DATE & TIME
Saturday, January 26, 2002, 2pm

Those are the physical details around my first meeting with the Deaf, a meeting that would lead me to a life from which I would not return, not want to return!

Yes, it was Saturday, January 26th, 2002, around 2pm. I sat for my first Sign Language class conducted by a Hearing person. We, some 20 students, after doing alphabet signing were asked to move into another room for what was called ‘Deaf Fellowship’.

The Deaf Fellowship, visually speaking, was a large circle of some 50 chairs occupied by the Deaf and a few interpreters. I saw hands moving in the air with lightening speed. From my perspective, there was silence, complete silence. I mean absence of sound as I knew it. And yet, the room was vibrating.  There was the movement of human communication, interaction and sharing! The faces radiated enthusiasm, passion!  I was struck. For a few seconds, I felt the discomfort of being with the unknown. Like standing at the brink of a quiet, deep and strange body of water extending far into new horizons. Should I take the plunge, explore the depth and fathom the expanse? Could I?

They say, never say never! People, of all things, are different. Some Hearing students are yet to become a part of Deaf life, under your eyes

I saw a Deaf man, probably mid-thirties, stand up and sign. He seemed to be addressing our class of new students. An interpreter, sitting next to me, got up and began interpreting the Deaf man’s signed message. I could only get the last sentence. ‘We are happy to see many Hearing members learn our language. But once the course is over, we never see them again as a part of Deaf life, Deaf activities. I sometimes wonder why they learn our language.”

I do not know why, but this Deaf man’s expression challenged me, tugged at my heart strings. My inhibitions lost, I got up and asked the interpreter to convey my answer. “They say, never say never! People, of all things, are different. Some Hearing students are yet to become a part of Deaf life, under your eyes.”  He signed his answer, “We will see.”

He did not realize it and neither did I then, but his answer had flagged the start of my journey. My journey inside the fascinating world of the Deaf, a culture from which I would never want to return, a world that’s enriched my life, given me so much of joy, affection and satisfaction, a world that’s accepted my love, my support, my friendship and sharing unlimited.

Incidentally, the Deaf man mentioned above later became my respected Sign Language guru. He is Deaf Chandramouli Sastry with a Deaf wife and a Deaf son. He successfully completed his Bachelor of Commerce from St. Joseph’s Evening College, Bangalore and is to date employed as Store Superintendent in the Bangalore Air Force office. During the weekends, he would use his time to teach Sign Language and participate in Deaf Development activities.