PATIENCE FOR GOODNESS
Jana was born in a poor family. His parents were illiterate. They were landless. They worked as labourer. They had to work hard all day long to make both ends meet. Sometimes Jana’s elder brothers also went with parents to work. Poverty persuaded them to do work. It added something to the total earning. His mother was simple and pious. Unlike other ladies in the neighborhoods she was calm and quite. No one ever heard her talking in high pitched sounds with anyone. Not to speak of quarrelling with anyone. Her life style was quite peaceful. She managed patiently with whatever they earned. She had four children. Jana was the youngest. He was intelligent, smart and good looking. Family members loved him very much. He was 11 years old but behaved like a grown up boy. He didn’t like the old and superstitious belief of their caste. He was against their mental backwardness. He despised to see most of the men and women of his caste quarrelling in drunken state. Therefore he liked to keep company with the children who read in schools. He would play with them if they by chance included him in their plays. The school going children were well-fed, well-clad and well-behaved. He would look at them with gloating eyes. Seeing those attending schools regularly he too thought to go there and read. He asked his parents to get him admitted in the primary school. He insisted hard to read with his friends. But his father had a wrong opinion. He believed schools and colleges were meant only for the high-ups. Poor had no entry in those institutions. They were born only to work, earn, eat and perish. They have to serve the rich. To educate children was to spoil them. His notion was old and inane. He only believed in what he had seen from his childhood. He was born in the Zamindari days. He saw his mother, father and brothers working in the houses of lords from his childhood. At that time none of his caste men got education, not to speak of the women-literacy. The old, the young and the child had to work to earn. To earn was to eat. Earning was so meagre that the family could only fill their stomach. At the time of greater needs they had to borrow from the big farmers or the moneylenders. Nearly the same were the conditions of most of the people of his class. Their children too got easily acclimatized to the prevailing situation. They walked, ran and jumped naked. They defecated in public places without any hitch or hesitation. Sometimes their noses ran with mucus fluids. They played and danced with drum-beating to make noise and pass time. Elder children tended cattle. For this the big formers employed them at niggardly pittance. But Jana was odd among them. He didn’t believe in it. His mindset didn’t permit to follow his father’s foot-prints. He saw other boys and girls of his age-group going regularly to the school. He thought many times why he and his brothers and sisters are not allowed to go there to read. It smelt of some long trickling intrigues in the veins of society.
Sometimes his parents would ask him to work in the field but he would refuse somehow or other. He would stealthily skip from the house and go near the school. He liked to pass time at its big gate. He liked to see the high caste students reading well in the classes. He would see with tantalizing eyes at the uniformly dressed boys and girls seated in the class rooms. He strongly longed to wear the same dress and sit with them. But he was weary with his luck. He was born in a society where education had no importance at all. His anger would rise against his parents and other elders of the society but would soon die down. In the Tiffin time his friends would come out and sit with Jana. With him they would share the light food brought by them from their houses. Jana would bring water for them and wash the Tiffin-boxes at the end. He would hear them talk about the teachers and their teachings. One teacher was very popular among them. His name was Sunil Babu. He was kind and compassionate. He loved the sincere students. Jana’s daily presence at the gate could not escape his eyes. He became eager to know more of him. He observed their day to day activities closely. At first he took it lightly. He thought it to be an ordinary event. But its continual repetition stirred his mind and drew his attention. He no more could resist himself. He called Jana and his friends to know the details. He heard them attentively. He was impressed by Jana’s strong desire to read. He asked him to meet at his house. Jana was delighted. He thought it a divine event. That a learned man had told to see him at home was a matter of great pride for this poor boy. That day he was not in himself. He ran to his house as an instantly released arrow from a strong bow. He reached home panting. His mother was by chance in the house. She was startled to see him in such a state. His delighted face and expression sparked off divine lights. His mother asked him, “What miracle had happened with you?” Jana was unable to tell her at first due to his ardent gasping but few minutes after, he told her everything. The mother remained nonchalant. She only chuckled affectedly to share his pleasure. But Jana was too jubilant to be relaxed. He pressed his mother to take him to the teacher’s house. She tried to avoid him saying ‘this or that’. She told they are big people. They won’t help the poor. You better work with us in the paddy field or tend the cattle. But Jana was not going to relent. There was no space in his mind for agreeing with his mother. This act continued till evening. His father came and heard the details. He said to his wife, “There is no harm meeting with the teacher. Go with Jana and see what happens.” His mother said, “I feel shy. You should go.” But it was final that she would go.
Jana was delighted to hear his father’s statement. He requested his mother to meet with the teacher immediately. Now she had no option left but to go with his son. They soon reached the teacher’s house. It was 6.00 pm. He was in his house. They both waited outside the house. Teacher’s mother peeped through the window. She called her son shouting his name- Sunil. After a short while Sunil Kumar came out. He saw Jana with a woman. ‘She must be his mother’, he thought. A sympathetic feeling rose on his face. To his mother he said, “Why didn’t you put him in a school? The boy is promising. He would do well in future.” At first the poor lady blushed but after a pause she said the whole story of her house and of her neighborhood. Mr. Sunil heard her say patiently and was drowned in a deep anguish. He thought that her non-participation in education is not a matter of a day or two but it dates back centuries in whole. Her passivity is the outcome of the exploitation and tyranny perpetrated against them from thousands of years back. His lost attention was retrieved suddenly by Jana’s whispers made to his mother’s ear. The teacher was a humanist. His sympathy surged for the helpless boy. He told in a firm voice, “If you allow this boy to read here I shall give him every help till he reads in this school or in a college or university.” Mother’s face shone with delight. She showed no hesitation and readily agreed. She spoke politely through her veiled face, “I am happy to hand over this child at your kind feet. He will be at your service from now. I wish he should be happy in the changed environments.”
Mr. Sunil Kumar called the boy in and said good bye to the mother. Jana threw a quaint look at his mother. He had a tinge of triumph in his eyes. The lone lady returned home with heavy heart. She narrated to her husband the details of Jana’s story. Jana’s father was both happy and sad to know the details. He was happy for his son’s free education and sad for his long absence. He took a long time to reconcile with the changed situation. Jana’s absence made the family members sad. Friends of his mohalla too didn’t like his go. But Jana was very happy in the guru’s house. It was almost like the ancient gurukul. He felt as if after a long struggle he came to his own house. There was a very sober and common mother to greet him as her son. She was lovingly called Guru Ma by other students. There were a few other students who had been given free facilities for accommodation, food and education. There was a big chunk of fenced land around his house. Its total cultivable area was not less than ten acres. These students worked in the field to produce for their own needs. Rice, wheat, gram and different vegetables were easily produced. Dairy products were also made available to all the residents of the Sunil Gurukul. The teacher had a herd of lactating cows of good breed. Sufficient milk was available for everyone. He had a good plan to recycle the dairy wastes for the fields’ compost and manure. The cow-dung and other bio-degradable wastes were dumped in big pits to make composts. Its use made his vast land requisitely fertile. The by-products like chaffs, straws, hays, weeds and grass were used as cattle’s fodder. The students and other employees both were healthy and happy with the teacher’s family members. All did their duties with full faith, devotion and attention. Things went on well within the Gurukul for many years.
Tulsidas wrote in the famous epic Ramayana, where there is goodness there is prosperity, and where there is ill thinking there is misery. “Jahan sumati tahan sampati nana,
Jahan kumati tahan bipati nidhana.”
The teacher paid equal attentions to physical, mental and spiritual development of his students. He was kind, sympathetic and loving to all. No distinction between his sons and students was seen therein. As such its result was shining. The inmates always passed in first division. Once a student enters there by the grace of God, his first division is laid secured by the grace of this teacher. Therefore his gurukul’s name had spread far and wide. Many aware guardians preferably sought admission in this gurukul than in the school hostel. The school itself had a well furnished hostel facility. More than three hundred students could be accommodated there. But each year many seats remained usually vacant. The hostel superintendent would try to seduce eager students to take admission there but even than thirty to forty percent seats usually fell vacant. But here in the Gurukul there was heavy rush. The teacher took admission tests every year. Only the competent students could get entry. Others had to go for the school hostel. The teacher had to face a lot of pressure and request from some mulish guardians. But he would refuse all those who didn’t fulfill the requisite criteria. Jana was a lucky boy. He had teacher’s special blessing over him. Jana was admitted in the school also. Sunil Sir managed everything for him. Dressed in the school-uniform he looked very smart. His greatest dream became true. He was now not stopped at the gate. His first day experience of the school was unique and memorable one. He soon became a part and parcel of the school and the gurukul as well. Some students didn’t find it easy to adjust with this newcomer but there was a strict reign of discipline. No one could violate. Jana read unhindered. Among all other students of VII class he gradually fared well. In the final examination he stood first in his class. His name spread in the school and all bestowed love and affection on him. He even raised the name of his mentor, Sunil Sir. It was he who had picked up the gem from the heaps of rags. It was his eye that had recognized Jana’s worth.
Sunil Sir had two sons Bintu and Bikku. They read in X and IX class respectively. Their performance in the school was very good. All teachers were pleased with them. The headmaster also loved Sunil ‘sons. Several times they were given prizes. Jana was junior to them. But the trio lived in the Gurukul as own brothers. He had then become a familiar member of the family. Jana had the habit of learning his all lessons at usually one attempt. His teachers and classmates were left surprised at all activities. Sometimes Jana’s parents would come to see him at the hostel. They would peep through the gates’ opening and wait there eagerly with due patience. When the gatekeeper would see them he would inform Jana. Taking permission from the teacher or Guru Ma he would run fast to meet them at the gate. His parents would become overwhelmed with pride and pleasure to see the shining face of Jana. Sometimes Guru Ma would call them and give something to eat. She would also tell them the good qualities and educational achievements of Jana. Sunil Sir would suggest them not to disturb him at short intervals. The flabbergast parents would immediately beg permission to go. While on way back home both discussed the good luck of Jana who got new leaf life by the blessing of God. Sunil Sir was a god-send agent.
Thus times passed gradually on and on. Weeks, months and years rolled on. Works, therein, got routinely done. Bintu and Bikku did MBA after post graduation and both got good jobs in a reputed multinational company. Both were married soon after their jobs. Despite all pre-plans to settle together both were transferred to different cities of India. Their works were appreciated well by the the superiors and the boss. After sometimes the company needed them to work on foreign lands. The first was sent to America and the second to London. Their wives accompanied them. During first few years they would regularly call their parents on hotlines but after that the call- frequency gradually slowed down. By this time a wave of mass transfer swept all nationalised schools of the state. Sunil Sir also was displaced to join a good school in a commissionary town. He had no option but to hand over the hostel’s charge to his advocate brother. For three years he ran the hostel in the name of Sunilji. But bad luck over-shadowed the hostel as the all the school teachers of the state went on a three months long strike. Hostelers fled away and didn’t return even after the schools reopened. The big flourishing hostel of meritorious students soon wore a ruined look. It is well said that the importance of a good temple depends solely on the good performance of its priest.
Nine years slipped away soon. Sunil Sir looked more pale and old. He had to face two woes at the same time. The first was due to the apathy of sons and the second was the loss of hostel. His sons and daughter-in-laws paid very little heed to the heads of family. Few letters and a parcel of photographs had come in this gap of time. At last a message came to bring them happiness and hope. It was from the first son. It said that he was coming to India on the company-duty. He wrote he find out time to visit them (his mother and father as well as in-laws house). His wife, Sony, too was coming with her eight year old son. Sunil Sir and his wife were not within their bounds to see his eldest son, daughter-in-law and the English styled grand-son. Long awaited day came. Great happiness had come in their retired life. Their eyes had petrified waiting for them. They would often regret why they had allowed their sons go abroad. The night passed in great festivity. They shared experiences of their life at home and abroad. They ate best culinary prepared by the old lady- the mother (Guru Ma). 24 hours passed by. Now it was Sony’s time of showing her deep embarrassment for staying at such a ‘filthy’ and conjested place. The small grandson too wept and supported his mother to leave this place. Sunil Babu’s plight was pitiable The old lady’s eyes were lachrymose. But the chic young lady was unmoved. She pressed hard her husband to set off soon. They had planned to go to her father’s house. It was in Delhi. It was big and well-styled. There they had to stay for a week. Here the old parents were haggard and pallid. Soon the beauty of spring time turned into horrors of terrible hurricane. At last the oldies succumbed to their pressure and had to bid them good-by. The desolation of the deserted olds was boundless. In the midst of utter agony weeks and months passed by. The son’s separation hang extremely heavy on the mother. She fell seriously ill. The family doctor saw her but her condition deteriorated day and night. She lost her appetite soon after she started taking medicine as per doctor’s advice. Her body graduately got emaciated. It was a matter of gravest concern for the retired teacher. He prayed god beseaching grant of a new lease of her life but god, as if, had turned a deaf ear to him. The perplexed father phoned his son and Sony. They assured to deposit some money in his father’s account for better treatment but refused to return to see the mother. The news of Guru Ma’s illness reached anyhow to Jana. He had left the hostel some ten years ago. However Sunil Sir had taken all cares for his higher studies. After doing MBA Jana started working in a reputed firm in Mumbai. His labour and sincerity pushed him soon to the post of assistant manager. He drew Rs 60,000.00 as monthly salary. He married an educated girl of Carnataca. She was Pinky Dobley. She too was working in the same firm. In all their monthly earning was more than a lakh. They were pulling on well. Jana’s parents some times went to meet them in Mumbai. They were very happy to see Jana in such a hi-fi condition. Their eyes would get wet with the forceful imulse of divine pleasure. In such hours of happiness they would never miss remembering Sunil Babu and Guru Ma. In this sequence when they had gone to Mumbai last time Jana’s mother told her son the whole stories of Guru Ma’s illness and the passive behaviour of her son and Bahu. Jana became exceedingly anxious and worried. He spent a night in utter restlessness. Next day he took leave officially and boarded a train. In 28 hours he reached his village. He rushed to Sunil Babu’s house. He wept to see the condition of Guru Ma. Her eyes too were lachrymose. The old teacher was pale, pallid and haggard. His look had lost its lustre. He was speechless. Once a teacher-prodigy had bestowed support to many but now he had leaned to hold a support from others. Few months before he was quite happy, stout and strong. No sign of old age was seen on his face. But now the situation had taken U-turn. First due to the apathetical attitude of his son and daughter-in-law and the second due the serious illness of his wife. Jana requested them to be ready to take the first flight to Mumbai from Ranchi. Sunil Babu wanted to avoid his planning and said him not to bother. But Jana was adament and firm. All were ready. He sent message to his wife about his plan. She arranged there everything nicely and came to the aerodrome to receive them. Plane landed at Mumbai airport as per its schedule. Jana’s wife received them warmly. She had brought an ambulance too. Sunil babu and Guruma blessed the new ‘Bahu’ when she touched their feet. She gave her a gold chain and a ring. All went to the Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Goregaon, Link Road, Mumbai. It was near their residence. She had set everything welll beforehand. Therefore the doctor admitted her in ICU and started treatment. Sunil Sir stood there as a silent spectator. Jana’s wife was very attentive. She requested her husband to take the respected Sir home to be fresh. She assured to be present there soon to prepare the bunch. Sunil Babu hesitated a bit but saw there was no need to stay. He went up the ICU, saw her and sent a message through the sister that all are in the lodge in the campus. She waved her hand as if she had received the message. The old man came down satisfied and went with Jana to his residence. There he was living with his wife for more than a year. It was a 2-BHK flat at 4th floor in an Appartment of Goregaon West. This was sufficient for Jana’ small family and his guests. Jana’s wife came in time. She hastily prepared brunch and served. Sunil Babu asked Jana to sit and take the meal but he humbly said that he will have that with Pinky. After the lunch he wanted to pay off the hospital expenditure. He took out his purse but Jana was pale and mute. His wife came to his rescue. She said with wet eyes, “ Babuji ! we are your own humble, small and earning children. Please give us right to expend on everything including the treatment cost. You have made Jana able enough to meet your life-long expenses henceforth. With him I too share the same blessing, love and affection you bestow on him. It is our humble duty now to serve you and Guru ma till the rest of our life.” Jana’s face sparkled with joy at his wife’s advocacy and presentation. Sunil Babu had no words that day to sort out a reply to this modern-age girl, Pinky Dobley. He wondered how a modern educated girl could be so sensitive to express things in such a lucid manner! He blessed the duo whole heartedly and wanted to go back to the hospital. Though there was no need of any family attendant in the ICU, yet they went there. It was 10 PM. Nurses didn’t allow them to inter into the ICU but Sunil Babu requested the Doctor incharge to see the patient on bed no 10. He was allowed only to minutes time. He changed his dress putting on a greenish, sterlised, gown. His wife said she was feeling well. He needed not to bother. He said about Jana and his well mannered wife. He returned saying he would meet in the early morning. After 3 days her condition improved significantly. On the fifth day she was brought out of ICU and lodged in a paying ward. Here an extra attached room with a bed and sofa set were provided. Sunil Babu lodged here. Jana and his wife paid regular and two-time visits. Doctors and nurses kept due care of the patient. Within a short period of fourteen days Guru Ma was finally relieved. Sunil Babu waited at Jana’s house for an extra seven days then said, “ Jana and Pinky ! Now we want to go back to my house in Jharkhand. All money I had brought lie with me untouched. Do take this all and purchage this new building. Jana wept in joy and Pinky’s eyes’ too were wet. Jana hastily went inside and took out a paper (document) from the trunk. The house had been already purchaged in the name of Sunil Babu and Guru Ma. He also said that I had built a pucca house for his own parents and brother in the village. They are happy there. They know this that here the house is purchaged in your name. This was their suggestion and order. We only executed it. It was time for Sunil Babu and Guru Ma to melt down from a thick heap of iceberg into small chips of floating ice pieces. Sunil Babu complied and lived there for many days. Their sons and daughters-in-laws too visited them after a long interval. Grandsons and grand daughters had no complain of living in a small and nasty town. But Sunil Babu’s nostalgiac mind some times flew past like a hovering big bird into the distant past days of his old village, the school and his prestigious hostel.
Giriwar Nandan Prasad, Jaigiri Niwas, Hazaribag, Jharkhand.
01-01-2013
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