BarnaMala: My Journey Learning English

These days I am in total mood to write whatever that pops up in my mind. I am really enjoying the true gift that we as human being are bestowed with and that is language skill. I need to sharpen the writing skills. There is no short cut other than to write, write and write. No less !! Today, let us travel along memory lane - my journey learning English. I have to say up front whatever I learnt basic of English is through “BarnaMala”. Hope some of you remember your childhood, when you hear this word. This word has a Sanskrit root - “BARNA” means letter & numbers, and “MALA” means garland. Therefore, BarnaMala is a garland of letters and numbers in literal sense. It helps you teach your kid read, pronounce and write any letters & numbers in any language in a fun way. For me, learning English was both fun and great learning experience.

In Early 1980s, I developed a deep desire to learn English after I got inspired to speak like any other people, who were speaking good English. In our government school, the only language of teaching and learning was in Nepali. But that would not stop me from learning; people say “Necessity is the mother of invention”.  I began looking for an opportunity to learn English. It is also said, “Prepared mind are lucky for an opportunity”. Wah… what happened was that I was lucky at the same time that my grandmother bought me an English BarnaMala book as a gift from a nearest city.  I was so happy that I literally digested every letters, word and numbers from it. Any chance to converse with trekkers from various countries like Britain, America, and Australia was utilized to its fullest. I wrote ABCDE… whenever I got chance in walls, wooden plank and wherever I could with “stone chalk”.

One day, my enthusiasm was noticed by an Engineer, who visited our village to construct a government building. He volunteered to teach me English and I learnt well. Sometime, I used to see him reading a big thick book and enjoying the stories. I used to love seeing him reading books and I also used to PRETEND I was reading a thick book and UNDERSTOOD everything written on it. But it was not that easy, I had to struggle for long years, so I could read and write meaningfully. It was only when I reached University that I finally felt I understood English well. I came to realize and understood English as the main language of books, newspapers, international business and academic conferences, science, technology, diplomacy, sport, international competitions, music and advertising. I also came to realize that English as a universal language connecting people across different religion, people and geography.

Finally, I am confident & qualified enough to say that my journey learning English language has been a story of every fortunate or unfortunate boys and girls from low income setting with dreams striving to better their life by learning English. I again stress that sharpening your English language skill opens you with a world of immense opportunity. 

A = Apple B = Ball C = Cat D = Dog and E = English 

Thank you !!