Duishen - The first teacher by Chinghiz Aitmatov

I got the chance to read that dear old sweet book again, probably I’ve read it more than five times before and what I remember the best is myself crying for at least 30 minutes every time after having finished reading it. I do cry after reading sad stories but usually I don’t cry if I happen to read it for the second or third time. But I did cry this time again. It is the best love story of all time for me so far.

   Before moving on to the book, I’d like to revive that memory of reading that book for the first time. I found it in my school’s library. I was a teenager who mocked at the word love. It was a popular book and many people recommended it to me because I was a keen reader but reading a love story was the last thing I wanted to do. But since the book was so small and the recommendation and reviews were so flattering, I thought of giving it a try. And I remember my total confusion and shock and later the utter amazement and warmth I felt. It is a happy memory to recall.

      Incredibly short nonetheless immensely enthralling from the very beginning to the end, it tells you a story of a poor orphan girl who lived in a small village located in Kyrgyzstan in the era of Soviet Russia and how her miserable life changed after a young teacher came to the village to start a school. It’s a story about a teacher, a humble yet noble teacher who strives to lighten up the lives of poor children whose parents and grandparents have never been taught to read or write, the struggle he faces to convince them to send their children to school and who dedicates his life for his service. He is the best teacher anyone can ever be.

                          Although I said it is the best love story ever, most importantly that remarkable relationship is not a physical element which is the greatest part of the story. The connection between the student and the teacher is entirely spiritual to an extent so heartbreaking that it will melt your heart over and over again with those warm respectful feelings of the girl and the affectionate protectiveness and kindness of the teacher. It is the love in its purest form depicted in the most humble background. It will definitely bring you teachers when you realize how beautiful the humans can be after all.

I still believe in love because of this story book.

To end this post i quote from the book :
Ah my poplars, my beautiful poplars! So much water has flowed under the bridges since you were  young slender saplings! All that the man who planted and tended you dreamed of, all he predicted has come true!