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A New Era- As I Saw It
Harish Kapadia
I was born and brought up in Princess Street area of Mumbai. Those who know the area can immediately ascertain that it’s a far cry from the eliteness that New Era stood for. Being the only child, my grandparents in particular, insisted that I go to a school closer to home, so that a servant could be stationed outside my class to care for me. And I could reach home early to be in their protective embrace. So there I was, off to a small school at the corner of our street.
A week or two went by fine. Then one day, I played a mischief and I am sure of it! The ‘masterji’ came towering over my desk. He severely reprimanded me, and I continued looking at him. So he promptly landed a slap across my face. I instantly reacted and punched the ‘masterji’s’ stomach, which was in line with my height. That was enough for him to beat me black and blue and my cries and shouts had no effect. I ran out to my servant, who promptly tended to me and took me home. The family was aghast and instantly decided to ‘send him to a school where corporal punishment is banned and no one would hit the apple of our eye’. So they initiated the search and zeroed in on New Era School. Though far away from my residence, there I was in one of the most elite schools in Mumbai,. To this day, family stories still revolve around this. I would say it was Destiny. A New Era had begun for me.
My earliest memories of school were acting in a Gujarati play. When asked in class, who would like to act, I was first to volunteer. I was in the second standard, if I am not mistaken. It was the role of a Brahmin priest to find out an auspicious day for the marriage of Ram and Sita. Two of us, fitted with loose dhoti and pagdi, entered the stage. As we bowed down ‘Namaste Maharaja’, our caps fell off and started rolling away. We ran after them and I do not know who was first, but dhotis came off next and we both ran backstage suitably embarrassed. This was an early instance but it gave me lots of confidence to act! I enacted in numerous plays in school, college and elsewhere. I would have turned a professional actor hadn’t I been exposed to other aspects at the school.
We always had a ‘Class Picnic’ where an enthusiastic teacher would lead us to a nearby picnic place, a short drive away and most students would settle for games near the parking venue. A few of us were encouraged by a teacher, Ishwarbhai Patel, to roam in the nearby hills and led us to various places. Little did I realise that this was beginning of a lifelong passion. Slowly, at each such outings, a few us were seen running off to the hills and developed a passion for outdoors.
When I was in the 4th standard, a new student was admitted to our class. Being a co-education school, we were made to sit a boy between two girls or vice versa. Much territorial dispute was fought, how many inches on the sitting bench belonged to whom. This new boy promptly sat in a seat in from of me between two girls. During the first break, I tapped his shoulder and called him to sit beside me. We started talking and we were soon good friends. He was Zafar Vasi, who resided a few lanes away. In addition, it emerged that he was interested in walking in the hills too.
When we were in the 10th standard, I had a brainwave that we must trek in the Himalaya. Zafar and I soon started planning. The school teacher suggested that we meet Malati Zhaveri, who lived nearby. In turn, she introduced me to Jagdish Nanavati. When I met Jagdishbhai for the first time, I was petrified. He was a man, fair in complexion, blue sharp eyes and dressed in immaculate Gujarati traditional attire. And he guided us well. This was in the year 1963 ! There was no information available about either trekking in the Himalaya or managing the logistics.. He guided us through all these complexities. Until his death in 2011 Jagdishbhai remained a Guru to me as well as many others who came in contact with him. Coming back to New Era, one of the teachers enquired with Hemendra Kothari, a student in our school, if he wished to join us. And soon this three-some was seen catching a train to the PIndari Glacier. The story of this trip is written elsewhere.
Subsequently, I have been travelling to the mountains every year, through exams, injuries and problems. My school has probably a good part in instilling this spirit in me. Our Principle then, Mr M T Vyas was a great educationalist. He gave us plenty of freedom and encouragement to pursue our interests. Our school used to hold school elections every year to elect members of the student council and a students’ chairman. I started enjoying this process immensely, and with it the freedom of expression it gave me.
Mr Vyas, with his extensive connections, invited many great personalities to address us. During the ‘Thursday Assembly’, a person of significant stature, would be invited to lecture us. Amongst them, were Shri Ravishankar Maharaj a social worker from Gujarat, Sashi Kapoor, the actor and an alumnus of the school, Amin Sayani the great orator to name a few. My interest in Geo politics was fuelled when V. K. Krishna Menon, the then retired Defence minister of India, came over. We had a great interaction and this paved way for burgeoning interests. I would also attribute my teacher, Daulatbhai Desai, in furthering my interests in politics, geography and history. He was magnificent in his command over the subject and went far beyond the realms of the prescribed syllabus. I was introduced to the history of India, both present and past. Those were tumultuous days. India-China war was in air, and there was the war with Pakistan. I had some insight into such events but Daulatbhai offered us a completely different perspective.
All through my years in New Era school, I would trek in the local hills. Zafar remained a constant companion though the third person was always different. We called ourselves ‘Javakasi’ term derived from Zafar Vasi, Harish Kapadia and Jaras (colloquial term for plump- jara). Our motto for our ever changing third companion was – ‘Come once with Javakasi and be satisfied’. For 12 years, we always had a new companion on our trips, but always from New Era.
My only shortcoming in New Era was non adherence to its Gandhian traditions. The school was influenced by simple thoughts of Gandhiji due to the Vyas’ family association with him. But some of these ideologies never appealed to me and a few other students. A teacher once asked us to observe “Maun” – Gandhiji’s principle of remaining silent for a while. The class sat quietly with great restlessness of the young. I could not resist and murmured to my neighbour. The teacher noticed this and as that painful half an hour ended, I knew I was a marked man.
‘Now Harish will tell us what did he think of ‘maun’ and what were his thoughts.’ I had to defend myself. So I started with great aplomb. ‘I feel this Maun is the most difficult but useless activity. Why waste such precious minutes of exchanging ideas and learning’. I was of course admonished and given a big lecture on importance of maun and many other ideas. Important concept here was that I could be different, could ask questions and learn.
But today, after decades, and when I am old, I sit in silence in front of a Himalayan peak across a vast grazing ground, this idea of Maun comes to the fore. New Era had sown the seeds but they flowered decades later though. In a way, I would say, that I have acquired this quality due to the many activities I pursued during my life, as a mountaineer and explorer. I believe, this sense of inquiry to explore new ranges was result of being able to question the teachers and guests who came. Freedom of Hills was self-discipline and not to be following all the rules blindly! There were debates where I argued with some of the best in the mountaineering world. I probably developed the confidence to address an audience of mountaineers after those initial disastrous drama performances! I have been to the hills with many people over last few decades. There were even a few lady mountaineers that I encountered. But I feel that being in a co-ed environment of New Era School, there was openness and hearty exchanges of ideas with them. I married , Geeta- (a non-New Eraite!) and she came know all about New Era very soon!
There were class reunions (‘Class of 1962’ for me!) which never worked much for me. The world for me was mountains and meeting old school friends whose interests were widely different was a damp squib as my interests had changed drastically. Moreover most of them had not looked after themselves. As you enter the gathering, a aged acquaintance (not that I am any young) would come and say ‘Oh Harish’ and try to give you a hug. I had to stop him to ask ‘who are you yaar?’ A similar story with the ladies. Those young girls with me in school were now married with grown up kids. They looked totally different now, though I was still in touch with a few of them. But once the party got going, there were jokes and jokes of New Era which were recalled with great laughter. In the conversations, the ‘Sarvang Vikas’ spirit of the new Era, (all round development) was evident. The school believed in all round progress and not just academic brilliance. None of us were great scholars but had leading degrees. Each was successful in their chosen field, especially, as all of were from a trading or industrial family. I pursued both business and mountaineering with equal ease , thanks to ‘Sarvang Vikas’. Along with Academics, other inquiries and culture all were as much important part of me. I developed keen interests equally in many artistic and literary disciplines like music, books plays and debates. Moreover, it was a unique school that taught us our mother tongue Gujarati and also English very well. In the final SSC exams, we appeared for all subjects in English, but a higher level in Gujarati, a rare combination. Hence today I am fluent in Gujarati speaking academically, following literature, plays and songs. In fact may be too fluent to burst into Gujarati suddenly as my foreign friends complain! At the same time I am proficient in English to edit a journal for many years.
After I graduated out of New Era and went to college in Mumbai, I began to be associated with the school in a different light. Peena Kathait (then Shroff) was a teacher in the school. She floated the idea of taking current students to local hills. I was excited as I felt the kids would learn a lot from nature just as I had. My sons, Sonam and Nawang, were enrolled in the school. For me, it was a bonus, to be going with school team. I knew many students few classes below me. For the students of New Era, I occasionally organised a trek in the local hills, and at least once to the Himalaya. Thus, I came in contact with the next generation of students of New Era. This trend continued for a decade. Today, most of my contemporaries are married and have children. As we get together sometimes, I am asked to take their children or even grand children to the hills. It is fun as their New Era parents come along and we have a gala time recalling the past. The New Era spirit has lasted generations.
On one of the treks with the New Era students, we went to Peb Fort near Matheran, Mumbai. The last step was slightly tricky. I went up and guided young Parul (now Shah, then Sheth) up that step. She was visibly shaken, and I offered to turn back and help her down.
‘No I will try and come up’, she said. She took a firm hold and managed to scramble up. Parul gave me a triumphant smile. ‘See I am from New Era, like you, and I can never give up.’