ALMA MATER

 

ALMA MATER

 

Alma mater is a respectable entity. It is a system that has a place of value in everyone’s life. I have used the terms entity and system, while referring to the alma mater. I do not wish to confine the magnitude to a smaller territory like a School / College / University. All of them have the simultaneous status of Alma mater to anyone. This recognition of an alma mater, as a place of learning fits a logical / legal status to it.  The significance or its value to a person is something beyond the assessment by any one else. What I try to explain is every alma mater is a treasure by itself, irrespective of any social value like history of antiquity / tradition, location, popularity with the natives and so on. Frankly it is the esteem shown by an individual to a chosen system that attributes the value. Interestingly, an individual may cherish the School or College[s] or the University more as a place of esteem. Very rarely one gets an opportunity in life where all the three vie with one another for places of esteem as alma mater. I trust I have brought you to the focal point of determining the esteem. It is not the legal right; but one’s affection to an institution that creates the sense of belonging. What one cherishes is important in this.

The sense of belonging:

Why is it that a person wishes to associate his /her life with a particular institution? Basically, it is a form of happy respect that one wishes to acknowledge to the institution.

But, this tendency manifests itself more in later life than during the period of study. Quite a bit of culture holds the key. Human mind recalls the things with which one cannot interact at will. Nostalgia of association sweeps across delightfully and puts you back at those places where you honestly love to be. But now you can not physically be there.

This condition slowly magnifies itself. From a sense of belonging you reach a state of longing.  What is that you try to do there? You have nothing in particular. But, your mind wants it.

What is so interesting about your alma mater? You may not be able to pinpoint. Unconsciously it all happened and you are “now” aware that you were groomed there. Grooming did not take place at only the school or College or University. But, we do not concede value to all the three. It is exactly the point for us to recognize. Only in some place the environment suits your attitude. You seem to learn more and in delight. You could gather memorable friends. The ambience permitted the freedom of activity that you enjoy / the facilities that helped you acquire skills or knowledge. Some or all of these drive one to cherish the memories and retain them for ever. So, it is not just some place. All people know the place. Some cherish it as a respectable place – the alma mater. The bondage develops under a set of conditions exclusive to the individual. It is a complex cluster of experiences which help to develop the bondage. But every institution is held in esteem by a vast population of students who went through the stream there.

How it happens?

To develop the bondage that we cherish, one has to like ‘that’ system. It shapes itself in to a magnitude based on several things that the individual relishes. Though one may have likes and dislikes, every one accommodates to the ambience and soon recognizes the companions. They share their opinions, review their teachers, imitate them, nickname them and also clearly distinguish the utility of these teachers.

To continue                                                                                         Prof. K. Raman