“May I see that? I’ve never seen an earthen kettle quite so beautiful,” said a customer who visited my father’s little shop full of pottery works. Since early childhood, he is into making pottery items like vases, lamps, idols, vessels, etc. He loves to play with clay and the clay also seems to come out at the best in its master’s hand. 

Hello! Myself, Afroz. I am an Akshaya Patra beneficiary, studying in Standard VII at GHP School Taranagar, Ballari, Karnataka. I like visiting T.B. Dam in Hospet as it looks beautiful to see the water flowing. Making paper boats with my siblings or friends and flowing it while sitting at the bank is my favourite pass time. I am a nature lover. Perhaps, I have inherited this fondness for nature from my father, Afroddin. He runs a small business of pottery items in my village, Taranagar. And he seems very satisfied with it.   
   
One day, when I came back from school, I saw lumps of clay lying beside the entrance of our house. When I asked Ammi (my mother – Asizina) about it, she said, “Your father is going to mould his prettiest piece tomorrow.” And, she seeded immense curiosity in me. 

The next day, I had been making turns around him to see what it takes to make such beautiful pottery items that appeal to people. I saw that he rolled, pounded and patted the clay. I asked him, “Is it done?” He said, “Not yet!” Then, he placed the clay on a spinning wheel and spun it round and round. Poking and prodding, he carved a shape to suit his need and then left in the sun to dry. I asked him, “Is it done?” He gently said, “Not yet!” He then brushed and painted it beautifully all over. Again, it was set to dry in the sun’s heat. On asking the third time, “Is it done?” he gently smiled and said, “Yes, this is it!” And that simple red clay turned out to be a pretty kettle that delighted the customer at our shop.     

With the process shown that day, my father silently taught me life lessons of staying centred, having patience, creating a balance. Thence, I decided to be a successful businessman so I can earn lots of money and take up my father’s business on an even greater scale. 

My dream is not possible if I don’t go to school. This thought mixed with the beautiful aromas of the mid-day meals served at school, gets me ready every morning. Thanks to Akshaya Patra, for serving tasty meals on every school day.