Vidyalayam

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Every first Friday, the school my children attend holds a holy mass for Christian students. Since we don’t practice religion, our children feel uneasy on those days, as they're often perceived as Christian by their classmates and teachers. If they skip the mass, they’re questioned, but they’re still too young to explain their beliefs without risking uncomfortable scrutiny or misunderstanding. So, we usually ask them to attend the mass to avoid any issues. My older child goes along with it, but my youngest handles it in her own way.

On every Friday mass day, she comes home and calmly tells me she didn’t go. Curious, I once asked her how she manages to avoid it each time, but she just smiled. This Friday, I pressed her again, and her answer surprised me. She simply said, “School is for studying.”

Intrigued, I asked her what “school” is called in Malayalam. I answered, “Pallikoodam”—the place near the church.

Then she continued with her own twist: “But I call it Vidyalayam—a place for learning.”

Her quiet assertion of her beliefs through a single word—Vidyalayam—left me both proud and amazed. She has found a graceful way to express her values, staying true to herself while handling the situation with a wisdom far beyond her years.


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