The author brings passion, philosophy, and poetry into the classroom, redefining conventional education through culture and critical thought. This reflection captures a dedicated teacher’s journey to awaken young minds at Higher Secondary School Chelhar.
Bharumal Amrani
I share an eternal, timeless connection with Chelhar. It is the soil of Chelhar where I was born. To me, the landscapes of this land feel more enchanting than any other sight in the world, much like how Rasul Gamzatov felt about his homeland. The sacredness and dignity of this soil ignite a deep desire within me:
صبح سانجهي سونهن ۾، چمڪي پيو چيلهار،
مري ڄمان ٻيهار، راڻاسر جي ريل ۾
In the splendor of dawn and dusk, Chelhar shines so bright,
May I die and be reborn again, in the flow of Ranasar’s light.
This is the very expanse of Ranasar standing upon which my friend, the gifted Sindhi poet Ahmad Solangi, addressed me and composed a poem:
رات راڻا سَرَ مٿان ڪو چنڊ جو شيشو ڀَڳو،
خواب مان ڇِرڪِي جڏهن هو جَرَ کي جاڳي مون ڏٺو،
منهنجي دل جي بيقراريءَ ڀِٽَ کي ڀاڪر ڀَريو،
درد الغوزي جيان ڄڻ روح ۾ وڄندو رهيو،
مون پُڪاريو: “تون ڪٿي آن”؟
تو چيو: “چيلهارَ ۾!”
هن سَمي جي ساهه ۾ ۽ سارَ ۾
Last night, over Ranasar, a mirror of the moon shattered into pieces,
Startled from my dream, I awoke to find the waters coming alive,
The restlessness of my heart wrapped itself around the sand dune,
A sorrow vibrated through my soul, sounding like an Alghoza,
I called out: “Where are you?”
You replied: “In Chelhar!”
In the breath and remembrance of this moment!
It was my deep personal desire to become a Subject Specialist and teach in my native village of Chelhar at the Higher Secondary School named after the renowned historian and teacher of Thar, Sain Raichand Rathore.
On May 25, 2024, posting orders for the commission-passed Subject Specialist (SS) teachers were issued. By chance, my initial order was for Nabisar Sahar, but I did not join. Within a week, my modified order for Chelhar was issued, and on May 30, 2024, I formally joined this institution dedicated to Sain Raichand. On my very second day at Higher Secondary School Chelhar, I was honored with the ‘Raichand Rathore Award’ by the Sindh Adabi Sangat Central Body, hosted by the S.A.S. Mithi branch, in recognition of my contributions. This honor further reignited the passion within me.
While teaching at this place of learning named after Sain Raichand, I make no grand claims. Human flaws exist in everyone, and I am no exception. However, feeling responsible toward the soil of my homeland, society, and history, I have strived with a clear conscience—alongside my fellow teachers—to dedicate myself entirely to the education and holistic development of my students through both curricular and co-curricular activities.
Alongside daily academic lectures, I played my part in organizing training sessions and career counseling workshops by inviting various educational experts, writers, scholars, doctors, lawyers, and visiting faculties.
Throughout the process of learning and teaching, I have been deeply indebted to my teachers and friends from whom I learned immensely. However, the truth is that I have also learned a great deal from my students. My students are the strength of my life—indeed, they are my second rebirth. Just as my students have energized me, I too have strived to inspire them, awakening in them the capacity to understand and question. I have encouraged them to engage not only with books but also with modern sources of information and their meaningful application. I have shared visions of a society formed at the confluence of folk wisdom, artistic expression, and scientific awareness.
After delivering my scheduled lectures in the classroom, I head to the school library and art gallery room, where my colleagues and students often gather during breaks. I am reminded of Sheikh Ayaz’s verse:
مان جو تُنهنجي دور جو آئينو آهيان،
ڪيڏو ٿو چاهيان، مون ۾ ڏسين پاڻ کي
I, who am the mirror of your age,
How deeply I wish for you to see yourself within me.
This genuine affection and response from students is a teacher’s true asset, earned through honest instruction, encouragement, and mutual respect.
I have never claimed to be an exemplary teacher. Yet, within my classroom, alongside the prescribed syllabus, I have made every possible effort to nurture the minds of my students—stimulating the billions of neurons in their brains, creating momentum, and awakening dormant cells to help them participate creatively and actively in every sphere of life.
In conventional schools, a teacher neither possesses abundant resources nor does anyone demand such a holistic education. Rarely is there any system ready to support, collaborate with, or encourage such a multifaceted approach to learning.
While covering the regular curriculum, I continuously offer students subtle intellectual insights into history, sociology, anthropology, aesthetics, and literature.
Every daily class includes discussions connecting the syllabus with literature, history, fine arts, and scientific reasoning—touching the minds of students and inspiring creative refinement alongside memorizing lessons.
During class, there is always a mention of philosophy, a thinker, folk wisdom, social sciences, a classical melody, the storyline of a historical film, or a singer and poet. References to immortalized works of art, innovations, motivations, poetic verses, and songs are indispensable. I even share stories and the joys and sorrows of my personal life with my students.
None of this is meant merely to pass the time; it is driven by a comprehensive philosophy of education aimed at opening young minds and invigorating their sensibilities so that they may step confidently into every domain of society in the future.
Such a multi-dimensional education lays the foundation for open-mindedness, tolerance, an understanding of historical context, and creative consciousness in students’ minds. When they grasp social connections and historical continuity, their attitudes become inclusive. They remain protected from isolation, aimlessness, personal ego, and undue stubbornness. Whatever position they hold or responsibility they undertake, their conduct will be grounded in perseverance, patience, and wisdom, enabling them to make life easier for themselves and the world around them.
Today, modern education experts everywhere emphasize that to instill humanism in science and technology professionals, subjects like sociology, literature, poetry, music, and theater must be integrated into the curriculum. This cultivates broad-mindedness, empathy, and creative thinking.
Throughout my life, I have not merely spoken of these ideals; despite limited resources, I have strived in my teaching career to prove that education is not merely about acquiring degrees. It is an ongoing process of refining and enriching the human mind, consciousness, and emotions.
Read: Teej: The Festival of Sawan
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Bharu Mal Amrani is a distinguished folklorist, poet, writer, researcher, journalist, script writer & compere of Radio Pakistan, and social–environmental activist from Tharparkar, Sindh, who has devoted more than two decades to the preservation, documentation, and promotion of Thari dialect, folklore, culture, and heritage. Currently he is working as a subject specialist of Sindhi at Raichand Rathore Government Higher Secondary School, Chelhar.
