St Josephs Convent Bhopal
In the early 6O's SJC was co-ed, something that
is strangly rare even in 21st century India. We
had arrived from Simla where my brother and I
studied. Dad was in the army and all that
existed on Idgah Hills was School, the tekri
hill gurdwara, and the masjid with the idgah.
Thats it folks. Yeah there were houses at the
very bottom of the hill, where Capt Baker the
then Chief Pilot of MP Govt lived. Next to his
home was Mr Clive, whose lovely daughters Asha
and Renu studied in our school. The TB hospital
was all there was on the other side of the
Hill. Sultania Lines where we lived was just
old delipitated barracks. We trecked up to
school and mind you that was some walk since we
who were pukka Simla wallahs found the warm
climes of Bhopal stiffling. Eventually Mom
convinced our father to let us go to school by
bus. Anyway those early days were fun as we
were able to enjoy the amazing view as we
climbed higher and higher. Bhopal was not so
huge and sprawling as it has now become. Being
from the batch of 64 we were the early lot and
Mother Margaret Mary was Principal. I remember
one day she asked my mother if she could help
out with teaching music. Mom was busy looking
after us boys and could not spare time, though
she incidently was a trained music teacher on
piano from the Trinity College of music,
London. I think Mrs Byrne ended teaching music.
What I wanted to mention was that we had this
lovely little upright piano that our mother decided
to donate to the school. She called it
'Huckellberry Finn' since like that wonderful
character of Mark Twain the piano in typical
waif manner had been dragged around from place
to place when ever my Dad was transferred.
Despite the love mums had for the instrument and
music she felt Huck Finn would be put to better
use in our Convent. I wonder how many of you
young and not so young ex SJC ladies and alumni
learnt their music to the accompaniment of that
piano. Huck Finn ended up in Campion School when
Father More who was busy setting up that wonderful
school needed a piano. Surprisingly the instrument
survived one more move though a short one, from one
end of Bhopal to another.

Area Colony was just comming up then. Well thats the
piano story. Boys will be boys as many of you would
have discovered to your chagrin. Whether its your sons,
brothers or even hubbies. You know a lot of men rarely
really grow up. Heh Heh, I feel all you wonderful
ex students of SJC are wondering how me one of the
ex boys can speak out. Well I am not like most males.
Anyway so read on and enjoy. We were growing up in the
60's and most of us were really shy when it came to even
being friendly with girls. There were about 6 to 8 of us
army sons in the convent and some girls thrown in also.
We were a wee bit more aware of 'life' sort of more
'girl aware'. Whatever that meant then but most of us were
consider 'forward'. So yours truly who was quite shy
actually mooned over who ever caught my fancy then.
Age really was no bar and even someone from a senior class
sort of tickled the cockles of ones 'heart'.
Tejinder Bhakshi was quite the 'cassanova' then and I
recall the tensions sister Stanislaus and Miss Attique
went through shaperoning the girls. But more of
this later.