Chaudhvin ka Chand and Life's Journey
The moon, in all its celestial glory, does not shine its brightest on the full moon night. Instead, its true brilliance graces the nights just before and after. This poetic insight was shared by my co-resource person during a Training of Trainers session for the Principals and Vice Principals of CBSE schools in Jharkhand, held in the industrious city of Jamshedpur.
On the final day, after our sessions had concluded and the day's intellectual rigor had faded into the soft embrace of evening, we were driving back to our hotel. Through the car window, I caught sight of the moon—large, luminous, and commanding—a silent sentinel in the ink-black sky. The previous night had been Guru Purnima, and its essence lingered in the air.
It was then that my co-faculty, Mr. Shailesh Soni, leaned back in his seat and, with a reflective smile, shared this nugget of wisdom. He punctuated his thought with the lines of a beloved Hindi song, “Chaudhvin ka chand ho…” evoking the timeless beauty of the moon and its symbolism in our lives.
As we spoke, I reflected on the full moon—how it appears round and big, yet carries a lingering sadness on its face. Its glow, though majestic, is tinged with a yellowish or orangish hue, as though it is quietly mourning its impending descent. Perhaps the moon, in its infinite solitude, feels the weight of its journey downward, just as we do in the arcs of our lives.
Isn’t it true for us too? There is a beauty in blooming, in reaching for the zenith of our potential. But there is also an undeniable grace in descending, in letting go with dignity and wisdom. That unique beauty—the kind that softens and deepens the heart—is absent at our peak. The full moon, for all its grandeur, does not hold the same tender brilliance as the crescent or the gibbous that bookend its journey.
This moment, fleeting and profound, reminded me of the unintended benefits of shared learning and quiet conversations—gentle revelations tucked within the folds of an ordinary day. It is not just the lessons we teach but the ones we stumble upon that truly enrich our lives.
Kallol Dutt?
18.11.2024