THE ALOYSIAN TOWER
“There is one spectacle grander than the sea,
that
is the sky;
there
is one spectacle grander than the sky,
that
is the interior of the soul.”
― Victor Hugo
I joined
the famed St. Aloysius School, in my hometown Mangalore, when I was in sixth
standard. I did the rest of my studies – higher primary, high school and
college – in this great institution. My self-confidence level, throughout my
school and junior college days, was very, very low. I suffered from a killing
inferiority-complex, which, they call ‘social anxiety’ these days. My changes
had begun to take place only from my F.Y. B.Com days, when I sat in our class
and admired my teacher, Prof. B.S. Raman. Even though I did not speak to my
teacher, one-on-one, I learnt to teach and write like him, just by ‘admiring’
him. Ironically, in those days, I had never heard of ‘The Law of Attraction’ or
‘the spirit of Ekalavya'.
But, yes, my
self-confidence level was going up steadily… Thanks to the ‘vision’ I was able
to hold!
Though
St. Aloysius campus is spread over vast acres, the main school, college and the
stunningly beautiful chapel stand on the peak of the Light House Hill. Atop the
school building, there stands the viewing tower. The school allowed us to go up
there and view the majestic Arabian Sea only once a year… The day used to be
31st July – Ignatius Loyola Day. As little kids, we were so excited and looked
forward to this special spectacle. But, least did we realize, at that age, that
they sent us up there to ‘look far’… behold the glorious sea… the limitless sky.
Yes, it took many sunsets to comprehend the significance of climbing our school
tower on Loyola Day…
I remembered
our school tower yesterday – 31st July - with mixed feelings. V.G.
Siddhartha, the founder of iconic Café Coffee Day chain, who was just one year
junior to me, too, was the proud product of St Aloysius. But, I have no idea if
he, too, had climbed our school tower on the 31st July – the Loyola
Day. But, whether he had or not, this soft-spoken gentleman had been a true visionary.
He had, definitely, ‘seen’ the empire he was to build years later!
The Aloysian Tower is
very symbolic… The Light House Hill, on which it stands tall, too, is very
symbolic… The Netravati River, which joins the Arabian Sea, too, is very symbolic!
Yesterday was the Loyola
Day… The day we school kids climbed the Aloysian Tower… to behold the Arabian Sea!
V.G. Siddhartha was
laid to rest yesterday… To me, that, too, is very, very symbolic!
GERALD D’CUNHA
Pics.: 1. TripAdvisor 2. PTI
Comments