THE DUTYBOUND

---T.R. Chamoli
It was Mid Seventies. Anil sat lonely in front of a kerosene lamp. The
dim light of the lamp tried to fight out the darkness of the cottage, like Anil who
was trying to combat the illiteracy of Sarjula Patti (a group of villages) in this
remote village of Garhwal in Uttarakhand.
Five years ago, there was only one Government-run primary school in
this Patti catering to the need of 7-8 village scattered around 6-7 kilometres.
Villagers of this area were generally not interested in education. What will we
get after educating our children? We are in no need of service. We have a lot of
agricultural land to plough and cattle to graze, they would say. Only very few
people aware of the benefits of education sent their sons to the school. And the
only benefit of education, they knew, was it made their sons capable of reading
and writing letters. For the villagers their thumb impression was sufficient to
solve all purposes.
There was no question of sending girls to school. What is the use of it?
they would question. Negating any reply they would contend, Girls must be
expert in cooking food, mulching cattle, cutting grass and they should be able to
do other agriculture-related work. This was why the attendance at the school
was very thin. It was advantageous for the primary teacher. For months he was
not to be seen. He used to be away at his home drawing his salary regularly and
enjoying the fruits of modern education system! What could the poor teacher
do if the villagers were not interested in their childrens education!
Anil was a poor child. But he had a keen interest in education. After
passing his primary education from this very primary school, he went to
Chamba city. To further his studies he had to travel 12 kilometres per day from
his village to Chamba and vice versa. Industrious and intelligent as he was, he
acquired an M.A. degree with a gold medal. This he could do thanks to the
dedication of his widowed mother who sold firewood and grass to educate him
whose only aim in life was to educate her son at any cost.
Those were not the days of acute shortage of employment, like today.
Anil could easily get a job in the city. But he did not run after it. He instead
preferred to serve this area. He wanted to illumine this dark area with the light

of education were the sun was to be seen during the day like a Government
servant in office. He established a high school in this village Pata and named it
Viday Jyoti. The sole purpose of Vidya Jyoti was not monetary gain like
todays private school growing like mushrooms but impart education to children
of this Patti. So he charged very nominal fee from the students. Incapable poor
children were exempt from any fee. Instead he helped bright students by giving
them books and stationery.
After a lot of persuasions Anil was able to make the villagers send their
children to school. Almost all village boys with a good number of girls had
started going to school.
Anil firmly believed in high ethical values. He not only believed it but
also practised it. In his opinion teachers were the torch-bearers of society
showing path to the ignorant. He laid great emphasis on character-building.
Teachers of his school like him too adhered to moral values. Vidya Jyoti and its
teachers made their mark in the Patti.
Anil was both manager and principal of Vidya Joyoti. He would
occasionally teach the students. His teaching method was so nice and appealing
that every class preferred to be taught by the principal himself. Anil would
teach the students as far as he could but to ensure proper teaching he would
round each class.
One day Anil received a complaint from Ramesh, a student of tenth class
that someone had stolen his twenty Rupee note. Anil called all students of tenth
class to his office. He looked at each students face and told them, except
Gopal, to go back to their class.
Gopal, return Rameshs money, said Anil calmly.
Sir, I didnt take his money, retorted Gopal.
If you have spent the money, I can give you. But dont tell a lie. Accept
your guilt, Anil insisted.
Gopal kept quiet.
Gopal..?, Anil shouted.
Sir, Im innocent. I didnt take his money, said Gopal abruptly.

This was enough to exasperate Anil. He beat Gopal with a raw, flexible
stick. The stick accidently rebounded to hit Gopals face which left a mark and
caused some swelling there. Gopal did not resist.
After school, Gopal came home. His parents asked him about the
swelling. He pretended that while coming home from school some wasps bit
him. But other students told them that the Principal Sahib had beaten Gopal
without any cause.
The news of Gopals beating spread to the whole village. Some villagers
came to see Gopal.
How cruelly he has beaten the boy, said one.
He has no right to beat our children like this, added another.
Had any teacher beaten any student in Delhi, he would have been
murdered, bragged a young man who had come on leave from Delhi where he
served as a domestic help.
Report the matter to Police, coaxed other who was very fond of
litigation.
No, no, you are wrong. The principal cannot be wrong. The boy must
have committed some mistake, said one in defence of the principal. No one
agreed with him.
There was a hot discussion over it. At last it was decided that the matter
be referred to the village Panchayat. One educated man wrote a complaint
against Anil and Gopals father was made to put his thumb impression on it.
Next day it was lodged with the village Panchayat.
Anil was summoned by the Panchayat to appear before it at 11 AM on the
third day. When he appeared before the Panchayat the Sarpanch asked him,
Why did you beat Golpal?
Sir, Im sorry for that. But, sorry, I will not tell you the reason. Better
ask the boy, said Anil politely.
Why, why cant you tell?
Its a question of my students future. But believe me, Sir; I did not beat
him out of malice.

No, you are hiding something.

something.

You took revenge on him for

Sir, why should a teacher take revenge on his student. What should be its
cause. Anil tried to pacify the Sarpanch.
Silence prevailed for some time. Then the Panchayat asked Gopal why he
was beaten. He stood with low head and strict silence. His father was also
questioned but he expressed his ignorance about the matter.
The Sarpanch consulted other members of the Panchayat. Within half an
hour the Sarpanch pronounced the judgment, You will pay a fine of one
hundred and one Rupees to the Panchayat for beating Gopal.
This was surprising for Anil but he paid the fine and instead of going to
Vidya Jyoti, came back to his cottage.
The judgment perturbed Anil. He did not expect this. Oh, these rustic
people. Theyll never understand. What have I not done for them! Is it the
reward of my services? What have I earned from this. Nothing except infamy.
I will leave this place. Let they manage Vidya Jyoti, themselves. I dont mind
even if Vidya Jyoti is closed, thought he for one moment.
Anil what are you thinking. Did you open Vidya Jyoti for this day. Will
you be able to do so? Will you leave those innocent students to their fate in the
mid academic session? What is your duty? Anil heard someone from within
him was cautioning him.
Duty? What duty? Is it my duty towards others? People have not any
duty to me, to the students, to Vidya Jyoti?, he questioned the voice.
You are different from them. They are in the dark. You are here to show
them light. They do not know what they are doing. Forget about the fine and
forgive them, the voice continued.
No, I have no contract to run the school, Anil said angrily.
Cool down. Think again and again. Dont take decision in a hurry, the
voice said calmly.
Anil first drank a glass of water and then another. The chilled water gave
him some relief. To divert his mind, he turned over pages of Bhagwadgita. But

he could not concentrate on any shloka. He kept the book at its place. He spent
that afternoon restless.
Teachers of Vidya Jyoti came to Anils cottage in the evening. I am
leaving Vidya Jyoti. I will hand over it to you, tomorrow, said Anil to them.
Sir, dont leave us in a lurch, Requested Rana.
Sir, well not let you go, said other teachers unanimously.
I have decided it, Anil said in a firm voice.
Next day Anil went to Vidya Jyoti and formally handed over its charge to
Rana, the seniormost teacher. Then he came to his cottage and packed his
clothes in a patrol box.
In the evening he strolled about the courtyard until it was quite dark. He
hated darkness in his life but he liked it today. Why, he did not know. He
unwillingly went into the cottage and lit his kerosene lamp.
As he came out to shut the door, he heard sound of footsteps nearing his
cottage. A figure emerged from the darkness and fell on his feet. Anil raised
him up. Oh, he was Gopal, with tears rolling down his cheeks! Anil wiped his
tears and patted on his back.
Sir, I am guilty. But even then you saved me. Sir, had you told the
Panchayat the truth, I would have not been able to show my face to anyone.
There would have been no alternative for me except to jump into Ganga
Maiyaa. Sir, You are great. You may punish me in any way you like. You can
rusticate me from the school, Sir, but please dont leave Vidya Jyoti, entreated
Gopal.
Will you accept the punishment? asked Anil.
Yes, Sir, with great pleasure.
Then leave the nasty habit of theft for good.
Only on one condition, Sir.
What is that?
You will not leave Vidya Jyoti.

Anil paused for a minute and then said, Alright.

Sir, It means you have forgiven me.
Yes, of course.
Sir, pardon me. How did you know that I had stolen Rameshs twenty
Rupee note?
On the day of theft when I was on the round of your class, I by chance
saw you taking a red paper from Rameshs pocket. Then I did not pay attention
to it. But on the next day when Ramesh complained about the theft, I suspected
it. I recognised you. Your eyes were also telling that you were the culprit.
Remember always, you can tell a lie but your eyes cannot.
Gopal fell on Anils feet again. He left Anils cottage only after Anil
promised him that he would not leave Vidya Jyoti.
Anil felt as if a huge stone from his chest had been removed. He turned
the knob of the kerosene lamp to increase its light.
*****