|| The Secret Santa ||

|| The Secret Santa || 

A Visit from St. Nicholas, an 1823 poem, had a huge impact on how the idea of Santa was adopted in the United States and Canada during the 19th century. Santa's look was also influenced by political cartoonist and caricaturist Thomas Nast. He has since maintained and strengthened his reputation through music, radio, television, children's books, family Christmas traditions, and even movies and advertising. Since then, Santa Claus, also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle, or simply Santa, is a legendary figure from Western Christian culture who is said to bring children gifts on Christmas Eve in the form of toys and sweets, or coal, depending on how good or bad they have been that year. I believe that in Indian culture, our Guru, who educates us in schools, universities, and spirituality, has served as our secret Santa over the years. Their duty is to instruct us, regardless of whether we are good or bad, smart or stupid. Whether we as individuals learn those principles of education or not, they don't give us even a single second to be taught. Our forefathers have taught us that in order to live in this universe, we must respect our deity, our parents, and the spiritual leaders who guide us on the correct road. Our gurus are like the hidden Santa who brings us the actual gift of education that makes us better people and allows us to live happily on this planet.

When gurus were imparting knowledge to Lord Krishna, the Kauravas, and the Pandavas in the Book of Mahabharata, they were fully aware of who would uphold dharma, who would be cunning while possessing a fine education, and who would strike a balance between the two. Lord Krishna and Sudama were assigned tasks by gurus to visit forests and observe animals. They were both given an equal amount of food, but Sudama, who was constantly hungry, ate the food intended for Lord Krishna. Here, the guru wished to impart a lesson to Sudama on patience, sharing, and how to take care of his buddy in a humble manner to Lord Krishna. Due to the aggressiveness and cunning nature of the Kauravas, their gurus had foretold that if education was not utilized by their pupils, the Kauravas and Pandavas would engage in conflict. This prediction came true. Gurus have the ability to visualize, so while they are instructing us as children, they can predict who we will be and what level we will achieve based on our attitude and behaviour. Gurus have a significant impact on our lives. They are the true Santas of our lives, bringing us genuine education as a present to help us appreciate our surroundings more.

Recently, we celebrated the 70th annual day of my school, Nav Samaj Mandal, better known as Lions Juhu High School or Chetan School, which is located in Vile Parle East. Our principal, Respected Ms. Induben Patel, our secret Santa, was present at the event at the age of 94. Although she was honoured, her commitment to and attitude toward students remained constant. She was there, which gave us a terrific chance to get to know her, but she was more appreciative that our fellow classmates had invited her. What a modest attitude! Her goal in visiting there was to meet teachers who would work with and mentor today's generation. She got to know all of the school's most recent teachers. She simply advised teachers to believe in themselves first and work hard for their children. Our teachers' job is to unite and bring together our students, who come from various religious backgrounds, cultures, and environments. We cannot be prejudiced against anyone, and it is our duty as teachers to lead students in the correct direction, whether they are paying attention or not.

Our secret Santa also had another quality that I remember from 35 years ago: he believed that every child should be given the chance to pursue their interests, whether they be in extracurricular activities, academics, or athletics. She will urge each student to take part. She had the same view then as we do now: that a child's whole development is essential for their growth as a person. She constantly made a point of stating how vital other abilities are in addition to schooling. Today, we can proudly say that many of the students at our school are well-known celebrities, reputable doctors, and well-known members of a variety of other professions. Our Santa, Respected Ms. Induben was both strict and friendly, and she welcomed anyone to approach her at any time. Even at 94 years old, she still contacts her former students from various batches, remembers their names, recounts all the incidents, and shares her cherished memories with them.

I still recall one of the students—now a movie star—who was called to host the flag while we were in school. He arrived dressed pretty casually. He was forced to go home, and was told to dress appropriately. "I'll make the students wait," she said. She continued, "We'll wait for the flag hosting, but please respect our nation's flag." She is a strong lady. I remember telling a friend when I was a student that I needed to go to an elocution competition but that I had a commitment and couldn't make it. Our Santa after listening to this, said, "Call your parents, and I will discuss with them and let them know what your priority should be. And that this competition will provide you with a platform and boost your confidence, and that you must learn it right away."

Our school was Gujrati-medium, and Respected Ms. Induben was our English teacher. Our teacher taught us English so well that today we are all doing so well in our profession. She was overjoyed when I received my humanitarian award, represented India at an international level, and gave my speech in front of others. She was grateful to Lord Krishna for giving her the opportunity to properly educate so many children properly. Immediately after that, she invited me to school, and she made it a point to draw attention to all the kids who were studying in Gujarati and felt hesitant to cope with it. She said to all that nothing is difficult to achieve if you try hard. When I went to see her recently, the first question she asked was, "Where is your English book that you published that I want to read?" She would never leave an opportunity to encourage us at this age, either; what a wonderful Santa we have in our lives! 

Any teacher, whether in school, college, or a spiritual guru, will tell us that the most important quality a student needs is the ability to concentrate. The best students have that talent, so they can excel in any profession they choose. If I could start over, I would not educate myself but learn to concentrate, and then all the knowledge of the world would be mine to use as I wish. Some students prefer to study while listening to music, while others prefer to study in peace, while yet others prefer to study in a crowded area, but it is crucial that we recognize that learning is something that our Santa teaches us beginning with the moment we learn our fundamental abilities. I congratulate our principal, Respected Ms. Induben, and all of the educators who have worked tirelessly, passionately, and compassionately to change lives through their education over the years.

Similar to Santa Claus's famous advice, "It's better to give than to get," Santa enjoys spreading happiness to others. He has no expectations of compensation. But everything eventually turns around. Similarly, our Secret Santa puts their all-out effort into the coming generation. The secret is to keep learning with optimism in your heart, so keep that up. They are the Santas who bring us gifts that teach us life lessons.