When I was growing up, the only really good schools that parents felt comfortable sending their girls to, were convent schools. And convent schools had a firm belief that, “sparing the rod, spoiled the child.” Therefore, it was a routine matter to get whacked or punished in the most painful and humiliating way if we were “bad” girls. Actually, not “humiliating” – simply because it was so common that it became routine and accepted!

I got whacked frequently on my knuckles for not practicing my Math. The girls that did not do their homework would begin their Math class by sticking out their hands and the teacher would come around and “rap” the knuckles with a ruler. I thought Math was worst so the whack worked very well for me!

The worst was to be turned into a “murga” or “kukad” for all the 30 minutes of a class. This I suffered for not knowing my Sanskrit shlokas or my Math. I had to sit in the corner of the class (next to the dust bin – which I still remember was a vivid Irish green) on my plump haunches, weave my arms through my legs and hang onto my ear lobes. Sheer contortionist torture!

It only happened once! I made sure I knew my shlokas  – (not my Math) after that!