Al Qamar Elementary students were delighted to welcome Dr. Hassina Begum, grandmother of Khadijah.Dr. Hassina spoke about her childhood spent in Ooty. She talked about her school - and her teachers who were nuns - very strict but very caring, how she walked to school daily as there were no school buses or vans. She emphasized the importance of education - how her father paid great importance to learning and how her women family members were among the first to go onto higher education.
Dr. Hassina mentioned the food they ate as children - which consisted of healthy snacks and drinks like ragi. "There were no chips or biscuits then" she said, much to the children's horror! She described how they had chickens in their home and got fresh eggs to eat. And a cow - so fresh milk was available daily. She reminisced how the neighbour's chicken would come lay eggs in their compound. She talked about the kitchen - how there was no stove or gas and the family used clay and stones to make a stove and wood to burn.
The games the children played were really fun. The high point of the talk was the real demo of the games - with teachers and students joining in. They played "Pacha Illai". Other games she described were "Current", "Oru Kudam Thanni Uthi", Pandi", "Kola Kolaka Mundrika" "Aadu Puli Attam", "Kannam Muchi" and "Kallattam".
The children just didn't want to let her go and kept insisting that she continue to play with them.
JazakAllah khair Apa for coming and spending time with us.
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