A Room of One's Own

Congratulations She Made It, the Empowered Woman!

They called her empowerment
because she sat at the head of the table,
because her name was engraved
on a door once closed to women.

They applauded the chair.
They never questioned the voice that sat in it.
And yes that is progress.
But power is not only a chair.
It is also a belief.

If the same voice says
that men work better, that women are limited,
that experience belongs more naturally
to one gender than the other
then what has changed?

When representation rises, but
perception remains small,
is that empowerment or simply rearrangement?
So what is real empowerment?
Is it one woman reaching the top?
Or is it changing how women see themselves?

If a woman succeeds, yet,
still believes women are weaker,
is that empowerment
or old thinking wearing a different face?

Sometimes limitation is not imposed.
It is inherited.
Passed down as caution.
Framed as realism.
Defended as practicality.

A seat at the table is visible.
A shift in mindset is quieter.
But only one of them truly changes the room.

-pri@tez

P. S. - While talking with you, one evening back in 2015, at the tuition Room , we discussed feminism and your words still impact my daily decision, dear Purnananda Nath Sir, I am forever grateful to have been under your guidance, you taught me to have a spine, and taught me that I should stand up for myself. You made me learn that I should never accept oppression and I should not be submissive and that we as women are capable beings. Thinking of those days, i felt like questioning not as an anti-woman but for pro-growth and genuine woman empowerment.

To the teacher I looked up to in every step I took,
To the guide whose wisdom shaped the paths I chose,
To the soul whose vision of life taught me how to see beyond,
Whose care and support cradled every student like his own

Today, silence speaks where your voice once shone,
Yet your lessons breathe in our every thought,
Your kindness lingers in the corridors of memory,
And your imprint rests eternal upon our hearts.

I miss you, we all do
today, tomorrow, and always.
For though you are gone, you remain our guiding star.
Happy Teacher’s Day, Purnananda Sir,
In remembrance, in gratitude, in love everlasting.

🙏🙏🙏
- pri@tez

"In memory of a teacher so dear,
Whose wisdom and guidance we hold near.
A mentor, a friend, a teacher, a blend
We'll cherish the moments we shared with you,
And strive to make you proud in all we do."

I sometimes wonder if you are still looking at us, if you still care what we all have been upto. Life is moving on its own pace, Sir and we are moving ahead as well. That being said, I miss your guidance, we miss your presence and just so to let you know, there is still a student out there who remembers you with gratitude; there is still a student out there who remembers you with fondness. So on behalf of all your students, here's wishing you a Happy Teachers' Day. Rest well, Sir.

শিক্ষক দিৱস আৰু আবেগ:

শিক্ষক দিৱস বুলি কোৱাৰ লগে লগে হয়তো বহুতৰে নিজৰ ছাত্ৰ জীৱনৰ কথালৈ মনত পৰে। ইয়াৰ লগত কত যে আবেগ জড়িত হৈ আছে। আজি এই পবিত্ৰ দিনটোত মই মোৰ লগত ঘটি যোৱা এটি ঘটনা প্ৰকাশ কৰিব বিচাৰিছোঁ।
তেতিয়া হয়তো মই অষ্টম মানত পঢ়ি আছিলো।
আমাৰ বিদ্যালয়ত আগতে অনুষ্ঠিত কৰাৰ দৰে সেইবাৰো বহু উলহ-মালহেৰে শিক্ষক দিৱস উদযাপন কৰা হৈছিল। বিভিন্ন বক্তৃতা/ভাষণ আদিৰ লগতে নাচ-গানো হৈছিল। সেই সভাত প্ৰায়বোৰ ছাত্ৰ-ছাত্ৰীয়ে ছাৰ-বাইদেউসকলক এটি এটি কলমেৰে উপহাৰ যাঁচি সেৱা লৈছিল।
মই আছিলো একেবাৰে শেষৰটো শাৰীত। আমন-জিমনকৈ বহি আছিলো। মোৰো মন আছিল যে ছাৰ-বাইদেউসকলৰ শ্ৰীচৰণত সেৱা লৈ আশীষ বিচাৰিম কিন্তু খালী হাতখনেৰে দেখোন আগবাঢ়িব মনটোই নক'লে। সিদিনাখন মোৰ বহু বেয়া লাগিছিল।

আজি আকৌ সেই ছবিখনেই যেন‌ নতুন ৰূপত প্ৰকট হৈছে। পৰা কেইজনে সকলো ছাৰ-বাইদেউকে কম-বেছি পৰিমাণে উপহাৰ দিছে।
আৰু তাৰ মাজত দেখিলোঁ অষ্টম শ্ৰেণীত পঢ়ি থকা সেই তাহানিৰ ভূষণক। দেখিলো, বুজিলো আৰু নীৰৱে কৈ গ'লো, "চিন্তা নকৰিবা তোমালোকে উপহাৰ দিয়া নিদিয়াৰ লগত প্ৰশ্ন নাই। আমাৰ আৰ্শীবাদ তোমালোকৰ লগত সদায় আছে।"
এই সুযোগতে আজি সমূহ শিক্ষাগুৰুলৈ মই মোৰ শ্ৰদ্ধা নিবেদিছো।

Once in a lifetime , you get the chance to meet a remarkable teacher. Thank you, Sir, for being that amazing teacher and wonderful mentor to us.
On this special day , remembering you with fondness . Happy Teacher's Day, Purna Sir. Rest well and always be our guiding star.

"We need to care for each other. We need to be sympathetic and empathetic towards each and every soul on the planet. And that will perhaps be the greatest goal that education can achieve." - .

Your words were the only consolation to overcome the loss we had all experienced. Even though losing you is still painful to believe , we seek solace in your words. Thank You Sir, for enlightening us while crossing paths. 🥰
Wishing you a very Happy Teachers' Day Purna Sir. 🙏🏼 Fondly remembering you on this special day and always...💐

Those special memories you gave us all has made you to live on even though you’re gone. I will use today, the 2nd anniversary of your passing, to remember what a truly wonderful person you were and will always be to us.

As the time passes by and life moves on accepting the fact that you’re gone still hits hard. Probably this pain of losing you will never fade. Yet we seek solace in the memories we shared with you, which we have all treasured. Rest in peace Purnananda Sir. 🙏🏼 You are always remembered.

" We need to care for each other. We need to be sympathetic and empathetic towards each and every soul on the planet. And that will perhaps be the greatest goal that education can achieve. And lastly , I believe , education is something that actually builds our character and if it doesn't build our character, in the course of this twenty thirty long years of learning and learning and unlearning and unlearning, I will believe that the whole process has been a vain one. And thereby, I believe that education should build our character and that character will enable us to stand true to our principles, stand true to our wisdom and face the world and challenge the world.
More importantly, I believe teachers are not your guides, you yourself are. I am my best teacher. I wake up myself in the morning, no one comes to me to wake me up in the morning , I do my things by myself, I do whatever I have to; I take my food, I kick myself every moment, teaching myself at every point in time. So, I believe after this particular process of formal education is ended, the teacher becomes redundant, the teacher becomes jobless, the teacher becomes useless, and it is actually the student himself or herself who looks after themselves and they will learn and they will teach themselves. So, I believe you all have the capability in you and I look forward to you being a responsible citizen, as well as a person with enough strong character and metal." - Purnananda Nath

- Extracted from the last speech delivered by our beloved teacher Purnananda Nath Sir on the occasion of Teacher's Day on September 5, 2018.
No matter where you are, you shall be remembered. We are indebted to you for all the life lessons, we miss you Sir and with all due respect, we love you. On the occasion of Teacher's Day, we thank you for crossing paths with us as a great mentor and as an unforgettably remarkable teacher. HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY Purna Sir.

P.s. Kudos to Artistic team of Reflection for the piece of art.