Teacher 3 - A Tribute To Zenobia Mistri -Teacher Par Excellence Poem by Geeta Radhakrishna Menon

Just when I am attempting
To write on Vedas and Upanishads;
Comprehending the status of a Guru,
The powerful role of an exemplary teacher,
And just wondering
Whether such reverence
Still existed in this modern age?
Referred to by the Upanishads,
And other ancient texts of India:
I get an answer through this book
"Zenobia Mistri
Teacher Par Excellence."

Here is a rare tribute by an earnest student,
Shireen Isal,
To her beloved French teacher -
Zenobia Mistri,
who lived a long, rich life
Contributing generously to education,
By teaching a beautiful language,
Propagating the culture of a romantic land,
Most diligently and passionately,
For over five decades,
To numerous of students in Bombay and Poona,
Today, its value spread in different parts of the world.

The book covers the life story of Zenobia
With the fragrance of love and respect
By the ever faithful and grateful student,
Right from her birth in Karachi,
Born to Jamshedji and Goolbanoo,
A well educated Parsi family,
Who migrated to Bombay with their six daughters.
Zenobia, their third daughter became one of the most
Renowned teachers of her time creating a powerful legacy,
A celebration of beauty in language, literature and poetry.
She was a committed teacher who reached out
To her students with the warmth of a generous soul.

Zenobia majored in French from the famed St Xavier's college
And later, did her D.LITT. in Paris.
After her return to India, and while working as a teacher in Poona
She met Pirosha Mistry.
At the age of forty four, Zenobia married Pirosha Mistry
Who was sixty five, almost twenty years her senior.
It was a happy marriage which Zenobia
Termed as ‘sixteen golden years of her life'.
Besides teaching, Zenobia devoted her time
And energy to charitable work
For the poor, sick and under privileged.
She keenly pursued woman's education and their progress.

Later in life, she became fascinated
With the teachings of Sri Aurobindo.
Zenobia became a regular visitor
To Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry
And became a great devotee of the Mother.
The rest of her life was spent
On a spiritual quest,
A journey to conquer the inner world
Of truth and objective of life,
A journey that rewarded her
With inner peace and tranquillity,
Before her final journey to the heavens above.

Shireen Isal, my friend
Speaks, reads and writes excellent French
I have heard her speak this musical language
And was always reminded of the princess
In Grimm's Fairy tales,
How when she spoke, pearls fell out of her mouth.
The sweet language of French is made sweeter
When she speaks with such eloquence and grace.
I wondered!
If the student is so good
Then, how wonderful must have been the teacher
Who taught her this exquisite, sweet, French language!