I have to tell this somewhere. One girl, Sunita, she has been coming to my house since about four months. Fifteen years old, sits very quiet, and for weeks her lines were shaking like anything. Fish would come out like a leaf. I would not scold, only say keep the wrist loose, breathe, the line will come.

Today she finished a small fish on handmade paper. Not traced, not copied from my drawing. Her own fish. The eye placed properly, the scales in rows, the tail with that little turn we do. She did it in the old way, single fine line, no pencil first.

I have taught many students ji. But when a child's hand suddenly understands something on its own, that is different. I sat looking at that small fish for long time. My mother used to say the fish means fertility, good fortune, the line of the family continuing. Today it felt like that was not only a saying.

She asked me if she can come tomorrow also. I said come, and bring your own brush.

Some days this work pays nothing and I think why I am doing. Then a day like this comes.