"So today is our first day and I am gonna teach you some Keerthanam and raagas. " I said with an air of a teacher,adopting the stance of my favourite teacher Sudha aunty, though I am just a debutant in teaching.

Dunno if I had scared the kids away but they held a petrified and tormented look on their innocent eyes and face.

I walked around them having a look at each one of them. No one looked happy or at ease. It seemed like they had a terrible fight at home before making their way to this place.

I understood that all these music learning were just arranged at the will and pleasure of their parents. Some parents are just ostentatious enough to prove before this hollow and fake society how excellent a singer their kids can turn out to be.

I scoffed at this behaviour of the showy parents . Why ? Can't they let them grow accord to their wishes and happiness than treating them like some genies which came out of some wish lamp to provide their endless wish and pacify their never ending greed.

I came to the decision of giving class to these kids at an elegant decorative gazebo built amidst our beautiful garden. It will give kids a chance to relate their voice with nature's bliss and savour the beauty nature offers them .

When I turned and faced the kids my eyes caught the sight of a boy around seven or eight years of age, who was, by now looking at me menacingly like he will attack me at any given moment for landing him into this pathetic situation that is our so called music class.

" ( sweets) Don't look at me like I am some monster who is getting ready to devour you. Consider me as your akka ( Elder sister)" I said smiling at the kids who came to have lessons on music from me.

". ( monster sounds better and delectable than elder sister) " That small mischievous boy chimed with a naughty smile on his face.

I folded my arms and stared at him sternly for sometime. His smile started to falter and fade off from his face when he saw my hard glare. My eyebrows rose to an even wicked position to make my glare worse and hard for him.

He looked around in panic, other kids giggled at his now harboured predicament.

When he found that no one is good enough ,in this class, to call his friend he looked at me blinking his eyes innocently.

His fingers fumbling through his shirt sleeve. My lips twitched a bit and quavered up to form a small smile.

I leaned forward to his level and ruffled his hair while smiling widely at him.

He heaved a sigh of relief and an impish smile made its way to his face.

" ( What is your name?) " I asked while catching his chin and kneeling on my one knee to reach him.

" ( Mom advised me not to let my name out to the strangers? So I won't say) The boy said with his arms folded stubbornly. My mouth fell open at this frank statement coming out of the mouth of an eight year old thing.

( look at you, What do you think ,you are mohit chauhan? For me to kidnap you?) I said playfully when I got over the initial shock with which his reply rippled over me with.

He giggled cutely while curling his hair shyly with his index finger. His eyes down. He held a shy smile. To think that all this came out of this shy boy made me puzzled than ever beyond explanation.

" ( so you will abduct mohit chauhan, won't you?) He asked daringly still playing with his hair and adopting a shy stance.

"?( Do you think you are so smart a boy to state such stuff)

I smiled at him and tapped his head gently with my fingers.

" ( I never told you as such sister . If you feel so what am I to do sis? )"He retorted gleefully.

I sighed. One thing I understood is that if I let him talk his way we will never reach anywhere. And there is not much time left for the carnival as well.He is ready to keep this talk on forever considering all the statements which fell out of his mouth.

Sure, I love to have such cute arguments with kids.But I have some responsibilities. And preparing them for the competitions held for carnival is my foremost responsibility. So arguments and playful moments can wait.

".( Tell me your name) We have only limited time for practice. Also guys! I promise that I won't drag you to boredom with my classes. We will learn keerthanam enjoying the beauty of nature. Also I will teach you guys dance. You can play around when I give you permission to do so. So be at your best behaviour and then your spare and play time will be extended. How is that?" I tried my luck by winning the kids with some sweet offer.

I wiggled my long eyebrows in a wavy manner which only I am capable of in this place. Kids got intrigued by my gesture.

They seemed to buy my offer and squealed and squeaked in joy and absolute mirth.

" swaaminathan,Jigna, Atharva, Rachna, ....." They began to introduce themselves. Altogether there were ten of them.

" okay ,( sweet hearts) call me whatever you wish to call except for swear words okay?" I said with a nervous smile.

I still dunno how many of them are willing to stay here and grasp the knowledge provided for them.

"" Kids squealed in unison after a moment's discussion as to what to call me.

I puckered my eyebrows in confusion not getting what they meant by this phrase.

" ( OMG! Sis you talk so sweetly na. So we thought of calling you sweet sister.) Atharva face palmed at my slow realization power and stated triumphantly.

I blinked my eyes at these small impish creatures who claim themselves to be innocent kids. I think we grown ups look like kids before these adults who call themselves kids and utter stuff beyond our imagination or intellect.

" ( Enough of buttering my sweet dumblings) I am not that sweet. Behave properly in my class. Or else cheeni akka will turn out as kasharp akka ( sweet sister will become bitter sister) I cleared my throat and squared my shoulders up adopting my periyamma's stern stance.

Kids just giggled at me.

No one is scared of me! Why? Am I that joker of a person. I scowled mentally at myself.

No one considers me seriously. Everyone takes my polite and obliged stance as my weakness and take everything for granted. Why this always happens with me?

I sighed bitterly. My thoughts made my heart sombre and solemn.

"Come on kids! Let's begin our day" I said clearing my throat and sitting on the floor folding my knees. There was a small music box and I played it while warming up.

we seriously began to indulge in our works. Kids were just awesome for beginners. Everything went quite well for the first day.

We started our practice with a ( Hindu God with elephants head and human's body. It is said that any endeavour starting with a prayer offering to Lord ganesha ends up in success) keerthanam.

". ( first off we will start with an offering song to Lord Ganesha) I said for which kids nodded their approval happily.

I started and kids joined me. It was really heavenly an experience to share our knowledge with these cute buds .

"Akka! We girls need to practice dance and we have no sufficient teacher for that . Will you help us with that too?" Rachna asked me. I nodded while a thought crossed my mind.

" Wait Rachi! I will catch up with you in a moment. Practice the part I taught you." I called out while entering my home.

I rushed towards the phone and dialed a number.

" Hello !Krystal villa ,who is there?" A sweet voice came floating from the other side.

"Krisy! It is me! Are you free? Is it possible for you to come here now?" I asked all this in a cue.

" kichu! Calm down! Yeah I am free and I will come for sure. Give half an hour time. Why ? What happened?" She asked me concern discernible in her voice.

"Come and I will let you know. Be fast okay" I chirped while hanging the phone on the cradle.

I called out Sarah and Saffy to accompany me. They held a confused look on their faces when they did so.

"Kat ask Ahaan to look after the boys. Meanwhile we will have some dance class with our cutie girl gang. What you say?" I asked waving my eyebrow.

Ahaan,made his way towards us talking to someone over the phone. His face held a grim look. When he saw he has audience for his grim features. He composed himself and held a smile which was kinda, a forced one.

Just then we saw Alvin, Steeve and Ben Weaving their way towards us. Three of them were chattering their heart out.

"Boys! We have job for you." I cleared my throat and made my point clear to them.

Ben rolled his eyes when he heard my announcement. Alvin stared at me, Saffy, Sarah, taking turns, trying to pick out what the real matter is

Steeve as always held a confused look. Ahaan held a monotonous demeanor towards our offer.

"Guys! Cheer up! We are entrusting you with the job of looking after the budding promises of tomorrow. Don't you feel great?" I asked excitedly spiced up with my animated expression.

"What?" All of them scoffed at me unanimously, clueless of what I am up to.

"Yeah you are given the job of nannies to these budding promises of tomorrow." I stated pointing at the kids who by now were making an utter commotion out of nothing by crawling up on the pillars and some plucking leaves and flowers from our garden. A total pandemonic sight.

When the truth seemingly hit hard on my brothers reasoning power they groaned in frustration.

"You guys will be rewarded splendiferously from princess Pearl for the work you do" I said with an air.

Ahaan gave a bored look while Ben face palmed followed by Alvin's sneering look and Steeve huffed bitterly taking a look at the monkeys in kids' disguise.

" ( What do you think about us? We just fool around without any job?) We have got work girl, mind you" Alvin jeered at me and others backed him.I viewed them up and down in a taunting manner before giving apiece of my mind.

"( We all know what your important work is.It is to have a merry trip with your good for nothing friends na) Ahaan clamped my mouth shut not letting me to continue my ranting.

Sarah glared at Ahaan viciously. She is fuming and burning with fury. One thing she hates with her life is Ahaan going out with his friends here.

She says that he will have that colochial language glued to his tongue even after leaving this place after vacation. She hates some country expressions here. So when such things uttered against her will definitely sound horrible.

I yanked his hand and trièd to jostlè awày his hand off my mouthwhile I stated a few more stuff in muffled incongruency.

"Please kichi, she will eat me up alive. Just keep your thoughts shut to yourself kanna. See, the way she glares at me itself speaks volumes about her action later. Please da chellam. Will do anything you ask it is better than being beaten to death by my own wife." Ahaan whispered in fear while leaving me after making sure that I won't blurt out anything more which will endanger his peace.

Ben, Steve and Alvin held a disgruntled look on their face while shaking their head.

I explained my plan to Ahaan and others. We asked them to have a look at boys while we girls practice our dance. Boys held a crestfallen expression when they came face to face with the gruesome task.

When saffy and Sarah realized what we are actually up to Saffy's nose scrunched up in a bored and shy manner. She shook her head in denial. Sarah as always bubbled like a bumble bee with exuberant smirk letting herself in.

" OoohLaa! Great! I have been looking for such an ocassion for a very long time"Sarah squealed exultantly.

"No, Kichu please ! dance and me are kinda two parallel lines which will never meet. Please spare me kanne. " Saffy nearly cried out of fear and shy.

She will never change always the no no bee of our family when it comes to some cultural activity like this.

Sarah and I exchanged evil glances and nodded at each other and looked at Saffy menacingly while keeping our hands over our hips and narrowing our eyes at her.

"You have to saffy darling. A No from you cannot be accepted" Sarah and I said unanimously.

We yanked her hand and made her stand before the kids. She looked like she will cry at any moment.

"I will help you guys with other stuff like dress and costumes, song selection. Please da I love to remain silent and view the dance than dancing." Saffy pleaded and I too felt the same.

I gestured lina to leave her and Sarah did as I instructed her. Saffy went near a big tree and sat on the platform built around it.

"Kids this is your new teacher for dance. Meet Sarah" I introduced Sarah to other kids while her mouth fell open and her jaw hit the floor.

"Are you insane or what? Teacher? Me? (I can't dance just like that if you demand me to do all on a sudden. You should have let me know before fixing it for yourself) Sarah squawked impatiently.

" ( Then how someone could marry a person without any summons or warrant. How come you have one justice and I have another as we are residing in a democratic country with equal rights and justice. Don't you think it is just downright injustice to cast me in to such a position. How come you support this injustice sis?)

I sneered at Sarah for which she shut her overly hung mouth and seemingly gulped her words, which started to take a battle charge, upon Ahaan's stern and pointed gesture to remain quiet.

I smirked and asked her to teach the kids. She is an awesome dancer to begin with . It is said that Ahaan fell hard for her Nadana chathuri ( dancing charisma) during their college days.

Sarah glared at me. I glanced at Ahaan and winked at him for which he smirked and gave a thumps up and a pat on my shoulder proudly.

"She is a good dancer and you know what ,you wont believe it if I say after college I never got to see her dance. She seemed like gave up everything, she once adored and held close to her heart , after marriage. I know I should be the one to be blamed because till now I never gave it a second thought on how she is recuperating with my family leaving behind all that once she held close to heart and soul with great passion. She is giving up so much for making our family calm and peaceful. She is now interested in looking after Jaquie and dodging away from mom's vicinity and scolding spree, also in all that wrestling hard with her job. " Ahaan whispered all this standing beside me. I looked at Sarah grimly.

She was muttering something under her breath. Her twinkling eyes spoke volumes about her passion for dancing. But her hesitant stance pained me a lot.