I consider myself privileged to have been able to travel to so many remote and unexplored places, especially of religious significance, which are totally uncharted. One of them is the Kiramchi Temple in Udhampur (Jammu & Kashmir) which lies hidden in the lap of the Pir Panjal mountain range. It is believed that the Pandavas stayed here for some time during their exile. The untouched beauty of the Kiramchi Temples will surely leave a deep impression on any new visitor. They are so secluded that most people may not have even have come across their names.

From Udhampur, you can reach the temple by car, and be master of your own adventure on the unfamiliar road. It can be a joy for people who love trekking. You will enjoy the scenic euphoria of the place by reaching there through the winding tracks, and get a truly mesmerizing panoramic view.

One afternoon, my husband and daughter made a plan to visit the temple, as many of our friends who had cycled and trekked to the temple were all praises for it. We drove in our spacious Mahindra Marrazo to this small village that lies 12 kms north of Udhampur on Udhampur Lander Road, about 67 kms from Jammu.

Reaching Kiramchi village, we parked our car on the main road as ahead was an unfinished road. We started walking towards the temple on meandering tracks. Along the hill we could see the rivulet Birunala flowing down. On reaching the temple premises we had to buy tickets costing Rs 5 each. What surprised me most was that due to Covid-19, we had to procure our tickets online, and that too in this remote and offbeat place!

Nature was at its best in and around the temple premises, which reminded me of a quote that I had heard: “No place can be better than this temple; no heaven can be better than this temple. Whoever visits Kiramchi Temple shall find peace.”

The temple premises are believed to be over a thousand years old. The Kiramchi complex consists of five temples and two small shrines. The group of temples is also known as the Pandava Temples. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), they were constructed during the 8th or 9th century. The valley amidst green mountains is located at an elevation of 730 metres above sea level. Two rivulets, Birunala (also known as Bhutesvari) and Kiramchi, drain the area.

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I wish to share with all the educators and readers of THE TEENAGER TODAY that I incorporated THE TEENAGER TODAY in our English curriculum from Grade 6 till 8. We have done it in such a manner that regular periods were allotted to the teacher for teaching the topics covered by the magazine. And 20% of the English exam was from the topics covered by the magazine.

Not only did the students enhance their general knowledge but the teachers also benefited a lot. I felt the teacher is happier as she too is up to date with the GK. I suggest that School Heads implement this in the curriculum to keep abreast the students with the latest topics of general knowledge covered and enhance their reading skills, as well.

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I have been a teacher for many years; though I do not consider myself to be a very good teacher. But I know one thing for certain: the majority of my students do love me, and many of them, particularly the earlier ones, get connected with me through Facebook or via phone. Even the children I did not take classes for were happy when I went to their class in place of other teachers who were absent.

This prompted me to think about some of the important characteristics of a good teacher and, as a school head now, about the qualities that I look for in my teachers. I believe, if a teacher possesses the following qualities, he/she can be a very good teacher with a large fan following, as well.

1. A good personality and good dressing style

A good teacher must have a very pleasing personality. Students are attracted to teachers with a good personality which leads to better communication, understanding, and ultimately good results. All of us can have a good, decent, likable, and presentable personality. Just dress sensibly, smell good, and be gentle, that’s all.

Our dress influences our students, as well. Without doubt, teachers are role models for their students, so when teachers dress professionally it sends out an important message to them. We teach our students not only academic subjects, but also about how an adult professional looks and behaves. By dressing professionally, we are giving them an implicit message about how we see ourselves and our task. The more professionally we dress, the more we tell our students that they are important. They say we ought to “dress for success,” but the success that we dress for is that of our students. I believe in the following maxim: Dress shabbily, students will remember the clothes. Dress impeccably, students will remember the teacher!

2. Deeper your knowledge, better the education you impart

Another important characteristic of a good teacher is his/her in-depth knowledge of the subject he/she teaches. There is a saying that ‘a teacher is only as good as his knowledge is’. After all, he/she is doing a teacher’s job, which is to teach. If a teacher lacks knowledge of the subject he/she teaches, he/she is never going to make a name for himself/herself as a good teacher. This is your moral duty, too.

An important characteristic of a good teacher is that he/she is firm while in class, but amicable, congenial and approachable outside the class. Some students think of their teachers as enemies, but if a teacher has the above qualities, students will love to talk to them, and share their problems with them without any hesitation.

3. Amicable, congenial and approachable

Yet another very important characteristic of a good teacher is that he/she is firm while in class, but amicable, congenial and approachable outside the class. Some students think of their teachers as enemies, but if a teacher has the above qualities, students will love to talk to them, and share their problems with them without any hesitation. This does not mean that you become too personal with your students, as it can lead to conflict of interest. Being too open can lead you to losing credibility. If you are too friendly, and students start inviting you to movies, parties, etc., you had better take a step back and get into juggernaut mode for a while.

Being friendly has served me well for years. I have been friendly and consistent outside, but a real juggernaut in the class. This is by far the most difficult path to walk on, but I have always loved it. Being friendly is like playing basketball with them or going for an arrangement class and talking to them about their likes, dislikes, etc. This not only helps them open up, but they also develop good conversational skills, while discipline is managed and energies get channelized.

4. A good communicator and a good listener

A valuable asset of a good teacher is his/her communication skills. A teacher should be a good communicator. If the teacher’s communication skills are good, he/she can convey his/her lectures with better results. People love to hear a person who can communicate well.

A good teacher should be a good listener, too. A Turkish proverb says: “If speaking is silver; then listening is gold!” A good listener will always have many friends and fans. People do not want to hear you all the time; they need those who can listen to them, as well.

5. A great sense of humour

A good teacher should also have a great sense of humour. It is a fact that one mostly teaches the next generation and as they are younger than the teacher, they expect to have more fun in class. So, a good teacher is one who can keep up his/her sense of humour, and with his/her communication skills and pleasing personality, also can maintain discipline in the class.

If a teacher is committed, it means that she/he has fallen in love with teaching. A committed teacher will always bring the best out of the last benchers and will be an asset to the institution.

6. Commitment and innovation

If a teacher is committed, it means that she/he has fallen in love with teaching. A committed teacher will always bring the best out of the last benchers and will be an asset to the institution. Apart from commitment, a good teacher should also be innovative to get the best results. The new generation of children that comes to school nowadays brings a variety of novelties with them. There are also children from all sorts of backgrounds. These children think in a completely different way.

Teachers not only should be familiar with the present-day innovations but should also have the desire to incorporate them in their teaching methods. The present-day students will be more responsive to the contemporary teacher than one who is stuck in the last millennium.

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