious, the students requested he do so. No sinister chuckle was captured on camera.
Picture Courtesy : DC
Armed with a torch and a bedsheet, Ravindar came to the school prepared to take on the challenge. He agreed to keep the arrangement a secret from the pupils and went into the classroom at exactly 8 p.m. He would be invisible to both the outer world and the alleged ghost. Everything was in place for an exciting fight. After a peaceful night, the kids looked forward to the next morning. They gathered outside the classroom at six in the morning, eager to find out if their teacher had made it through the experience. The pupils' long-standing concerns about a ghost were eventually put to an end when Ravindar returned, untouched, alive, and well.
"The students who gathered to see me in the morning were finally convinced there was no ghost. Yet, the fear among them was real," Ravindar shared, even recounting that in the previous year, one student had left for a private school because he was convinced that a ghost haunted the premises. The students, now freed from their supernatural shackles, expressed a sigh of relief, with one Class 7 student saying, "We were living in fear. But now we believe there are no ghosts, thanks to our teacher."
In a world where illogical ideas and superstition frequently triumph over logic, Nuthal Ravindar's act of disobedience offers hope. In addition to relieving the kids of their concerns, he has shown the value of critical thinking and scientific reasoning by taking on the "supernatural whispers" head-on and emerging victorious. One can't help but wonder if other schools plagued by similar ghost stories, or any such place, would follow suit as word of Ravindar's courageous deed spreads. Maybe this will act as a wake-up call for those who continue to believe that the paranormal has control over our lives. A new era of rationality in the educational system is hopefully ready to begin.
Nuthal Ravindar's actions have not only made him a hero in the eyes of his students but also a shining example of the kind of educators we need in our society. Let's end with a standing ovation, yes?
