SMOULDERING ANGER

           In general, we all have a feeling that children coming from the economically weaker section are easily susceptible to violence as they had to struggle for the smallest needs in their life. But in a shocking revelation, it is found in the present generation of kids who are brought up in an affluent environment with all the privileges, are exhibiting streaks of unbelievable violence and this is becoming a real challenge for the school teachers. This story of Shiva is one of this.

Shakthi and Shiva were twins and were studying in the 8th standard of our school. Though both of them were twins they were poles apart in their behaviour and attitude. Shiva was impulsive, short- tempered but Shakthi was calm, soft-spoken. In spite of his impulsive nature, Shiva was a brilliant boy. Every year he won elocution, Science quiz, Mathematics quiz etc. and won cups and shields for the school. All the teachers just loved him. As Shakthi was just average in studies she always needed the help of her brother for her home works.

When Shiva helped his sister in the recess some more girls use to flock around him to learn from him. Three months after the school had started a new boy Akash joined their school. His father was a well-known scientist and his mother was a chemistry professor. Right from childhood both of them had taken the pain to educate him beyond the school studies. So at that young age, he was too good in all subjects. In a short time, he became the star of the class. All the teachers now selected only Akash for all the competition for which Shiva was sent earlier.

The short-tempered Shiva became highly annoyed that he was pushed to the second position. He even appealed to some teacher that he should be allowed for the competition. But the teacher in charge said that the school would definitely win if Akash participates instead of Shiva as he is brighter. Anger smouldered in the heart of Shiva day after day. The worst thing was now Shakthi also started clearing hers doubts from Akash instead of him and all her friends too followed her and shifted to Akash for clearing their doubts.

On reaching the home that day Shiva had a big fight with his sister. He shouted at her, “You are shameless to go and ask another boy in the class when you have your own brother to teach you”

Shakthi was a simple girl and failed to understand the jealousy of her brother. She answered innocently, “Shiva, Akash is teaching simple easy methods which I can easily understand. You explain things very fast and I find it difficult to understand. But he teaches slowly. In fact, he is teaching better than you”

Before she finished the sentence Shiva pounced on her and started hitting her and she started screaming. Their mother heard the commotion and came running and separated both her kids. She listened to both of them and finally said to her son. ”Shiva, you have to be ashamed of yourself. You are hitting your own sister! If that boy is teaching her well what is your problem? In that free time, you can read for your exam. Anyway, I won’t tolerate you hitting Shakthi. From today you cannot get I-Pad for a week. That is your punishment” She took the I- Pad of Shiva and went away.

That night Shiva could not sleep at all. Not only the school had insulted him even his sister and mother are making fun of him. The more he thought the more his anger fumed and bubbled inside him like a volcano ready for eruption. Finally, his devil in his mind thought of a plan. He said to himself. “If I could take away Akash from my class then everything will be solved. But how can I do that ?” All the horror games he played in the I- Pad where the bad man is pushed over the cliff came to his mind. He decided on his plan.

Next day in the recess, he approached Akash and told him that he wanted to get some doubts cleared and if Akash would be kind enough to wait after the school to teach him. Akash, unaware of the devil in Siva’s mind readily agreed. After the school, Shiva told his sister to away home as he was going to learn some of the  Mathematical problems from Akash. All the students left the class and only Shiva and Akash were only in the class. They studied for half an hour.

Then Shiva said, “Thank you Akash, you were such a help, Come let us go home” In a friendly way he put his hand around Akash’s shoulder and they started walking out of the class. Their class was on the first floor.

When they just came to the staircase, Shiva suddenly pulled Akash violently by the caller and screamed, “You proud headed dog. You had made my life miserable.  I want you dead just now then only I will have peace of mind”

Akash was a thin and frail boy compared to a healthy built Shiva and he shivered at the anger of Shiva. As he stared at him with a shocked expression, trying to say something, Shiva suddenly pushed Akash violently down the stairs. A screaming Akash fell down the steps and started rolling head along down the staircase. He would have smashed his head at the last landing. But just like a miracle, four well-built boys of the tenth standard, who had stayed back in the playground, were coming up running unexpectedly. They saw Akash rolling they jumped three steps and caught him from falling, at the third step only.

 Luckily Akash escaped with a few bruises. A stunned Shiva now stood frightened. All the grown-up boys surrounded him and looking at him with suspicion they asked: “Hey, you, how did this boy fall when you are standing there?”They stood around him and held his shoulder tight. At the same time, some of the teachers sitting in the staff room heard the commotion and came out to the staircase area.

Shiva was once too frightened to talk. His body shivered in fright and in anticipation of being caught. To his surprise, Akash got up and brushing off the dust from his shirt said calmly, “Madam, please it is all my stupidity. We two were engrossed in talking and as I turned to say something to Shiva I missed the step and rolled down. It is my mistake” Shiva stood with head hung in shame while Akash called him in a friendly tone, “Come to Shiva let us go home, I am not hurt. Don’t feel sorry”. Holding Shiva’s hand, he started walking as if nothing happened.

 That night Shiva confessed everything to his mother and she was too shocked. She said, “If Akash was not saved and hurt badly or had died you would have spent your whole life in a correction school. Both of your life would have doomed. How can you lose your temper so much that you act without thinking?”

Later she and her husband had a discussion and locating a good counsellor they started sending Shiva for counselling for his anger management. By three  Months,  Shiva completely changed and became calm to the relief of his parents.

Children in our present-day nuclear family, are brought up in too much of comfort. Parents are affluent and without one-second hesitation, they buy them whatever they demand. The children had long back forgotten the sense of “to share and care”. Thus they flare up even at if their smallest wish is not satisfied.  Many occasions I had seen in the playground of the poshest towers, children hitting each other violently with whatever they have in their hand. Secondly, the games they play in their I-Pad or computer is also based on violence, killing, hitting if they have to do to win.

The present day time when the grandparents or elders are not there to give advice to children the parents should make it a point to take some time off from their busy schedule to spend it with the children. Teach them the importance of loving, sharing etc. Once in a while take them to the orphanage and make them donate their old toys, books etc to the orphan children with their own hands. Whenever they make any demand don’t yield immediately but make them wait for it for some time. Sometimes you can make them earn this by doing some good work around the house. Be always careful to watch streaks of any violence in your child before it becomes too late. 

The school also have the responsibility to cultivate to share and care for each other. Instead of aiming in just winning the trophy for school and concentrating only on one boy, they should allow maximum participation of the students so that everyone would get a chance. Instead of a single boy winning the elocution or science quiz a group of boys from school can take part and total points could be taken for the winning.

Very surprisingly violence and anger are now taken as one’s power by the present generation. The most popular heroes are the ones who hit or kill people left and right as if we are living in the jungle and there are no law and order. The young minds thus associate violence with power. Just two days back the newspaper reported the son stabbing his own mother because she was strict with his studies and took away his cell phone etc. It is only in our hands to take care of this looming danger of extreme violence which modern technology has brought in. Shiva’s parents were lucky but everyone may not be so lucky.