KHATA

Ambruni – One day at a Time

The quaint town, Krishnapuram is located about 50 kms from Coimbatore. A temple for Krishna with a theppakkulam, a huge vegetable market, bus stop and a few bazars make up the town. It was created on the day when Sri Krishnadevaraya was coronated as the emperor of Vijayanagar. The local weavers had sent an offering of clothes to the Virupaksha temple at Hampi to commemorate the event. A happy emperor created a grant with the idea of establishing a Navaneetakrishna temple in Krishnapuram.

Life went on for centuries and Ambruni of Coimbatore got married to Sathyanarayanan of Krishnapuram during the tail-end of the twentieth century. The pair was both educated and had a wider vision for the country. The couple were blessed with Srimathi and Vishak. Ambruni used to take care of the household while looking into the flower garden in their compound. Her husband Sathyanarayanan was a reformer who particularly wanted to bring in a revolution in education. The couple were deeply devoted to each other.

Both, Ambruni and Sathyanarayanan, had one thought in common. They considered each other to be an equal partner in all their activities. Ambruni decided to get her kids educated in the Sreenivasa Sashtri Higher Sec. School at Krishnapuram. The couple had consciously decided to ‘not send’ their kids to a city school. In fact, Ambruni had undergone her schooling in the prestigious Kendri Vidyalaya. They had decided to help the Krishnapuram, Sreenivasa Shastri School.

Sathyanarayanan and Ambruni had visited several big cities in India. They had understood that lack of amenities and soft skills had made people migrate towards larger centers. Therefore, both had resolved to stay put in Krishnapuram and help create the right atmosphere for the people. Sathyanarayanan and Ambruni took some time to understand the demography and civic status of Krishnapuram. They understood the aspiration of the people.

The study conducted by this couple helped them to chalk out a plan for the quaint town. They took their first step by helping the teachers and the students of Sreenivasa Shastri School. The school was spruced up; books were added, and computers were brought in with the help of grants from the government and the private sector. The teachers were given special training programs and specialists from nearby Coimbatore were made to share their knowledge and wisdom with the students. The school progressed well. Smart classrooms and computers came to rule the roost and the teachers went on to achieve much through the students.

The school was kept clean and Ambruni worked to ensure that rainwater harvesting was done throughout the campus. Trees were planted and a kitchen garden was created by the students. Food waste and green wastes were converted into manure. The school was equipped with Solar Power Panels and the students were trained to become green ambassadors. A Yoga cum meditation hall added to the beauty of the institution. The children were taught music, dance, and martial arts other than their sports and education. Some of the students excelled in Silambam and Kalari. All the traditional board games were found in this school.

An icon of Dakshinamoorthy was placed under the large Banyan tree in the school and all the kids were involved with the routine prayers at this Banyan tree temple. Agnihotra took place regularly and it was the turn of each student to do the Agnihotra. All the traditional festivals were celebrated, and every day of the Hindu calendar was made to happen inside the school. The boards in front of the Banyan tree temple were left in the hands of the students.

Ambruni and Sathyanarayanan ensured that the details pertaining to each day was shared on these boards by the students themselves. Eventually the students of Krishnapuram Sreenivasa Shastri School became experts in Indian Culture, Mythology, and tradition. The name of this school spread far and wide and people from out of town began to seek the guidance of Ambruni with the idea of restructuring their institutions. Ambruni spoke to the management of the school and created a guest house within the Campus. This was used by the visitors to stay and learn at the school itself. Hundreds of schools and lakhs of students from India began to emulate the Krishnapuram Sreenivasa Shastri School.

Over years the school came up with heritage education, international language teaching programs among other things. It became a role model school, and this led to it winning a lot of prizes. Everybody wanted the scientific temper and cultural moorings of the students which was provided at this school. The town reserved center on Science, Mathematics and Innovation was established in the name of Sir C. V. Raman at this school. The discoveries and inventions of the teachers and students traveled around the world. Finally, the good work of Ambruni and Sathyanarayanan had made this small-town school successful and famous. The Government of India awarded the Padma Bushan to both Ambruni and Sathyanarayanan with the idea of honoring and recognizing their contribution.

The tales connected with the good works of this successful couple began to waft through the rest of the country. Ambruni and Sathyanarayanan had succeeded in ensuring that a small-town community could continue their life happily in their own place provided proper steps were taken with the idea of making their respective success and contentment. The idea of holistic life has propounded through the Krishnapuram Sreenivasa Shastri School can definitely add to the joy and wisdom of a nation state.