Monday, May 1, 2017

Brothers – “The Angels in Disguise” - Shamanth Acharya

               Brothers – “The Angels in Disguise”


 My association with the Christian Brothers is since 1998, when I joined St Joseph’s Bajpe for High School.  Untill then I had never heard of the Brothers. At first I mistook them for priests in the church because of the habit they wore. Gradually I did discover what it meant to be a Christian Brother.

          A Christian Brother is a person who has the courage to denounce all the worldly pleasures and finds joy and in shaping others lives. They could have been Kings themselves yet they choose to be King Makers. Brothers are the most selfless people one can get to see, they strive relentlessly to fulfill their goal and their motto “To do and To Teach”.

          I consider myself very blessed to have met the Brothers in my life. Many fond memories and great experiences reverberate in my mind. It was an absolute privilege to meet some of the most beautiful human beings to ever walk on earth.

       I remember when we were in High School we would spend a lot of free time in the small Porch of the Brothers house. And there we would go on and on until the bell rang or it got really late in the evening, although we always wanted to stay longer. Soon the Brothers had to get a larger porch as we would flock in sizeable numbers. The Brothers were always welcoming.

       I do wish to share a few small things which may help one reminisce those good old days. Let me begin with Br Joel Tavares who taught my class in 1998. A much disciplined man who always dressed in neatly pressed clothes and carried a wooden metre scale to class. He was and still is a fitness freak and never missed his evening walk. Even though he taught us for just one year he left such a lasting impact on us that it was very difficult to say goodbye to him when he got transferred. 

      Br Joachim Almeida taught us all throughout high school. A very calm and a fun loving man who loved to share jokes and funny incidents. Our own football star with those accurate corner kicks. Knowing that he was from Bombay we would say funny things to him in Kannada or Tulu and he would just smile. To our horror we found out that he had been in Bajpe for a decade and a half already and understood the local language very well.

    Br Charles D’Souza who taught my class History in the year 2000 , once tried to teach us the basics of singing. Poor Br. Charles had tried really hard but the cracking voice of us teenage boys made Do Re Me… sound so horrible that even we couldn’t tolerate ourselves. Br C. J.  Harrison was the first white person I ever spoke to, he was Australian. He once surprised the entire assembly by singing a Kannada melody. Being an Aussie his love for sports was very evident and he stood by Australian cricket team always. However we had a gala time when India won the Coca Cola cup finals against the Aussies in 1998.  Br Theo is the most gentle and lovable person. His calm demeanor and warmth wins you over instantly. I also remember many such small and interesting experiences with Br. Walter Vaz , Br Ronald Vaz, Br John, Br William ( who happens to be the first Brother from Bajpe).

And for the grand finale, I choose Br Hector Pinto. I first saw Br Hector Pinto (didn’t know his name then) when I appeared for my class VII public exam in the year 1998 at St Joseph’s. It was only when I joined St Josephs for High School I learned that he was a very popular personality and is known by many names (Hitler, being the most popular). He comes across as a very tough and strict person on the outside. But he is a much softer person inside. He is a bundle of energy and can amaze you with his multitasking skills. He is curious by nature and constantly thinks “what more can be done?” .Being a firm believer in the importance of sports, he always encouraged the students to take up sports. Needless to say that he orchestrated the success story of St Joseph’s in the field of sports. There may be only a handful of people who are willing to put that much time and energy for students. Personally I had a close interaction with Br Hector. He went on to be my guide, philosopher, best friend and a role model. It seems recent but I met this amazing man almost two decades ago.

Finally I wish to thank all the Brothers. Life wouldn’t have been the same otherwise. Bajpe will miss the Brothers, the “Angels in disguise”.


Shamant Acharya

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