Subarna Ma’am is a very serious person by nature. When she enters the class, the entire room falls completely silent. Even a mischievous girl like Koel, whom no teacher can ever quiet down, sits calmly. Yet it is not that Subarna Ma’am is particularly strict or scolds them much. Still, the moment she walks into the class and says, “Girls, today we are going to know about…,” everyone’s eyes drop to their books. She explains everything in a slow, steady, and calm manner. Every word enters the mind through the ears. Even a dull subject like Social Science becomes as clear as water to Bulti, all because of Subarna Ma’am’s way of teaching. That is why she is Bulti’s favorite. Just thinking about her next class makes Bulti’s face light up with happiness.
Today, the first period was Math and the second was Social Science. After managing the strain of Math class, Bulti felt quite relaxed. Now it was time for Subarna Ma’am’s class.
Subarna Ma’am is never late to class. She was not late today either. She entered with her usual calm steps. But something was different. Where was that bright look in her eyes? Where was that sweet yet firm commanding tone, “Sit down, girls”? Her face looked sad. With a gesture of her hand, she asked everyone to sit and take out their notebooks. She wrote four questions on the board and said, “Write the answers.”
Then she sat quietly on the chair. As Bulti wrote, she kept looking at her again and again. Subarna Ma’am often takes surprise class tests, but she never sits silently like this. She usually walks around the classroom, checking what everyone is writing. Those who finish early get their copies corrected in class itself. The rest are collected by the monitor and taken to the staff room, corrected later, and returned in the next class.
But today she kept her eyes fixed on the table and did not get up even once. Bulti had finished writing her answers. When she raised her hand to show them, Ma’am gestured for her to sit down. When the bell rang, she quietly got up and left. She did not check anyone’s answers or correct anything.
After she left, the entire class fell into stunned silence. They looked at each other. This had never happened before.
Why did this happen today?
Why this exception?
These questions lingered silently in everyone’s eyes.
Today Kuhu was sitting beside Bulti. Subarna Ma’am lives in a housing complex near Kuhu’s house. Bulti looked at Kuhu and signaled, “What happened?” Kuhu shook her head to say she did not know.
A strong curiosity arose in Bulti’s mind, along with a strange sadness. In the next class, everyone forgot about it and focused on the lecture. They took notes. Bulti was busy too, yet Subarna Ma’am’s face kept appearing in her mind. Something had happened to Ma’am. But what? Ma’am loved her a lot. She loved her too. Could she do nothing for her?
The next class was Games. This period allowed them to talk among themselves.
Bulti caught hold of Kuhu and said, “What happened to Subarna Ma’am?”
“I don’t know.”
“Something must have happened. I have never seen her so upset.”
Seeing them whisper, Titir and Rai came closer.
Titir said, “Maybe she is unwell.”
Bulti replied, “Then it would show. And if she were unwell, she would have taken leave. She never stays absent.”
“Maybe something serious. Maybe a bad test report.”
Kuhu said, “Maybe. But even then, I don’t think she would be this upset. At least not in front of us.”
Bulti asked, “Who all are there in her family?”
“Ma’am is a widow. She has only one son, Sourish. He is very bright. He went to the States a few months ago for some course. Since he left, Ma’am lives alone.”
Rai said, “Then surely she is sad because of her son.”
Kuhu replied, “Maybe. But then she would have been more upset on the day he left or soon after.”
That is how Kuhu is. Never satisfied. At another time, Bulti would have said something, but now she felt Kuhu might be right.
Hiya, who had been listening, said, “Forget all this. Let’s play.”
Everyone agreed and started walking toward the field. A game of kho kho had already begun. Bulti was also going when she suddenly noticed Subarna Ma’am stepping out of the staff room and talking on the phone nearby.
“I’m coming,” Bulti said, and walked in that direction. The ground floor washroom was that way. As she approached, something seemed wrong with her shoe. She bent down on one knee to fix it. Subarna Ma’am was standing with her back toward her and did not notice.
While adjusting her shoe and socks, Bulti heard Ma’am saying, “What special day? There isn’t even anyone to wish me… He has no time. He is very busy.”
While speaking, Ma’am noticed Bulti. By then, Bulti had finished fixing her shoe.
Looking at Ma’am, she smiled and said, “Good afternoon, Ma’am.”
Subarna Ma’am did not reply, only nodded her head.
Bulti moved ahead, crossed the washroom, turned right, and reached the reception. At counter number three, Tanmoy was sitting in front of a monitor.
Tanmoy was not very old, around thirty or thirty-two. He was a very kind person with good manners. He addressed all the girls as “sister.”
Bulti went up to his counter and said, “Brother Tanmoy, will you help me, please?”
Tanmoy was busy entering some data. Hearing her, he looked surprised and said, “What happened, sister?”
The two whispered like conspirators for a while. They checked something on the computer. Then Bulti quickly walked straight to the Principal’s room.
Moving the curtain aside, she said anxiously, “May I come in, Ma’am?”
About half an hour before school ended, an announcement was made from the Principal’s room, “All students and staff are requested to assemble in the auditorium.” Hearing this, everyone slowly made their way there. What was the matter? Everyone whispered, but no one knew anything. They only knew the Principal had called them.
Within a few minutes, the auditorium was full. All the teachers were present. Soon the Principal arrived and went straight to the stage. She called the other teachers onto the stage and asked everyone to sit.
When everything became quiet, she said, “Today is your beloved Subarna Ma’am’s birthday.”
She paused. Not only the students but the other teachers were also surprised. Nowadays, because of social media, people usually know each other’s birthdays. But Subarna Ma’am was not on social media, so no one knew.
Subarna Ma’am sat quietly with her head bowed.
Looking at her, the Principal said again, “Today we will celebrate her birthday together.”
At once, cheers filled the auditorium. But Subarna Ma’am stood up and said, “No, no, what is this?”
Stopping her, the Principal said, “I have decided that from now on we will celebrate every teacher’s birthday like this. Now, Subarna, is that alright?”
“Alright then. But how did you come to know?”
“The one who made this possible is bringing the cake to the stage.”
As she said this, Bulti came onto the stage holding a beautiful cake.
Amid loud applause and the song of Happy Birthday, Subarna cut the cake. She had never imagined her birthday would be celebrated like this. Her only child was abroad. In the busyness of life, he had forgotten his mother’s birthday and had not even found time to wish her. Forgetting the sadness of the entire day, she was smiling.
Feeding a piece of cake to Bulti, she said, “Thank you, Ditipriya.”
Bulti noticed that when Subarna Ma’am smiles, she looks just like a child. In her mind, she said once again, “Happy Birthday, Ma’am.”
