Renowned magician Jewel Aich is a multi-talented personality. Besides dazzling the world with his amazing tricks, he has also appeared in films, and has tried his hand at modeling. The magician recently engaged in nostalgia as he talked about his schooldays with The Daily Star. Excerpts:

“Before I began formal school, I was tutored at home by a tutor. He went on to teach me the Bangla alphabets by using heated iron on the tree leaves he had boiled to use as paper. He then made ink by mixing coal with water and used a pen made of bamboo stick for writing. That is how I first started writing.”

“Afterwards, I joined Samudoy Kathi Government Primary School at my village home in Pirojpur. As I was home-schooled earlier, I could easily read Adarsha Lipi, the Bangla alphabet book at school. Soon I won the hearts of my teachers by getting first place in almost all school tests. Only naturally, I began to enjoy school life.”

“I have great memories of my school days. I played with glass marbles with my classmate Nitul but could never defeat him. He always won the game and took all my marbles. We became very close friends in the process, though.”

“Nitul came from an affluent family and lived in the neighbouring village of Jolabari. They had a big shop from where he would pick up chocolates, biscuits and candy for me. He often brought a red candy for me. I still can't forget the taste of that. He also picked up other such treats for me from another shop.” 

“Nitul also accompanied me when he went to the battle field of Liberation War in 1971. Later, I shifted to town and joined Pirojpur Government High School. An unusual fear gripped me as everyone was so unfamiliar. Later, I became friends with a boy named Habib Mollah.  Habib Mollah was my neighbour and played carom very well. In my eyes he was a very handsome and smart boy.”

“I was very restless at school but never revealed this for fear of punishment by my teachers. I really wanted to swim in the river and steal guavas from a garden but could not give way to my caprices.”

“I made fireworks secretly that would light up the he sky at night. I get frightened now thinking about those days as it was really risky to dabble in such things.”

“The days of kite flying competitions and boat racing still make me nostalgic I go back to those great days often in my mind.”